I’m not going to lie: my dedication to ice-cream is borderline obsessive. I eat it every day regardless of the season, and if there were ever a shortage I would probably consider selling my own mother for one last scoop. Sorry, Mum.
Me in Oslo, Norway. 4 degrees Celsius = choc top time!
If you also share my passion for the coolest of dessert treats, you’ll want to add some ice-cream hot spots to your next holiday. Check out my top six recommendations – some I’ve tried (and loved!) and some that are still on my to-eat list.
1. Gelateria del Teatro, Rome
Yes, gelato and ice-cream are different things, but a true connoisseur such as myself appreciates both. Besides, who’d split hairs in a moment like this:
Best day ever
Go to Rome and you probably won’t even have to leave your hotel to enjoy a delicious frozen treat. However, with its romantic cobblestone setting and intense flavours like Chocolate Fondante and Nero d’Avola (red wine), Pear and Caramel, and Ricotta, Almond and Fig, Gelateria del Teatro is the gelato of choice for those in the know. Drooooool…
2. Fanny, Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi
Fanny, Hanoi
Snicker at the name if you must, but Fanny is a must-visit for ice-cream and sorbet fans in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. Their fresh, fun flavours (like Avocado ice-cream, Young Rice ice-cream, and Durian sorbet) are fantastic for scoops, but I seriously recommend you treat yourself to one of their specialties. Just look at the menu – they’re almost too pretty to eat!
Almost.
You are definitely still going to eat them.
Fanny’s take on sushi. Who needs fish?
3. The Comfy Cow, Louisville
I had no idea how much I wanted to visit Kentucky until I found The Comfy Cow’s website. Just looking at flavours like Cow Tracks and Black Raspberry chip (not to mention the banner on the Ice Cream Pies page) is sending my tastebuds into an existential crisis. What is the point of taste unless I try these desserts? Do I even have the right to call myself an ice-cream expert until I have?
The answers to these questions are none, and nope. I’m booking a flight to Louisville right now!
Look out, Kentucky – I’m coming for you
4. Giapo, Auckland
Giapo are Auckland‘s self-proclaimed haute ice-cream specialists, and their commitment to dessert R&D makes me wish I’d paid more attention during high school science. Their research into the physics of egg whites and the thermodynamics of sorbet making is somewhat over my head, but I love that they’ve shared their recipes so I can attempt to make hot ice-cream at home.
To the dessert lab!
Giapo also offer a unique in-store experience. None of the ice-cream can be viewed prior to ordering, so your decision will be based solely on flavour descriptions, not colours. However, multiple taste tests are permitted and encouraged…
5. Big Gay Ice Cream, New York
Soft serve for grown-ups? It’s about time! NYC‘s Big Gay Ice Cream serve up cheeky treats with surprising flavour twists. The classic Salty Pimp (vanilla ice-cream, dulce de leche, sea salt, and choc dip) is a favourite, but if your heart is true you’ll go for the Rue McClanahan ice-cream sandwich (bourbon ice-cream squished between two pecan praline cookies). You can also create your own dazzling concoction with toppings like Sriracha, pumpkin butter, crushed Nilla wafers, and Key lime curd.
As if you needed another excuse to go to NYC!
6. Cow and the Moon, Sydney
This year Cow and the Moon’s Gusto Mandorla Affogato was declared the World’s Best Gelato, which came as no surprise to this Sydney girl. It is INSANE how creamy their gelato is, and the flavours (like balsamic strawberry, Jaffa, and blueberry cheesecake) are incredible. The only downside at the moment is the line to get in, but I keep reminding myself that it would be selfish to keep something so wonderful a secret. Just be patient and try not to look too longingly at the scoops in the hands of the people exiting.
Lines around the block! Image courtesy of Cow and the Moon.
Love ice-cream and gelato? Share your favourite parlours and flavours in the comments!