Adelaide’s Top 10 Gelato Lick Stops
Gelato, ice-cream, ice block, sorbet – whichever way you lick it, summer’s favourite treat is easy to find in Adelaide.
Gelato Bello
Gelato Bello opened in 1996 with just eight flavours; now there are more than 40 – everything from classic vanilla to the more adventurous violet or salted caramel popcorn has graced the ever-expanding menu. The gelato is smooth, creamy and intense – just like the scoops you’d find on the backstreets of Rome. A new outpost has also just opened in Semaphore.
87 Glynburn Road, Glynde; (08) 8336 9799
Dolcetti Espresso Bar
Siblings Adam, Joe and Marisa Nero opened this Italian dessert café in 2012. They specialise in scrumptious ‘cocktail cakes’ – mini versions of country-bakery classics like chocolate éclairs and vanilla slice – but also make 24 flavours of exceptional gelato, including tantalising lemon cheesecake and fig and walnut. Make a note to sample the homemade cannoli, too – it’s a standout.
7/143 Glynburn Road, Firle; (08) 8337 9008
Live a Little Gelato
As an ethically minded business, Live A Little Gelato uses compostable containers, prioritises local ingredients and only crafts gelato that’s vegan-friendly. As a popular stallholder at the marketplace Plant 4 Bowden each Wednesday and Friday evening, as well as Saturdays before 3pm, there are five regularly rotating flavours – cross your fingers you visit on salted caramel or hokey pokey day.
Plant 4 Bowden, 5 Third Street, Bowden
Image: Aleesha Lindsaar
Scroll
Not all ice-cream comes in scoops – this East End eatery was the first to introduce Thai-inspired scroll ice-cream to Australia. Not only is it delicious (and preservative- and stabiliser-free), its creation is also mesmerising to watch: on a surface set to a chilly -20°C, the milk- and cream-based recipe is poured onto a thin covering (like a crepe) then scraped and scrolled with a blade into your waiting vessel. Choose from nine flavours – all super-smooth and creamy – which come adorned with crunchy bits like nuts, wafers and crumbled brownie.
35 York Street, Adelaide; 0423 610 850
Bush Tucker Ice Cream
Bush Tucker Ice Cream has been a favourite at the Adelaide Farmers’ Market for more than a decade. The delicious flavours are derived from native ingredients like Kakadu plum, quandong, wattleseed and desert lime and are served up every Sunday between 9am and 1pm. There’s also a dairy- and sugar-free range, perfect if you follow a vegan diet or avoid the sweet stuff.
Adelaide Showground Farmers Market, 1 Leader Street, Wayville
St Louis House of Fine Ice Cream & Dessert
The number of outposts this locally based ice-creamery now has under its umbrella is a fair indication of how popular this treat-spruiking brand really is. The flavours are updated seasonally – past variations have included blood-orange sorbet and mascarpone, candied orange and cannoli. There are some regulars, too, including a mouth-watering namesake blend of dulce de leche, white chocolate and honeycomb.
19 Gouger Street, Adelaide (plus others locations); (08) 8212 2621
48 Flavours
Having recently taken out the People’s Choice Award at the Gelato World Tour in Italy for their unique gorgonzola, pear, fig and walnut flavour, it’s safe to say the gelati at 48 Flavours are both crowd-pleasing and topnotch. Though the gelato has a traditional creamy mouth feel, the two-year-old store emphasises Asian flavours (pandan fans can rejoice) and there’s also a large range of vegan offerings.
78 Gouger Street, Adelaide; (08) 8211 6180
Locapops
Made in the tradition of ‘la paleta’ – the Mexican fruit-based iceblock – Locapops mixes far-flung traditions with local ingredients and their seasonal offerings are perfect for a warm-weather cool down. Bestselling summer flavours include lemon mojito, watermelon, rose and mint and strawberry. Made from organic raw sugar, Locapops are available from various retailers across Adelaide (check website for details), as well as via free (yes, free!) home delivery.
‘Pimped Golden North’ at Sean’s Kitchen
Golden North has been making ice-cream in South Australia for more than 90 years – and Sean’s Kitchen pays homage to GN’s iconic status in a dessert fittingly called the ‘Pimped Golden North’. Even though flavours change regularly, the dish – served as an upturned ice-cream cone – has a cult following.
Sean’s Kitchen, Adelaide Casino, North Terrace, Adelaide; (08) 8218 4244
Sunshine Ice Blocks
These handcrafted iceblocks from Fleurieu Peninsula have been tempting locals since 2012. A focus on locally sourced produce means flavours vary with the seasons and can include anything from tangy nectarine and orange to beguilingly tasty chocolate and avocado. The brand is committed to sustainability, with all their wrappers 100 per cent compostable.
Willunga Farmers Market, Corner Main Road and St Peter’s Terrae, Willunga
Adelaide Showground Farmers Market, 1 Leader Street, Wayville; 0431 942 973
