Melbourne’s best ice-cream
I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice-cream! We all know it, ice cream is perfect to cool off from the summer heat, and it is also wonderful to indulge in during the winter. Despite the cold, nothing’s going to stop us from having our ice-cream.
Melbourne is flooded with stalls selling sweet treats like these and it can get a little bit confusing for you. TheSmartLocal understands, and TheSmartLocal wants to help. Golden gaytime and Paddlepops are wonderful substitutes that we can get off the shelves in supermarkets or 7-11, but nothing can beat these freshly made ice cream superheroes. Death by sugar is a thing, you guys. The struggle is real with this one.
Here are 10 places you have to visit in your search for the perfect cone.
1. Pidapipó Gelateria
You can never miss this store when you walk down Lygon Street. With a brightly lit neon signboard and long snaking queues right outside the store, you’ll be sure to spot the place almost immediately. Pidapidó has quickly become a huge favourite amongst students from the surrounding area (holla Melbourne University and RMIT) and families often patronize the store because where there is ice-cream kids can never be far away.
Pidapipó serves their gelato from tins with lids, which aims to maintain the freshness of the gelato and simultaneously prevents you from judging the flavours by how much is left in the pan. But don’t worry, almost everything is worth a shot here in Pidapipó.
Everything here is made fresh daily with the finest ingredients to ensure the best quality. Also, the more scoops, the cheaper it is! Go ahead and pile on the scoops and pile on the fats (it’s winter anyway).
Must-Try Flavours: Nutella Swirl, Bacio and Watermelon
Address: 299 Lygon St, Carlton VIC 3053
Phone Number: (61) 03 9347 4596
Website: here
2. Gelateria Primavera
Located near Parliament Street, Spring Street Grocer’s gelato extension Gelateria Primavera has been gaining fans in ages. With a menu that changes daily consisting of ten milk-based flavours and six dairy-free sorbets, there’s always something for everyone.
Freshly made with top-notch seasonal ingredients and free from additives, it is a given that Gelateria Primavera is well known amongst the locals here in Melbourne.
Each scoop will guarantee to be as tasty as you can imagine the best gelato to taste like, with the texture of its gelato being smooth and silky. Gelateria Primavera also has pretty interesting flavor combinations, such as the chilli and watermelon sorbet. If you’re a classic flavour kind of person, they serve up amazing scoops of classic flavours too!
Must-Try Flavours: Pistachio, Fior Di Latte, Rosewater and Mint
Address: 157 Spring St, Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone Number: (61) 03 9639 0335
Website: here
3. N2 Extreme Gelato
For the love of science, the owners of N2 Extreme Gelato have made everyone’s science lab fantasies come true! N2 Extreme Gelato makes use of liquid nitrogen and some science to turn it into a cup of delicious gelato for you to enjoy.
With their ever-changing menu, you’ll always come back for more. It also doesn’t help that their flavours are always so interesting! N2 has a physical store in Fitzroy, but they currently have a pop-up store in Melbourne CBD as well. It’s always packed with customers, regardless of the weather, so be prepared to wait!
Must-Try Flavours: The Ferrero Reveal, Green Tea Macadamia Fudge (actually green tea ANYTHING), Frozen Hot Chocolate
Visit their website here for to find your nearest store.
4. Jock’s Ice Cream and Sorbet
With a truckload of medals displayed in the shop, Jock’s got a lot to show off about its ice cream. Its loyal following of customers can also vouch for the taste of their ice cream. Do not be fooled by the simplicity of their presentation, their chocolate flavour is the perfect level of rich and creamy and it will definitely appease all chocolate and even non-chocolate lovers, we assure you.
With different ice cream flavours being sandwiched in a range of freshly baked flavoured biscuits, the epitome of an ice-cream sandwich is definitely found here at Jock’s. You can also make your friends #drool with these perfectly Instagrammable creations.
Must-Try Flavours: Chocolate, Ice Cream Sangras (every flavour, if you can!)
Address: 83 Victoria Ave, Albert Park VIC 3206
Phone Number: (61) 03 9686 3838
Website: here
5. Gelato Messina
This place is buzzing with activity, on weekends and weekdays alike. With an endless amount of choices to choose from, aka 40 permanent flavours, you’re in for a treat. There’s even a board filled with limited edition specials, so be sure to check those out as well! They’ve got a huge range of sweet and savoury flavours that pack a punch for any gelato lover, and their cakes are a fine work of art – perfect for any birthday celebration.
Churned by the former gelato world champion (!!), be prepared to wait in line for Messina’s gelato. When it first opened in Melbourne, the wait was about 45 minutes long. It’s about 15 – 20 minutes now, so comparatively it’s not too bad. They also include generous portions of toppings in their ice-cream, so it’s definitely worth the wait!
