Gangneung gelato café with an Italian-trained master: Hi Gelato

Gangneung has so many cafés and dessert spots, but this time I wanted something more than the usual ice cream — I wanted real, properly made gelato 🍧 Hi Gelato is right near Gangneung Central Market, so it fit perfectly into the travel route. It's a great stop when you're craving something sweet after browsing the market, and the gelato also travels well if you want to take it to go!

Where is Hi Gelato in Gangneung?

Hi Gelato is on the 1st floor of 158 Toseong-ro, Gangneung, Gangwon. It's right next to Gangneung Central Market, so it's an easy walk after checking out the market.

What is Hi Gelato like inside?

A small, cozy gelato shop

Walking into Hi Gelato, you immediately feel that cute, cozy atmosphere. It's warm and comfortable, so it's easy to pick a flavor and eat right there. There's a space to sit and eat slowly inside, and takeout is also available 🙂

An owner who trained as a gelato master in Italy

One reason I was curious about Hi Gelato is that the owner completed a gelato master course in Italy. ✨ Gelato has a different texture and making process from regular ice cream, right? Knowing the owner actually studied gelato in Italy and finished a master course made it feel like a genuine gelato specialty shop.

How do you order at Hi Gelato?

Small cup, large cup or a box to take away

At Hi Gelato, you can order in the format you want — small cup, large cup, or box. We wanted to try several flavors, so after some thought we went with the large cup! With the large cup you get to pick 3 flavors including a free taste, which would be great if you're visiting with a friend whose taste differs from yours.

Which gelato flavors does Hi Gelato have?

The full flavor lineup, from matcha to corn

Hi Gelato really had so many flavors ready. Ricotta Blueberry, Corn Supernova, Sundubu Gelato (soft tofu), Mango & Strawberry in Love, Achacha Matcha, Riso, Gangneung Coffee Edition, Bellona Dark Choco — just reading the names made me curious what they'd taste like 🫐🌽🥭🍓🍵 Getting to try such unique flavors is part of the charm of this Gangneung Central Market gelato café, haha.

A free taster scoop on top of your cup

They let us taste a spoonful for free, so with the large cup we actually got to try three flavors total.

How Gangneung Coffee Edition, Riso and Bellona Dark Choco taste

• Gangneung Coffee Edition: A rich coffee flavor with a gentle sweetness. If you love coffee, this one's for you!
• Riso: This is where you feel gelato's signature chewy texture the most.
• Bellona Dark Choco: Sweet and chewy chocolate 🍫 If you like intense chocolate, this will suit your taste.

All three tasted different, so switching between them one by one kept it interesting instead of getting tiring.

How Sundubu (soft tofu), Corn Supernova and Ricotta Blueberry taste

• Sundubu Gelato: Exactly like the name suggests — reminds you of soft tofu (sundubu). Light and smooth, haha.
• Ricotta Blueberry: Has ricotta cheese in it, but the tangy-sweet blueberry keeps it light instead of heavy!

And my personal favorite was Corn Supernova 🌽 It was so good my friend kept stealing gelato from my side. The nutty, sweet flavor of corn really goes well with gelato 🙂 (I think I'd order Corn Supernova again next time I visit, haha.)

Why the large cup with three flavors is worth it

In the end, I was glad I went with the large cup. When traveling, I like to try a little bit of many different things, and it was so nice to be able to do that with gelato too. If you're planning to visit this Gangneung Central Market gelato café, I'd definitely recommend comparing a few different flavors!

If you're craving something sweet after a meal near Gangneung Central Market, try a cup of gelato at Hi Gelato. 🍧❤️ You can eat in at the cute, cozy shop or take it to go, which makes it easy to stop by mid-trip. And best of all, it's made by an owner who completed a gelato master course in Italy, so the quality is guaranteed. If you're looking for a Gangneung Central Market café gelato spot, I recommend Hi Gelato, where you can enjoy chewy, smooth gelato in flavors quite different from the usual ice cream :)