Yolato

Eventhough this location closed… you can try it at the other locations, my current fave is the Ferrera Rocher flavored gelato (with bits = p).

Umm, yum. This place is amazing! I am a gelato fiend (I studied abroad in Rome and ate gelato pretty much every day) so when my roomie recommended this place to me I knew I had to check it out. I guess it’s not technically real gelato since it is allegedly healthier for you, but you could have fooled me! It doesn’t have that lame fro-​yo texture, either — I think it’s magic. :) Heavenly. I have sampled a ton of their flavors and really enjoyed them all. You can’t go wrong with chocolate, but I am a big fan of the pineapple. It’s a bit pricey at about $ 4 for a small but they give you an ample serving, and I guess that’s the price of a latte these days. Definitely one of my favorite places!

First attempt to try Yolato, my co-​workers and I almost got ourselves killed. I’M NOT KIDDING!!!
This is how it unfolded. After finishing dinner, we decided it would be nice to get dessert and Yolato sounded real good. So, we started walking uptown.
Co-​worker #1 (From Canada): «Is it safe to walk these NY streets at night?
Co-​worker #2: „Of course it’s safe. I do it all the time.“
Me: „We’re perfectly safe.“
Co-​worker #1: „In Canada, the streets are very clean and safe. NY on the other hand doesn’t look so safe or clean.“
Me and Co-​worker #2: In unison…“Canadians~.»
Minutes later… SIRENS…POLICE CARS… MANY POLICE CARS… AMBULANCES…hmmmm…where are they going?
We were literally a block away when we saw where all the police and ambulances were going minutes ago. The smell of gun powder was strongly evident. OMG what happened here??? Apparently, a disgruntled customer walked into the corner pizza parlor and shot the waiter 20 times. He ran out of the place and 2 unarmed patrollers chased him down MacDougal… and numerous shots were fired.
To think if we had left dinner earlier we could have been caught in the middle of this horror scene.
Co-​worker #1: «You said NY was safe. I think I don’t want any Yolato. I think we need to go back to safe NJ.»
Me and co-​worker #2: Uhmmmmmm… oops…my bad.
So we ended up not getting any Yolato. But me and co-​worker #2 came back on another day. I’m actually addicted to their green tea gelato. It is sooooo goood. But I love anything green tea so I’m a tad bias.
We still think NY is safe… well most of the time. Last time we were in the same area… someone was hit over the head with a bottle and was running down the street… but other than that… I think it’s safe. *scratches head*

This adorable little place has a wonderful, bright, and young staff, perfectly willing to offer free samples and accomadate one’s every need. However, I felt extremely jipped for a $ 3.99 cup of yogurt-​based «gelato», especially when I was only given two small scoops that melted faster than the wicked witch in a pool. Peach sorbet was potently fruity and refreshing, and the green tea had a nice, lingering bitterness to it, but I felt I should have gotten a lot more for my money. Yes, most places are just as expensive, but I’m thinking idealistically here-​heh. In conclusion, I recommend this place to anyone who needs a frozen treat fix without *too* much guilt, but be weary of how often you visit, as your wallet will continue to feel lighter and lighter.

I happened upon this place with my sister when we were in NY and PMG, this place is soooo much better than Pinkberry or Harmony or any other Red Mango knockoff. First, their stuff is fresh, thick, and they have flavors. The Blueberry was awesome. Their employees are super nice and they let you try anything. It’sone of those rare places where people actually seem to like their job. The questions is, when are they coming to Northern California?

I’ve been to this place a few times. The texture of the stuff is perfect — the taste is pretty spot on also. I HATE the taste of watered down Taste-​E De-​lite which my female friends inevitable grow to love because it’s supposedly «low fat» and healthy. This is a superb alternative for health conscious folk.
The aloe vera (yes, I’m serious) tasted great at first, but then I felt like I was chewing on moisturizer. The pineapple, strawberry and pomegranate were solid. The ferraro roche is out of this world.
Go there. If nothing else, You’ll appreciate sitting on the perfectly-​molded-​to-​your-​ass orangle bar stools and looking out to Macdougal st.

