Shop 5, F Shed, Queen Victoria Market, Queen St, Melbourne, 0405 719 533
Fourth generation gelato maker Sam Navagero and his wife Ranjit buy fresh fruit, nuts and dairy from neighbouring traders at the Queen Vic Market to create his super-fresh range of gelato, so it’s only natural that the flavours change with the weather. You’ll find them open on market days, and during the popular Queen Vic Night Market.
PIDAPIPO
299 Lygon St, Carlton; 85 Chapel St, Windsor; 8 Degraves St, city.
Lisa Valmorbida sent gelato-loving Melburnians into a queuing frenzy when she opened Pidapipo as a pop up in Lygon St a few years back. Now she juggles three permanent gelato shops, and her rusted-on fans are still queuing. They know every flavour’s a winner, made from scratch on site with fresh ingredients in small batches. It’s that simple.
MIINOT GELATO
71 Melville Rd, Pascoe Vale South, 03 9383 4258
If there was gelato royalty in Melbourne, Emma Nicholas-Jennings would definitely be in line for the throne. She started out scooping gelato at Carlton’s sweet emporium Brunetti before getting a bicep workout at her parents’ popular Sorrento gelateria Glace. She also worked in hospitality in London, where she met her husband Gary, and now they work together creating some of Melbourne’s finest gelato at Miinot. Locals love their gelateria, bringing in seasonal fruit like figs and lemons to see their haul turned into a creamy fruit-rich dessert.
JOCK’S ICE CREAM AND SORBET
83 Victoria Ave, Albert Park, (03) 9686 3838
One word. Pavlova. That’s all you need to know. It’s the perfect Aussie ice cream, and keeps me coming back year after year. Jock’s Hokey Pokey and XXX chocolate are also winners. And like all the best ice cream shops, everything has been made from scratch since the landmark shop opened in 2001.
SUNDAE SCHOOL
261 Hawthorn Rd, Caulfield North, (03) 9994 8984
Every month, this gorgeous ice cream shop invites a “Substitute Teacher” to make a limited edition flavour. This month’s special guest is Melbourne’s own insta-famous cake goddess Alisha Henderson, who has come up with a deconstructed frozen birthday cake in a cone. Cake batter ice cream is rolled in cake crumbs and topped with marshmallow frosting and a cute little party flag. Get in quick before the next substitute teacher rolls along.
Wendy writes online at fiveofthebest.com