Reviews Il Cono

Fantastic place. Wonderful gelato and pastries. Enjoyed coconut and lichi gelato and hazelnut cake at il cono last night. I always have an excellent experience there.

The moment you enter 'Il Cono', you are greeted by an amiable couple who are the owners of the place. You get a homely feeling as soon as you step-in, and you are hit with wholesome aromas of waffles and gelatos.
The man told us that he had specially gone to Italy for a year to learn the art of making gelatos and has been running this venture ever since. Given the locality and place, the price you pay for the quality of Gelatos you get is a steal. I am sure that if one bought gelatos of this quality in a place like Delhi or Bombay, it would be priced at triple its value. The ambience was complemented by humorous posters on the wall having animations of the couple and their kids gave us a good laugh while enjoying our meal.All in all, looking at the price, the ambience, the quality of the gelatos and the overall experience, one should definitely pay a visit to "Il Cono' if one lands up in Auroville.

On our trip to Pondicherry,we were having constant bad food days . IL CONO was our savior. Had the Baked cheesecake it was amazing. Then we tried Gianduiotto , just because this was something we had never heard of and it was simply amazing. Every bite was something to savour. To add to it the folks here were very warm and welcoming. Must visit if you are in Auroville

Great ambiance....
Great gelato.....
We feel the freshness of the fruits used in the
Sorbets.
My favorite is hazelnut and Ganduia ...
If if didn't taste this,you will gonna miss something in your life.
GO AHEAD TO TASTE THESE GELATO........

We stopped for a coffee and ended up having the best hazelnut ice cream I've ever had. The place is tastefully set up and the effort and soul gone into it is most evident. The ice cream making area is exposed with glass walls and in general the place is extremely clean and organized. The cutlery used to serve coffee were traditional English and Chinese cutlery. Great place to stop before heading ahead to auroville.

Pondicherry has traditionally been associated with a cheap booze town and is trying hard to ward off that stigma but with little or no help. So on this note, it is fascinating to see a new gelato outlet has opened in town not in the city center but away from the hustle bustle in the peaceful eco village of Auroville. We noticed this place by accident while we were on our way to the Auroville shopping centre. However, it is a sprawling villa and can certainly not be missed. Blue and white painted walls reminded me of possibly a quaint little village in Italy. Hues of colours resembled those ones in the Mediterranean regions of Greece and Italy.

This new venture pioneered by a couple from Italy who have now made their base here. The lady of the house was extremely welcoming and she came to the doorstep to say welcome to their outlet. I felt that was very kind and humbling. Her husband Mr Luciano Bergo is one of the gelato makers and is certainly a master at it ably supported by Mr. Prakasam who has learnt the art of gelato making in the land they had their origins. His son takes care of the front service and is a pro too with an ever lasting smile. There are quite a few vintage picture postcards hanging on the wall. They offer multiple sections including one next to the open lawns, one upstairs and more importantly an air conditioned one too.    

I learnt a little bit about what are gelatos are and how they are made with milk, cream, sugar and natural ingredients including fresh fruits. I was fascinated by their passion with which they take their orders and how involved they were with the making process. They have quite a few varieties on offer and one of the most inexpensive ones have ever come across thus far. I ordered quite a few including their pistachios, hazelnut and tender coconut. Definitely a lot for one person but was certainly up for the challenge. The order did not take much long and was served in a traditional glass cup but what was unique is the use of betel leaves underneath it. This is possibly to reflect the culture of the land that they now call home.

I was informed that they source their pistachios from Sicily and their chocolates from Tuscany which was both intriguing to hear and also certainly a great learning for me too. The pistachio was easily the finest I have had with pista dusted across the gelato and it has certainly gelled well with the milk and cream. No artificial flavors and garnished on top with a pistachio sauce. Fascinating to say the least. For those who might want to know some history, they belong to the cashew family and had their origins in Middle East and Central Asia although now Iran, Turkey and the United States being the largest cultivators.  The hazelnuts are predominantly cultivated in Turkey too and the one I had here was very rich and creamy too. They are traditionally use to make praline and was splendid. 

The coconut gelato had lots of dried coconut shavings and some crunchy bites to accompany the refreshingly tender ice cream. Very well made, the notes of coconut came across every bite. The prices are extremely reasonable for the quality being served. Their menu is simple and I believe they have stuck to what they are good at. There are only two not so great things about this place, their location and not enough promotions. I am sure they are happy with the former especially their focus is on offering a relaxed atmosphere and to spend a lazy weekend. I was also informedd that they are coming up with their website and will be happy if they become well known.

Overall fantastic gelatos served by one of the most amazing people with an old world charm seldom seen in today's fast paced world and I hope they play a big role in transforming the city made famous for its booze culture into one which will be known for their gelatos. This is a definite must visit every time you make a trip to Pondicherry and I will hope you will be surprised every single time too. I believe that you will have an enjoyable experience just as I did twice.

P.S; The pictures that I have taken of the menu is not of great quality due to the lighting and I will wait to see their official one being published soon.

Best gelato shop out there. You wouldn’t find any of the menu out here in any part of the states. Might have looked entire Bangalore for the same menus which I found in this shop but never found it till date. Please do visit try the place out you have a variety of ice creams and cakes all freshly made and given out with love. Very friendly staff makes you feel at home and the ice creams are just out of the world. I bet a million bucks you wouldn’t find these ice cream flavours anywhere out where you living out come on try some ice creams out whip chill from the hot sun at Pondi!!!!

They have a very nice gelato selection. There is a nice atmosphere in the restaurant. They offer a variety of options ranging from cakes to waffles, so there is something for everyone. It was a pleasure to visit there and we enjoyed our time there.

Amazing vegan gelato! Fresh fruit in the ingredients. The vegan chocolate is super rich and creamy! Waffle cones are delicious, crunchy, crispy and authentic. Truly a sweet veg treat!

Lovely place, great ice creams and peaceful environment. Go for meditative ice creams. It also has art gallery but they must allow it periodically to change. It is a great hangout place with awesome hospitality by the Italian owner himself.

Very good experience with the customer service. Filling sandwiches and amazing coffee. Milkshakes and pastries were too good too.

Cute little place to sit and relax while gulping in your favourite ice cream. Everything is white and blue in this little world of IL Cono. Adults might love this place as much as any kid would.

What a fabulous choice of gelatos! Enjoyed quite a few flavours! Lime flavoured one,was unique!

Nice Ambience; we had some desserts, that were very tasty.