The gelato was good, but I am majorly into this sour and yogurty frozen yogurt. It was delicious here, though the mangos seriously tasted like a toxic chemical. Not in a good way.

Just ate there yesterday. Had the large with birthday cake, hazelnut mocha and Nutella gelato flavors. Yes, it tasted as good as it sounds.
What’s so special? – Their creamy gelato is made from yogurt. It’s really delicious and comes in so many flavors.
Pinkberry is quite boring by comparison and ludicrously expensive. Of course, Pinkberry has like no calories and people from LA love it – ’nuff said. I admit, Pinkberry annoys me.
Yolato Rules!

I just like saying Yolato, say it three times you will too. I don’t know why it just sounds funny to me.
Gf and I tried our usuals coconut, nutella and we were happy.
Yolato…yolato…yolato…lol.

Strawberry Cheescake gelato = Heaven.
I was very very sad when I dropped it. :(

This is NOT a pinkberry contest. Also, pinkberry was NOT the first to come up with that sour yogurt stuff — check out forty carrots, ladies and gents… So what is this about? It’s about appreciating each vendor for who they are and what they produce.
Yolato differs from the many other fro-​yo joints in that it offers BOTH regular gelato (in a huge array of flavors — I had the plain and the hazelnut) and also the lower caloried yogurt stuff (tastes more liquidy and.
The hazelnut was INCREDIBLE! The flavor just burst in my mouth! The plain was also delicious and pure yogurt flavor the way I love it (a little tart/​sour, not sweet). LOVE.
The texture of the gelatois a little gritty… hard to describe — but not smooth or slippery. It’s kind’ve’a combo of creamy and gritty? It doesn’t melt too quickly, yielding the «ice cream juice» I crave whenever I have a cup of frozen delight.
The actual fro-​yo is very tangy and has a very watery base. I would not get that, even if it saves on calories, here — but go straight for some gelato (they also have some other wonderful flavors I can’t resist — especially ferrer rocher).
There is an oddly shaped plastic chair and one of those bamboo circular seats with a cushion in it out front at this location, but other than that, there is no space in the place to really enjoy your treat. The staff is super friendly, and you can go ahead and taste to your heart’s delight to find the flavor you want. The prices are also reasonable (especially compared to pinkberry — oh wait, this is not a pinkberry compare!), and you can get good portions — from kiddie size and up (I’m a real critic of gigantor portions).
I will definitely stop back in here… hopefully sooner than later!

How can I not stack up Yolato against Pinkberry? I wanted to appreciate their frozen yogurt for what it is on its own but there are too many similarities (menu, prices, toppings). I’d say Yolato is a pretty good imitation… And given that there is no Pinkberry in the W.V., they may have a niche market here, at least ’til Pinkberry takes over Manhattan.
So, what does Yolato lack? Well, the place has a different vibe altogether. The good thing is you won’t find the ridiculous lines here that you will likely encounter at Pinkberry. Similar prices but the taste is just not the same. Yolato didn’t have that same refreshing, tart jolt of flavor that Pinkberry offers. It was a bit on the tart side but a more creamy and milky. The biggest disappointment though was the skimpy toppings. I was hoping that Yolato may be a good alternative since I detest the lines at Pinkberry but I’m afraid, my heart is still with Pinkberry… but with all the new yogurt /​ice cream places poppin’ up, who knows where my loyalty will lie!

I could get lots of free samples, and the BEST non fat Green Tea Gelato ever!

