While I think it is definitely extremely hard to find real gelato (I only mention 2 of the myriad places & brands available in NYC) I think being in Italy is a big ingredient of the food itself; the very same food will taste different in NYC than in Rome. read more
In Italy, there are approximately 37,000 gelato shops; in US, there are less than 1,000. Gelato is part of our culture; consumption is massive all year long. This explains why gelato shops in Italy can afford to make it fresh on a daily basis, which is the main difference. read more
Well, sugar levels vary wildly in ice cream and gelato recipes, so there's less of a hard difference there. read more