Capogiro loosely translates from Italian as “head spinning.” This was the effect owners Stephanie and John Reitano hoped for when they opened the nouveau gelateria in 2002, upon returning to Philadelphia from John’s native Italy.

Capogiro’s modish interior is decked out in my favorite color. This is a rare moment when the tables aren’t thronged.

As of June 16, 2006, Capogiro had generated 306 flavors of gelato and sorbet. They feature 27 flavors per day, each bin decorated with the respective flavor’s core ingredient. This section features Chilean table grape, grapefruit with Campari, pineapple mint, and black fig, among others. [A sad fact of gelateria photography: display cases never seem to photograph well. Must be the glare.]

Capogiro sells their gelato in four sizes: piccolo, mezzo, grande, and by the pint. They’ve developed a fashionable line of containers. Remind me again why I’m writing about containers?

This small cup was overflowing with two creamy scoops: honeysuckle and pineapple with Lancaster County meadow mint. Near the green spoon, if you look closely, you can spot a honeysuckle flower. I never knew plantlife could taste so good. Capogiro tends to highlight local, seasonal ingredients, so you won’t find honeysuckle in the fall or winter.

Here’s a cup of Bacio, a rich blend of chocolate and caramelized hazelnuts. My father wasn’t about to wait for me to take a photo. Thus the spoon damage.

Jane chose this tantalizing combination of Dulce de Leche and Turkish coffee. If you look closely, you can see the ribbons of Argentine caramel and flecks of coffee bean.

I liked Capogiro enough to return two days straight. Only a day later, there were already plenty of fresh options. This cup held mojito sorbetto and strawberry tequila sorbetto. The scoop of mojito was flecked with mint leaves, and the strawberry was distinctly liquored-up. Neither lived up to the honeysuckle experience, but it was worth a return stop.

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This entry is filed under Ice Cream/Gelato Parlor, Mid Atlantic.