Pinkberry wha? If you want a good variety of yogurt based frozen treats, look no further. Not only does Yolato serve Pinkberry style soft serve froyo, they also serve several yogurt gelatos and sorbets. Also, unlike Pinkberry, the cashiers don’t yell at you and give you dirty looks when you don’t go to the other register. Seriously, those guys are downers.
I came here with my Pearl L, Jenifer D, and Andy L, after a night of beer pong, falafels, and hookah (man, that’s a lot for one night). Yolato provided a happy ending to the night’s activities. I guess that’s something else you have to factor into this review, there’s a lot to do in the Village, and Yolato is another great place to stop by while you’re here.
One thing that I didn’t like about Yolato was the freshness of the toppings. The pineapple looked like it had been sitting out too long, and the blueberries were frozen. Fortunately, the mochi worked. Despite that shortcoming, I’m very close to giving Yolato a 5.

What’s more satisfying than a cold beer on a hot Sunday afternoon? Or hot chocolate on a wintry morning? Or a kinky slap on the ass from your hunnie? Or binge drinking at OTW, followed by a fast consumption of pizza and falafel? YOOOOOOOOOLATO!
This place is bright, friendly and tiny. They have a variety of gelato flavors and yogurt flavors with an assortment of toppings and sauces. 2 sizes to choose from and you can mix your flavors of gelato. I tried the tiramisu and peanut butter cup. While the peanut butter cup tasted like a creamier and tastier version of the nutter butter cookies, the tiramisu lacked in flavor but wasn’t entirely tasteless. Just didn’t have the umph that the regular tiramisu cake has.
Service was very friendly and helpful. They even gave Tony L a free scoop of gelato after he had already consumed more than ½ of his cup! HOT!
This place only gets 4 stars because they have crepes but they are not take-​out friendly. They are available for take-​out but they put them in a styrofoam container that you have to carry around. In Japan, a crêpe is sold more as street food, where you can walk up to the counter, order a crêpe and it comes wrapped like a burrito in wax paper. It is wrapped so well that no ice cream or other liquids spill out onto your hands. Yolato should try this method!!!

Yolato is a *perfect* complement to a hot, sticky, summer stroll through New York City. I stopped by the W. Village Yolato last night past midnight, and though it wasn’t at all hot and sticky, I plan on going back when it is in the next day or two :)
I had a cup of their Yoggi (think Pinkberry yogurt) topped with blueberries and crushed Oreos. It was tart, light and cool to the touch. I was super happy with my dessert and will definitely return for some of the more complex flavors.
An added bonus? The staff was very pleasant — a guy and a girl behind the counter. The girl encouraged me to take a sample, and when I’d decided on the Yoggi, she told me to take one more sample that’s similar in flavor that I might also like. I was surprised to get such nice treatment, especially that late in the night.
Overall — 5 stars!

Frozen yogurt has never been a crave-​worthy «treat» for me. I always figure, if you’re gonna satisfy your sweet tooth, then goddammit satisfy your damn sweet tooth! None of that low-​calorie, no-​fat crap, ya know? Your waistline may be happy, but you know your taste buds won’t *really* be.
But then I saw the marquee for Yolato: «Yogurt Gelato.» Hmm. Sounds… interesting. So we walked into the tiny, clean & brightly colored shop. They had a small selection of flavors, but half of them sounded really intriguing — cookies & cream, nutella, tiramisu, birthday cake and peanut butter cup. You know what this means, right? «Um, excuse me, can I try a sample of…»
Luckily, I was with my best friend who’s not at all shy about asking for free samples, so we went to town trying all the aforementioned flavors. The first three had fairly light yet tasty flavors, but the texture was right on. We were really curious about the birthday cake — I figured it would taste like vanilla frosting, and I was right. Our last sample was the peanut butter cup and… we found a winner! It really tasted like a peanut butter cup! Yum yum yum. We only ordered a regular to share amongst the three of us (my bf was there too, letting my friend and I to do all the taste-​testing work). Only after we were halfway through with it did we realize that we could have chosen two flavors for the same price. Oh well, live and learn!
During the course of our mini feeding frenzy (it was only a small cup of fro-​yo, how frenzied can it really be?), we also overheard the employees explain to new customers that all the gelato was low fat, the soft serve was no fat, and it was all low calorie. Really now! Who woulda thunk it? So for once in my sweet treating life, both my waistline *and* my taste buds were truly happy!

