Adelaide’s OVO Gelato & dessert bar to serve up edible gold leaf and caviar for customers

A city dessert shop is looking to bring a touch of Dubai decadence to Adelaide – but does this wild social media trend pass the taste test?

OVO Gelato & Dessert Bar’s gold leaf chocolate gelato offers a scoop of decadence to Adelaide sweets aficionados. Picture: Image/Russell Millard Photography

A city dessert shop is looking to bring a touch of Dubai extravagance to Adelaide – but it won’t break the bank.

Starting next month, OVO Gelato & dessert bar customers will have the option of adding an edible 24-karat gold leaf, or beluga caviar, to a serve of their Italian-style ice-cream.

OVO co-owner John Milky said the new offerings were about pushing the boundaries in “conservative” Adelaide.

“Why be boring? Why stick to the mainstream stuff, why not do something crazy and different?” he said.

“A lot of the time, people think gelati just has to be a dessert or you can’t mix anything with it. This is about getting people to experience different things that they might not normally be able to.”

Mr Milky said the gold leaf, which has 99.99 per cent purity, and the top-quality caviar, will be imported direct from Dubai in the Middle East, where they are common additions to dishes such as burgers, pasta or even steak.

“Dubai is all about making things over the top. It’s such a vibe in Dubai, it’s all on TikTok and social media,” he said.

Mr Milky said the caviar and gold will “complement” the flavours of their gelato or their coffees.

“The caviar is nutty and creamy, and pairs well with the fattiness of gelati,” he said.

“There’s a slight, feint metallic sensation to the gold, it’s very smooth. It’s hard to describe but it tastes delicious.”

But unlike gold-laced dishes in Dubai, customers won’t have to pay triple figures for OVO’s new offering.

A scoop of gelato with a single gold leaf will cost about $12, while a gelato with caviar will set you back about $20, depending on the portion size.

“We are trying to keep the prices reasonable, there’s no point of making it out of reach of our customers,” Mr Milky said.