Authentic Italian gelato in Malaysia? Not something I expected to find, but on a recent trip I visited an outpost of the expanding global empire of Morelli’s Gelato, and sampled some excellent gelato.
There is a back story (of course). Morelli’s was founded in England in 1907, when Giuseppe Morelli, a recent Italian immigrant, started selling home-made gelato from his bicycle. Continue Reading
March 2019 update: Lunigiana Gelateria has closed. The premises are now the home of Brazen Brownies.
The best honey in Italy comes from the region of Lunigiana, north-west of Pisa. With such a notable pedigree, it’s a natural choice to call your new gelateria after your ancestral home.
Andrew, the proprietor, loved gelato so much that he travelled to Italy to study gelato making. Now he is back in Melbourne, with the family helping out at his gelateria in Harp Village. Continue Reading
Miinot Gelato is, hands down, one of the best gelaterie in Melbourne.
What makes Miinot so good? The gelati is made fresh in small batches each morning from all natural ingredients. The classics – vanilla, chocolate, lemon, pistachio, hazelnut – are done exceptionally well. Intense flavour and gorgeous texture. And then there are the specials. With quirky names, these demonstrate a deep understanding of how to combine flavours, often resulting in a level of sophistication that would not be out of place as an element in a chef-y dessert. Continue Reading
In the middle of the lively High Street shopping strip, Black Waffle has just celebrated its first birthday. It’s a dessert café which specialises – not surprisingly – in Belgian waffles, which are served with house-made gelato.
The café is surprisingly deep and spacious. Beyond the counter, the dining area has a long rustic timber table – ideal for big groups – as well as a number of smaller tables. A couple of equally rustic murals are a nice contrast to the neutral décor.
Our visit was mid-morning and business was brisk – waffles on every table. Continue Reading
My memory of our first visit to Piccolina is of passionfruit. Whole crate-loads of the fruit were being scooped out, filling the tiny store with a gorgeous aroma. That was just after Piccolina opened two years ago and we have been regular visitors ever since. Mostly because Benny reckons Piccolina has the best coconut gelato in Melbourne (he has recently conceded that Gelocchio is also a serious contender for best coconut).
All the gelato was made in-house each day, in small batches from raw ingredients and using traditional techniques. Everything was 100% natural – no pre-mixes, artificial colours or flavours, preservatives, thickeners or stabilisers. Continue Reading
Melbournians enjoy great gelato. Superb local artisan gelaterie such as Gelateria Primavera, Gelocchio and Il Melograno have been established by Italian immigrants, their children and grandchildren. Italian-based gelaterie are also expanding internationally, and a couple have already launched in Australia. RivaReno in Sydney is one, Lavezzi in Ringwood is another.
The Lavezzi family have been making gelato in Italy since 1870. Based in Formia – a city halfway between Rome and Naples – the family opened its first gelateria outside Italy here in Melbourne, in the Eastland Shopping Centre. Continue Reading