You can also pick your favourite ice-cream to go in a takeaway tub for you to indulge in the comfort of your own home.
Must-Try Flavours: Apple Pie, Mango Sorbet and Chocolate-chip anything (If you can’t make up your mind, the friendly staff will be sure to help!)
Address:
Fitzroy
237 Smith St, Fitzroy VIC 306
Richmond
164 Swan St, Cremorne VIC 3121
Phone Number: (61) 1800 435 286 (Fitzroy) | (61) 03 9428 6288 (Richmond)
Website: here
6. Helados JauJa
It’s easy to spot Helados along Lygon Street, with its famous red shed and cozy interior. This place is the perfect chill-spot for many lovebirds strolling along Lygon Street after a hearty meal, and popular amongst students as well. Of course, children are often seen at this gelateria because the staff are rather kid-friendly (don’t worry, they’re adult-friendly, too).
Inspired by its Spanish roots, their gelato is well churned and made with the utmost precision for every flavour, ensuring that it is in the best quality for ice-cream lovers like you and me.
Must-Try Flavours: Dark Choc Sorbet, Aussie Pavlova, Caramelized Pear & Walnut
Address: 254 Lygon St, Carlton VIC 3053
Phone Number: (61) 03 9041 2927
Website: here
7. Il Dolce Freddo
Nearing the end of Lygon Street, you will find this gem selling one of the most authentic gelato one can find in Melbourne. On weekends, you will find the shop packed to the brim so be sure to get your orders ready once you’ve caught the staff’s attention!
With its bright interior and cheerful staff, you will not have a dull moment here at Freddos! Don’t even bother with a single scoop when you’re here, just go big or go home, like they all say. Try a double scoop or a triple scoop! There are just too many flavours to try, and it’s sad that we can’t have it all. One scoop will keep you coming back for more.
Must-Try Flavours: Tiramisu, Fior Di Latte, Durian (if you’re a fan of the fruit, you will LOVE this)
Address: 116 Lygon St, Brunswick East VIC 3057
Phone Number: (61) 03 9639 3344
Website: here
8. Passionflower
Lo and behold, every dessert lover’s dream is here. Passionflower serves up some authentic Asian-infused flavours in their ice cream such as Thai Milk Tea, Green Tea and Black Sesame. They also serve other desserts besides their ice cream, so be sure to give those a try as well!
Construct your very own ice cream sundae over here and you’ll be stuffed from all the ice cream combinations you can dream of.
Note: It’s best that you visit this store with a few friends, so you can order more to share. Sharing is caring, especially when desserts come into the picture. Just LOOK at that picture above. The weakness for anything with chocolate fudge is real.
Must-Try Flavours: Lychee Rose, Black Sesame, Berry Pav
Address: 2/168 Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000
Website: here
9. Rice Workshop
Okay, so we’re going to sneak in a little secret place here for you – this isn’t a full-fledged ice cream parlour like the rest of the ones in the list. Rice Workshop is a Japanese Rice Bowl Bar, but their Green Tea Soft Serve is highly raved about as well!
A cup of Green Tea Soft Serve is only $3 (according to sources on Instagram), a huge plus point for all you matcha lovers out there!
It’s wallet-friendly and satisfies all your matcha cravings. The ice cream itself isn’t too heavy on the matcha taste, neither is it too much on the milky side. It strikes a perfect balance of matcha and milkiness, and with various of outlets all over Melbourne – nothing can get better than this.
Address:
CBD
238 Little Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000
Emporium Melbourne
Level Three, 287 Lonsdale St, Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone Number: (61) 03 9650 6663 (CBD) | 03 8609 8221 (Emporium)
Website: here
10. Dex2rose
Call it novelty, but watching how liquid nitrogen turns into edible ice cream is something that even grown ups find captivating. Seems like we can never get sick of science doing its thing.
Conveniently located in the heart of the CBD, Dex2rose is bustling with gelato lovers. Their menu is a concoction of flavours, with names you’ve never even heard before! Despite the interesting flavours, they still hold true to the authentic taste of gelato, maintaining their creamy-like texture that will be sure to send everyone up to gelato heaven once you’ve had a lick of it.
Must-Try Flavours: Not Your Granny’s Apple Pie, Malt-teaser, Mr. Grey Jr
Address: 377-379 Little Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone Number: (61) 03 9078 0784 (CBD) | 03 8609 8221 (Emporium)
Website: here
Get your ice-cream today!
So there you have it, a list of Melbourne’s finest ice-cream parlours! Have we missed out on your favourites? Let us know in the comments section below!
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