Best of the Gold Coast 2018: The Gold Coast’s best ice cream
EVERYONE loves a cool treat, but which shop scoops out the crème de la crème? Amber Macpherson reveals the top 10 as voted by you.
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EVERYONE loves a cool treat, but which shop scoops out the crème de la crème? Amber Macpherson reveals the top 10 as voted by you.
10. Cowch Dessert Bar
Pacific Fair, 1606/07 Hooker Blvd, Broadbeach Waters
Ice cream is just the beginning at Cowch Dessert Bar. Along with its wild dessert concoctions of sundaes, make-your-own ice cream bars and waffle sandwiches, Cowch serves traditional gelato in a cone or cup. “There are so many flavour favourites like brown nut butter and Nutella and our decadent chocolate and mint choc chip,” founder Arif Mempis says.
9. My Gelato Kirra
1 Douglas St, Coolangatta
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When My Gelato owner Davide lo Giudice wants to change his flavours, he looks to his customers. “They are happy when I change a recipe with their suggestions,” he says. Known for getting festive this time of year, Davide says cone connoisseurs can expect an Aussie classic to celebrate the silly season. “The Christmas flavour this year will be pavlova,” Davide says.
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8. Gelatissimo
2/15 Cavill Ave, Surfers Paradise
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You can’t go wrong with gelato from Gelatissimo. The chain opened in 2002 in Sydney and is now scooping to the masses in Asia and the Middle East. It serves dozens of flavours including Belgian chocolate, golden macadamia and maple pancake, as wscooell as low sugar, allergen and dairy-free options, served in a cone, cup or doughnut.
7. Scoop Gelati
23-25 James St, Burleigh Heads
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Scoop Gelati is preparing for a wild summer as the demand for its ice cream rises with the temperature. “It’s going to be crazy times over the next few months,” co-owner Tom Burns says. “We’ve been looking at what fruit is in season to come up with fresh sorbet flavours. Generally, our lemon meringue has been one of the most popular flavours.”
6. Heven-yah
2457 Gold Coast Hwy, Mermaid Beach
If you find ice cream a little heavy on your tum, Heven-yah has you covered. Along with their classic dairy gelato range, sisters Amy and Holly Prosser offer lighter options for sensitive stomachs. “Instead of using cream, we substitute with culture crème fraiche, butter milk or ricotta. It’s full of good bacterias and it’s been activated.”
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5. Gelato Messina
33/72-80 Marine Parade, Coolangatta
Boasting more than 180,000 followers on Instagram, Gelato Messina is the Shani Grimmond of the ice cream world. Gelato Messina was building hype around its product with food pics on social media since before “Insta-worthy” was a thing, so when the Coolangatta store opened in 2015 locals were dying to try it. Gelato Messina has its own dairy farm supplying creamy jersey milk and in-house chefs make all the ingredients and toppings from scratch.
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4. Ti Amo Gelato
4/21 Nind St, Southport
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Yani Ibrahim, of Southport’s Ti Amo Gelato, knows ice cream is a sure-fire way to increase serotonin levels. “I studied psychology years back, but I realised it was a sad world to get into,” Yani says. “No one ever leaves an ice cream shop sad. Everyone who comes in wants a chat. It’s just me and my mother and father working in the shop. We’re a legit family business, trying to make a mark in the gelato world. It’s hard work but it’s good to see everyone happy.”
3. Cricelato
Shop 11 Marina Mirage, 74 SeaWorld Dr, Main Beach
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You’ve heard the saying never judge a book by its cover, well you can’t judge the ice cream at Cricelato by its colour. The new gelato parlour at Marina Mirage stores its gelato in a traditional “pozzetti”, a freezer made of steel that keeps the treat as fresh as possible. “In a pozzetti you don’t see the gelato,” owner Jonathon Rodgers explains. “That’s to keep it fresh by not exposing it to light or air. People choose the flavour based on the description. Their imagination thinks of the flavours.”
2. Lik Lik Lik Gelato
2 /2221 Gold Coast Hwy, Mermaid Beach
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Newcomers to the gelato game, Nobby Beach’s Lik Lik Lik Gelato has developed a loyal fanbase in its three months since opening. The space is decked out like an old-school ice cream shop with colourful flags and tiles matching the rainbow range of 42 Maleny Food Co flavours. Customers commend the gelataria for its rich, creamy product (thanks to Maleny Food Co churning its gelato, not whipping it) and large serving sizes. Popular flavours are salted caramel, Italian marshmallow and creamy pineapple.
1. The Gelato Shop
97 Surf Parade, Broadbeach
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Consistency is the secret ingredient at The Gelato Shop, a regular finalist in our best ice cream on the Gold Coast vote. “That’s probably why we make the top 10 every year — consistency,” co-owner Steph Spittle says. “We’ve still got the same regular customers, amazing flavours. We’ve got a good system.” There was no downtime this year for The Gelato Shop, with a constant string of events bolstering customer numbers. “There’s been really no winter for us,” Steph says. “This year has been huge for us with the Games and so many conventions. My husband and I both work in the shop now — this is our life. We see the same customers, same smiling faces. We love it.”
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