Lux Jem Cafe

Ciao! Every week, I try a new gelato shop in Rome, throughout all the different neighborhoods. Each shop is evaluated by flavor, service and price. Each shop can be rated up to 30 points: 10 possible for each category. This week: Grand Lux Ristorante and Cafe. This is a cute little place nestled in Prati. It’s not far from Old Bridge Gelato Shop but I didn’t feel right not blogging about this place since I’m a regular there.

• Via Leone IV 10/12, 00192 Roma, Italia

Flavor: The flavor quality is middle of the road. If it’s anything I’ve learned its that fruit flavors are the hardest to get right. You have to use real fruit or you can taste the flavoring and sometimes it leaves an unpleasant aftertaste in your mouth. The Mars Bar flavor is my favorite here. If you want, the owner will even dip a portion of your gelato in chocolate for you!

 Here’s the complete list of flavors (the owner changes the flavors from time to time so a few of them vary):

•          Mixed Berry
•          Strawberry
•          Dark Chocolate
•          Chocolate 
•          Pistachio
•          Melon
•          Banana
•          Lemon
•          Yogurt
•          Vanilla
•          Hazelnut
•      Eggnog  
•          Biscotti
•          Coffee
•          Caramel
•          Coconut
•          Tiramisu
•          Cheese 
•          Panna Cotta
•          Kinder Bar
•          Bacio de dama
•          Cherry 
•     Trifle  
•          Nougat 
•          Cookies and Crème
•          Crème
•          Mars Bar

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Flavor Score: 5

Service: The service is mostly what brings me into this shop. The owner is a nice man you always gives you a warm welcome when you walk through the door. If he’s feeling generous he might even give you a little pastry on the way out. There a few tables inside to sit down and enjoy your gelato, outside seating and the shop is connected to a restaurant next door. It’s small but it has a very friendly and inviting atmosphere. It’s a great place to stop in after school or work and enjoy a scoop of gelato.

Service Score: 9

Price: The pricing here is average. You get more bang for your buck if you choose a cone over a cup. A small cup is 3 euro but a small cone is 2 euro and it’s the same amount of ice cream. You can make that be one or two different flavors.

Here’s the complete price lists:

Cones

• Small – 2 euro
• Medium – 3 euro
• Large – 4 euro
• Extra Large – 5 euro

Cups

• Children’s size – 2 euro
• Small – 3 euro
• Medium – 4 euro
• Large – 5 euro

Shop owner scooping some strawberry 

Price Score: 6

Overall, Grand Lux is a place you go when you want to sit down and relax to eat your gelato with friends. The flavors don’t stand out from one gelato shop to the next but they’re worth going back for seconds, and the prices aren’t too bad, either.

Overall Score: 20

Next week: For those of you who will be visiting Vatican City soon to catch up on all the action, I’ll be stopping in Nova Café to see just how good it really is.