Domo arigato, Mr. Yolato, domo… domo!
Domo arigato, Mr. Yolato, domo… domo!
Thank you very much, Mr. Yolato
For serving the froyo that ev’ryone wants to
And thank you very much, Mr. Yolato
For helping me escape just when I needed to…
Ah, nothing like an old Styx song to liberate you from your inner lactose-​motivated demons. In the heart of the Village is this atypically cheery, suburban-​looking Pinkberry’s knock-​off. A bright orange Vespa is parked in front of a bright orange bench in front of a bright orange counter inside the window. The friendly manager is more than happy to give free samples of the many flavors available.
I went for a small, $ 3.75 single scoop combo of green tea and hazelnut. The yogurt-​meets-​gelato consistency was creamy and not as grainy as others I’ve tried in this particular sub-​genre. If anything, it was denser than standard frozen yogurts and apparently offers less in calories, cholesterol or fat. For a quick pick-​me-​up, especially during the summer months, this one is a most viable option.
FROYO — 4 stars… consistency compares favorably to the competition, flavor on par
AMBIANCE — 4 stars… bright and cheery… this is the Village?
SERVICE — 4 stars… at your service
TOTAL — 4 stars… a suburban-​style respite in the middle of urbania

I am the girl who holds up the line and asks to taste every single flavor until I know which one I want. I will stand there and giggle, ponder, lick my spoon and probably say a few things that I should keep to myself. I can’t help it. I love things that are sweet and delicious. I will get excited and say silly things. I am a Yolato lover.
Yolato is what I expected when I went to Pinkberry. Good quality yogurt that’s special and reasonably priced. Skip Pinkberry and go to Yolato instead. Who cares about Fruity Pebbles and kiwi yogurt when you can get a better tasting plain flavored yogurt (Yoggi) and yogurt with a gelato consistency. Who doesn’t love gelato? It’s 100% better tasting than ice cream. And since this is yogurt, it’s healthier than gelato.
Service at Yolato is amazing. The most awesome person works behind this Yolato counter. If you are a fan of Hiro from Heroes, come here to meet the real life Hiro. He’s hilarious, energetic, very Asian, and enthusiastic. He loves comic books (an owner of 3,000 he informed us) and will name every Avenger on your t-​shirt if you are wearing one (my friend was). He will not get annoyed when you ask to taste every single flavor and if you say, «Yoggi» with glee, he will repeat it with even more glee three times. In a nutshell, part of the Yolato experience is buying yolato from Hiro. My favorite Yolato flavor was Tiramisu. It’s got chunks of soaked Lady Fingers in it so it really does taste like a soft serve Italian dessert. MMMMMM I want to go back.

Being unreasonable when it comes to ice cream, when I read a blurb about this place in New York Mag’s food blog, it took me about 4 minutes to head down to the West Village to check it out.
Behind a single counter: (1) «yolato» — their version of the ‘natural’ tasting, more yogurty, soft-​serve frozen yogurt, a la Pinkberry (seemed an iota less tart than Pinkberry’s, but still good); (2) a range of gelati, a la Cones a few blocks away (not quite as rich, but some nice, distinct flavors); (3) crepes a la – I don’t know, Mr. Crêpe? which you can pair up with gelato or yolato for a creamy and sugary extravaganza; and (4) a variety of coffee/​espresso drinks.
Great, attentive service, though I hope that doesn’t change as the place gets a more seasoned and they start hiring more disgruntled randoms off the street — um, a la Pinkberry. Chatted with one of the counter girls; they started out with a shop in Northern NJ and have plans to expand to the UES, UWS, and lobby of the Empire State Building.
When the Pinkberry phenom hit New York, I thought it’d be great to have a place that served that kind of fro-​yo plus, you know, other things. Yolato does it with style.