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2026 Update: A recent visit to An's Hatmakers and other gelato places in the San Diego area confirmed that An's is still our top recommendation for gelato. Flavors are unique, there's great intensity of flavor and texture, the homemade waffle cones are better than elsewhere, and unlike places that limit you to one taste, you can try several tastes at An's Hatmakers. On this occasion a family member tried Ngob (mango sorbet) and Fascinator (strawberry sorbet) which were both luscious and tasted so much more of ripe fruit than others we've had.
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I couldn't resist reordering the Visor (pistachio gelato), along with a new flavor, Hampton, inspired by New York's black and white cookies (dark chocolate gelato with white chocolate and butter cookies mixed in). Both were phenomenal, and paired well together.
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Original review:
While planning our trip to Carlsbad and the Park Hyatt Aviara, I came across An's Hatmakers Gelato in Del Mar. It looked like the perfect stop on our way to the resort. As it turned out, at least for my teenager, it was the highlight of the trip, along with Pickleball (stay tuned for our Park Hyatt Aviara review).
Curious about the oddball name? An's Hatmakers in Del Mar, opened in 2022, is actually the second shop opened by the founders, whose original store, An's Dry Cleaning, opened in 2018, is named after the previous dry cleaning shop in North Park, San Diego. An's Hatmakers is a nod to the fashionable hats worn at Del Mar Race Track; even today there's an Opening Day Hat Contest.
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An's Hatmakers Location and Hours
An's Hatmakers is located at 1555 Camino Del Mar in Del Mar Plaza. It's open from 12 noon daily, closing at 9pm Sundays-Thursdays and 10:30pm on Fridays and Saturdays.
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An's Dry Cleaning, the original gelato shop, has even been named one of the top ice cream shops in the U.S.
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An's Hatmakers Gelato and Waffle Cones
An's Hatmakers continues its hat theme with its gelato flavor names. During our visit, they were:
- Straw Hat: Mango Passionfruit Sorbet
- Beret: Vanilla and White Chocolate
- Cheesecloth: Strawberry Cheesecake
- Visor: Roasted Pistachio
- Velour: Salted Caramel with Chocolate Dipped Waffle Cone Pieces
- Reindeer Antlers: Milk Chocolate and Mint Ganache
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On our first visit both my husband and son chose Cheesecloth, the strawberry cheesecake flavor. Our teen savored every last bite, and my husband enjoyed his as well, but the generously sized waffle cone proved too much for him to finish.
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On our second visit, our son opted for a reprise of strawberry cheesecake plus Straw Hat, the mango passionfruit sorbet. I tried the sorbet, which was superb.
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I reprised my two flavors, Visor (roasted pistachio), which was as satisfying as Grom's pistachio gelato in Italy, and Velour (salted caramel with chocolate dipped waffle cone pieces).
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The Verdict
We only return to a few favorite eateries, since we enjoy trying new places. But during our three nights in the area, we visited An's Hatmakers twice. Not only were all four gelato flavors that we tried delicious, the gluten-free waffle cones were freshly made and excellent, and both servers were friendly and enthusiastic. Highly recommended if in the greater San Diego area.
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