Farinella Snack Bar Ottawa Review – Smooth Pistachio Gelato with Room for More Flavour – Average EV Score: 5.5/10

Reviewed by Tastes of Ottawa

Each dish is rated using our EV Score (Enjoyment-to-Value Score), based on enjoyment, price paid, and benchmark pricing.

Farinella Snack Bar Overview

344 Preston St, Ottawa, ON K1S 4M6

Located in Ottawa’s Little Italy, Farinella Snack Bar is a small offshoot of the Farinella brand. While their other locations on Rochester Street and March Road are well known for serving up some of Ottawa’s most talked-about pizza, this particular spot specializes exclusively in gelato. It’s a compact place, more of a quick stop than a sit-down café, and it embraces that identity fully. During the colder seasons, this place is closed until it’s warm enough to enjoy gelato.

The shop is a small little place with very limited seating — just a few spots inside, making it feel cozy but not a destination where you’d linger long. Most people pop in for a scoop or two and then head back out to enjoy their gelato while strolling along Preston Street. They have an okay selection of flavours to choose from. Nothing necessarily extravagent – just your usual regular flavours.

As for parking, there is no dedicated lot. Like most of Little Italy, you’ll need to rely on street parking, which can sometimes be tricky depending on how busy the neighbourhood is. Still, it fits the casual, snack-bar feel of the place — you swing by, grab your gelato, and continue on your way.

Being part of the Farinella family carries certain expectations. The Rochester and March Road locations have earned praise for their authentic Roman-style pizza, so naturally you might expect the same level of refinement and flavour here with the gelato. On our visit, however, the results were a little more mixed.

Would return?: No.

Gelato Ice Cream – Pistachio

😋 Enjoyment: 5.5/10

💰 Price Paid: $6

🎯 Benchmark Price: $6

📊 EV Score: 5.5/10

🔁 Order Again?: No.

The pistachio gelato at Farinella Snack Bar had the right texture — smooth, creamy, and light, with that clean finish that sets gelato apart from standard ice cream. It melted evenly and didn’t feel overly heavy, which was a positive. In terms of mouthfeel, it checked all the boxes.

Where it fell short was in the flavour. Pistachio gelato is supposed to pack a nutty punch, with a roasted depth that lingers on the palate. Here, the flavour was too subtle. While the pistachio taste was there, it was faint, and it left me wishing for more richness and intensity. Instead of being bold and distinctive, it felt muted, almost as if the pistachio was an afterthought rather than the star of the show.

That isn’t to say it was bad — it was still a pleasant scoop, enjoyable in texture and refreshing on a hot day. But when you order pistachio gelato, you’re expecting something more vibrant and memorable, and this didn’t quite deliver. Not something I would want to order again.

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Final Thoughts

Farinella Snack Bar brings a different angle to the Farinella brand. While their pizza locations are celebrated for quality and authenticity, this Little Italy gelato shop feels more like a casual add-on than a flagship destination. The shop itself is small, with limited seating and no dedicated parking, and it caters mostly to those already wandering Preston Street.

The pistachio gelato had the right texture but fell short on flavour. At $6 a scoop, it wasn’t overpriced, but it also didn’t feel like standout value. Compared to other gelato options in the city, it didn’t leave a strong impression.

The staff were friendly and efficient, and the service was quick — it didn’t take long from ordering to being served, which works perfectly for a snack-bar style shop. That part of the experience was smooth and added to the casual vibe.

Ultimately, Farinella Snack Bar is worth a visit if you’re already nearby and want a simple treat. But if you’re making a trip specifically for gelato, there are better options in Ottawa that deliver more powerful flavours and a stronger overall experience. While I wouldn’t order the pistachio again, I might return in the future to try one of their other flavours to see if they’re more successful.