Yogorino on Chestnut Street (Photo: Dustin C./foursquare.com)

Our mild winter and plentiful sunshine has some of us yearning for a cool treat rather than a more seasonal hot cocoa. Luckily, the frozen yogurt trend is still hot, if you will, and Yogorino on Chestnut is a welcome new addition.

This gleaming, modern shop doesn’t just serve the standard fro-yo; Yogorino uses an aturn out scrumptious Italian gelato fresh every day. The shop is an outpost of an Italian chain, and there are just a few other locations in the U.S. including Philadelphia, New York and another here in San Francisco in Embarcadero Center.

Keeping it local, both the Chestnut and Embarcadero shops were designed and built by Marina-based Architects II and R-3 Builders of Cow Hollow. Walking into Yogorino feels like walking into the future. Electric blue and white are the predominant colors, with bright photos of fruit and a rounded glass counter designed to show off the flavors and toppings.
Yogorino frozen yogurt comes in just one flavor: a tart, creamy natural made from two percent milk and unrefined sugar. The company likes to point out that its products contain probiotics, or strains of microorganisms that can protect and maintain health. More importantly, the yogurt has a creamy mouth feel and loads of tangy flavor, reminiscent of Greek yogurt. For those who like a sweeter taste, choose from one of many toppings that include seasonal fruit, imported Italian sprinkles, and nuts; or warm melted Toblerone chocolate, white chocolate, or walnut, pistachio or almond sauces. The warm sauces form a crispy, crunchy crust once they hit the cold yogurt.

While the frozen yogurt may be the more healthful choice, you can’t beat Yogorino’s gelato. In addition to standards such as chocolate and vanilla, you can also try up to 20 flavors including hazelnut, barley (which tastes a lot like coffee), and even bourbon! They are delicious on their own, but you can choose from the same menu of toppings for the gelato as well.

At $3.50 for a mini-sized frozen treat, Yogorino sports higher prices than most of its nearby competitors, but you can truly taste the freshness of the fro-yo and gelato here.

Yogorino: 2144 Chestnut Street (between Steiner and Pierce); Monday–Tuesday noon–9 p.m., Wednesday–Thursday noon–10 p.m., Friday noon–11 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m.–11 p.m., Sunday noon–9 p.m.; 415-445-9107, www.yogorino.com