Summer is here, a time for gelato, especially when it’s Italian artisanal gelato. The creamy and silky frozen treat, Made in Italy, is taking over New York City and new gelaterie are popping up all around the city, multiplying by the dozen. But when we talk about Italian artisanal gelato there is no translating it into the American ice cream, it’s gelato, period.

Although the two products look similar, they are very different, in texture, taste and ingredients. To explain the difference between gelato and ice cream, we have asked some of the best authentic Italian gelaterie the Big Apple can offer.