Gelupo on Archer Street: what to order and when to go

Gelupo is not on Berwick Street, whatever the old directories say. Find it at 7 Archer Street, a short side street in Soho between Rupert Street and Great Windmill Street, about 310 metres from Berwick Street and a few minutes from Piccadilly Circus tube. It is a little tucked away, which is half the pleasure. Look for the queue.

What it is

A gelateria that makes its gelato fresh every day. It was founded in 2010 by Victor Hugo and chef Jacob Kenedy, and opened that June directly across the street from Kenedy's restaurant Bocca di Lupo. The Caterer called it Bocca's "sweeter little sister". Kenedy learned gelato-making at Il Gelatauro in Bologna and later wrote the book Gelupo Gelato.

It is also a small Italian deli, with biscotti, imported ingredients and cookbooks. Time Out reported that it closed in April 2023 and reopened on Tuesday 23 May that year after a full redesign, with its first alcohol licence since 2010. That means wine, spritzes and Italian cocktails, the Negroni among them. The Infatuation describes comfy, curved booths and space at the back to sit with a negroni or a dark chocolate sorbet.

What to order

Everything is churned daily, so flavours rotate. Check the current menu before you set your heart on one. The Infatuation's picks, from a review in July 2023:

• Ricotta and dark sour cherry: the signature scoop, which that review calls the best gelato in London. Start here.
• Blood orange: a vegan sorbet with a proper tang.
• Sicilian pistachio: almost always on offer.
• Mint stracciatella, and specials such as rice pudding with cinnamon.

Time Out's older review praises the classics: black forest cherry, chocolate, blood orange granita and ewe's milk ricotta, plus strong Italian coffee. Spotted by Locals recommends the dark chocolate. Visitor reviews mention a hazelnut affogato and a slice of chocolate and lemon cake, and say staff will often hand over a taster before you commit.

If you would rather take it home, the online shop sells the Gelupo Cookbook, the Bocca Cookbook (£40), gift vouchers from £10, a tote (£12) and raw Modica-style chocolate (£7.50). Wallpaper has reported that Gelupo offers home delivery within a few miles.

When to go

Official hours are twelve noon to eleven at night, Sunday to Thursday, and twelve noon to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. Some directories list an earlier opening, so go by the Gelupo site.

The Infatuation says late afternoon draws families, while the evening turns more grown-up, with cocktails, and the later hours at weekends more so. Queues form, sometimes out onto the pavement, though one weekday-evening visitor was served in about five minutes. For a shorter wait, try a weekday afternoon or the last hour before closing.

Prices and booking

There is no official price list to quote. Recent visitor reports on Tripadvisor suggest around £5 to £6 for a single scoop, with £5.50 mentioned more than once, so check in store. It is walk-in, with the counter queue the only system described. For questions, call 020 7287 5555 or email howl@gelupo.com. The Gelupo site has the hours and delivery details.

For after

Cross the road to Bocca di Lupo, 12 Archer Street. Kenedy and Hugo's restaurant opened in November 2008 and cooks the food and wine of Italy's twenty regions. It is a natural second act: the same street, the same people behind it. Check its website for opening times and, if the sweet tooth has not been satisfied, order a negroni back at Gelupo first.

Short on time? Take a scoop of ricotta and sour cherry for a walk to Berwick Street, where the market has run since the 1840s, according to Wikipedia.