Gold Coast ice cream and gelato: the top 10 as voted by you

It’s going to be one sweet summer because we’ve got the hot scoop on the city’s coolest treats

Lik Lik Lik Gelato at Nobby Beach has won the annual Best of the Gold Coast ice cream vote. Picture: Jerad Williams.

It’s going to be one sweet summer because we’ve got the hot scoop on the city’s coolest treats. Here are the 10 best ice cream shops on the Gold Coast as voted by you.

10. TANGO GELATO

1726 Gold Coast Highway, Burleigh Heads

A day at the beach wouldn’t be complete without a treat from this locally owned and family operated business. All of Tango’s gelato is handcrafted in store using fresh Australian Norco milk and cream and the dairy-free sorbets are bursting with real fruit. Choose two scoops of your favourite flavours for one of their famous designer shakes.

9. COWCH DESSERT COCKTAIL BAR

Pacific Fair Shopping Centre, Broadbeach

You better be prepared for some difficult decisions when you dine at this dessert wonderland. “Coming to Cowch is a whole experience – it’s so much more than just picking up some ice cream after dinner,” says owner Arif Memis. “It’s about creating memories while you’re there and the wow factor when your dessert is brought to your table. One of our most popular creations is the Nutella waffle sandwich with two scoops of creamy Nutella ice cream sandwiched between two Belgian waffles with a scoop of Nutella, crushed Oreo and strawberries.” Stay tuned for a new cereal dessert menu. “This is a bit of a nostalgic one where we’ve taken some of our favourite childhood cereals like Coco Pops, Froot Loops and Crunchy Nut and made them into decadent desserts and cocktails,” Arif says.

8. BURLEIGH GELATO CO

9 Connor St, Burleigh Heads

The new kid on the Burleigh block is making a strong first impression with flavours including Redskin, Kinder Surprise, butterscotch brownie, Tim Tam and Nutella, gin and tonic, and jammy doughnut. Owners Bree Edwards and Simon Bird say they were looking to open a business where smiles were a guaranteed by-product. “We have 31 options on display at any given time and try to mix it up to have something different on offer every day,” Bree says. “We had been looking for the right location for a long time, and not anywhere would do. What else could you ask for than to be looking at beautiful Burleigh Beach every day?” PSA for any Kiwis: they have a pineapple lump flavour!

7. MY GELATO KIRRA

6a/1 Douglas Street, Coolangatta

My Gelato Kirra is the best of both worlds: Italian technique teamed with local ingredients and inspiration. Owner Davide Lo Giudice is forever imagining new ways to tempt the Kirra store’s loyal fan base. “We are making a new pistachio, fig and honey flavour – it will be ready from December 1,” he says. “We’ll have pavlova (flavour) for Christmas too.”

6. SCOOP GELATI

1B/23 James Street, Burleigh Heads

Even connoisseurs of the cold stuff will be pleasantly surprised by this James Street nook’s line-up. Original offerings like Himalayan rock salted caramel and white chocolate are worth a visit alone, although it’s easy to be sidetracked by classics including Ferrero Rocher, Snickers and Golden Rough. Scoop Gelati hand-crafts traditional Italian style gelati and sorbets in-house. As if ice cream doesn’t already make you feel good enough, the family owned and operated store’s cups are compostable and lined with a plant-based PLA so you’re doing the planet a favour too.

Owner Christopher Mills at Royal Copenhagen Ice Cream in Surfers Paradise. Picture: Glenn Hampson.

5. ROYAL COPENHAGEN ICE CREAM

Paradise Centre, 204 Cavill Ave, Surfers Paradise

It’s always a good time for ice cream, says Royal Copenhagen Surfers Paradise owner Christopher Mills. “We’re generally open until 11pm and in summer we stay open until midnight.” Selling ice cream dreams in the holiday heartland for nearly 35 years, Christopher says they go that extra mile. “All of our ice cream comes with free topping – whipped cream, chocolate or caramel fudge, macadamia nuts,” he says. “We make everything from scratch here in the shop, even our base mix and our cones.” The Royal Copenhagen (honeycomb and butterscotch) and Malteser Madness top wish lists.

4. BASKIN-ROBBINS

Shop C, Siganto Drive, Helensvale

Here’s another reason to be thankful we live on the Gold Coast – we have Australia’s only Baskin-Robbins drive-though. “It’s great for people who can’t get a park or mums with bubs asleep in the car,” manager Lisa Clark says. Ultimate shakes and custom cakes make the most of 32 ice cream choices. “We always have the 31 flavours Baskin-Robbins promotes plus our flavour of the month,” Lisa says. “Some of the favourites are chocolate mousse royale, hokey pokey, choc chip cookie dough, mint choc chop and cotton candy.”

3. THE GELATO SHOP

97 Surf Parade, Broadbeach

While most of the Gold Coast is still snoozing, Steph Spittle is busily working behind the scenes creating The Gelato Shop’s drool-worthy displays. “My husband and I make all of the ice cream from scratch every morning – in summer it can take more than eight hours,” she says. “We put so much into it, so much love, real milk and the best of the best ingredients.” The line-up of 26 flavours is comprised of tried-and-tested people pleasers, so if a new addition pops up alongside bestsellers Ferrero Rocher, Snickers and Mars Bar, you know it’s going to be good. “We have a couple of new ones – peanut butter Nutella crunch, which is so popular, and roasted almond and caramel biscotti,” Steph says.

2. GELATO MESSINA

The Strand, 33/72-80 Marine Parade, Coolangatta

With 40 flavours made from creamy jersey milk and churned fresh daily in store, this beachside bastion has one of the best cabinets in town. Chocolate lovers are extra spoilt – Gelato Messina makes its own chocolate using the highest quality single-origin Ecuadorean cacao it can get its hands on. The chocolate fondant is one of the most decadent options, or try the milk choc slathered in choc peanut fudge. Egg free, gluten free, nut free and vegan options are also available. Keep Messina’s range of next-level gelato cakes, which can be picked up in store, in mind for a special occasion … any excuse will do.

Owner Steve Forbes at Lik Lik Lik Gelato at Nobby Beach. Picture: Jerad Williams.

1. LIK LIK LIK GELATO

Shop 2/2221 Gold Coast Hwy, Mermaid Beach

Lik Lik Lik owners Steve Forbes and Tim Brown are living their dream. “I was in real estate and Tim was an electrician but we wanted a happy job,” Steve says. I’ve always wanted to open an ice cream shop with a retro feel, like a carnival atmosphere. When kids walk in here their eyes light up. They bring their toys in to show us and (our customers) become like family.” While waffles and gourmet hot dogs are soon to join the show, the headline act will always be the ice cream itself. “Our milk comes direct from Maleny Dairy,” Steve says. “We also have 16 dairy-free, egg-free options, which is probably the biggest range on the Coast.” The hands-on owners do their best to ease the agony of indecision. “We give people taste tests and we do half-half scoops – two flavours – to help them choose,” Steve says. “Salted caramel is our go-to flavour, and fig and almond is another popular one. We also sell doggie ice cream with peanut butter and bacon, and strawberry and carob.”