Barcelona – Renowned chef Albert Adrià and his longtime partner, pastry chef Alfredo Machado, have launched their new ice cream shop, Gelato Collection, on La Rambla. The store, which officially opens to the public at 4 p.m. today, is located next to the Torrons Vicens shop and has already welcomed a select group of locals and tourists during a pre-opening event.
Despite not being an avid sweets enthusiast, Adrià has a passion for ice cream. At Gelato Collection, customers can enjoy ice cream in both tubs and bespoke handmade cones. Adrià’s personal favorite is coffee with a caramelized finish, though the shop offers 20 flavors crafted from locally sourced ingredients procured from La Boqueria. The menu includes apricot, cherry, two types of pistachio (roasted and green Iranian), strawberries and cream, dulce de leche, Catalan cream, lemon, and margarita cocktail. These flavors are categorized into classics, seasonal, signature, and alcoholic. Although only 20 are on display at a time, they have developed 60 flavors to date, aiming to create a numbered recipe bank inspired by the world of perfumes. “Their texture is very creamy and warm in the mouth,” Machado notes, emphasizing their low sugar content.
Adrià and Machado had envisioned this business for some time. “We discussed it during the pandemic, but Enigma kept us very busy,” Adrià explains. The project gained momentum through a conversation with Àngel Velasco, owner of Torrons Vicens, a brand Adrià has collaborated with for 12 years. “I told him I wanted to open an ice cream shop, and he mentioned he had the permits for the space next to his store on La Rambla.” The shop’s design, by El Equipo Creativo, mirrors the aesthetic of other Adrià ventures like Pakta and Tickets, and resembles the ambiance of Enigma.
Adrià’s motivation for opening an ice cream parlor stems from his belief in Barcelona’s vibrant culinary scene. “Barcelona boasts great cocktail bars, pizzerias, and burger joints, and now, it needs outstanding ice cream parlors. We wanted to contribute by opening our own.” He is unconcerned about competition from other high-end ice cream shops, believing it benefits the city.
The term “collection” in the shop’s name hints at Adrià’s future plans. He envisions opening additional specialized venues, such as Cookie Collection and Coffee Collection, underlining his belief that “specialization is the future of gastronomy.”
