As Melbourne transitions from winter to warmer weather, ice-cream and gelato shops are gearing up for the bustling scoop season. While queues outside these sweet havens are a common sight even during colder months, the arrival of spring and summer brings a surge in demand for frozen treats. Here are four new and noteworthy ice-creameries and gelaterias to add to your must-visit list.
Good Daze Canteen
316 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy
Good Daze Canteen, a charming scoop shop run by two university friends with a shared passion for specialty ice-cream and gelato, offers 21 unique flavours inspired by global sweets. Highlights include Thai mango sticky rice, which combines coconut rice pudding with Alphonso mango sorbet; a Nordic-inspired blend of skyr yoghurt and lingonberries; and the Aussie Milo Milk Crunch, a nod to the popular Milo dinosaur iced drink from Singapore and Malaysia.
For lactose-intolerant customers, the shop provides Lacteeze tablets for $1 or a selection of seven vegan options, such as Korean fruit-punch-inspired hwachae and a miso peanut butter caramel flavour inspired by a viral New York Times cookie recipe.
Big Comma
Shop 10B, 206 Bourke Street, Melbourne
Tucked away in Chinatown’s Village Arcade, Big Comma is making waves with its inventive flavours and creative toppings. From peach oolong to durian and corn cheese, the shop offers a diverse range of options. What truly sets Big Comma apart, however, are its extravagant toppings. Cones can be draped with soft mochi sheets, while cups are elevated with torched crème brûlée toppings, espresso shots, or chestnut buttercream extruded into spaghetti-like strands using a Mont Blanc machine.
Luther’s Scoops
796 High Street, Thornbury
When Kenny Lover closed its Thornbury ice-cream shop earlier this year, the community felt the loss deeply. Enter Luther’s Scoops, the brainchild of pastry chef Christian Williams, who brings experience from Michelin-starred restaurants like Heston Blumenthal’s The Fat Duck and Ireland’s Loam. Luther’s second store now occupies the beloved Thornbury space, offering a rotating selection of artisanal flavours.
Past favourites include a tart blackberry ice-cream swirled with sour cream, a vegan mango and coconut yoghurt blend, a citrusy sorbet with nectarines and orange blossom, and the best-selling butterscotch ripple, made with house-made butterscotch sauce and a hint of salt.
Billy Van Creamy
142 Bridport Street, Albert Park
Since its humble beginnings as a Northcote ice-cream truck in 2014, Billy Van Creamy has grown into a beloved local brand known for its commitment to sustainability and partnerships with local suppliers. The ice-creamery recently opened its fourth store on Albert Park’s bustling Bridport Street, joining the likes of Bread Club and Wally’s.
Billy Van Creamy focuses on perfecting classic flavours like choc mint, honeycomb, and cookies and cream, using organic milk and house-made components such as nut butters, biscuits, and jams. The shop also prioritises eco-friendly practices, offering metal spoons for samples, reusable cups for dine-in customers, and the option to bring your own container for takeaway orders.
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