The world’s best hazelnuts are Italian, grown in the Piedmont region. And anyone aiming to make the best gelato will be using Piedmont hazelnuts. Just like Elsternwick’s Luna Blu Gelato.
After studying how to make gelati at the Gelato University in Italy – yes, Gelato University really is a thing – Asha returned to Melbourne and, with a good dollop of courage and optimism, launched Luna Blu three years ago, mid lockdown.
The sun is shining, and our thoughts turn to gelato. We were not the only ones. Arriving at Ivanhoe’s Boca Gelato early in the afternoon, the queue of eager customers already extended out on to the footpath.
It’s a popular place. Opening in 2021 (mid lockdown!), Boca is a collaboration between chef Adam D’Sylva and pastry chef Monika Frkovic.
Located right in the heart of the busy Ivanhoe shopping strip, the gelateria is decorated in shades of cool green. Shiny lidded pozzetti – the traditional way to store gelati and keep it fresh – are set into the wide terrazzo counter. Continue Reading
It’s a very good sign to find a big crowd of customers at a gelateria just after it opens for the day. Which is exactly what we saw when we rocked up to Mastika.
Opening in mid 2021, the jungle-themed Mastika is an absolute riot of colour set against a deep green background. Vines dangle from the ceiling and large brightly hued plants contribute to the overall jungle effect.
Continue Reading
Gelato by the seaside. It’s a natural combination, even on a bitterly cold winter’s day. Despite the bleak weather conditions, Mornington was a-buzz. But it was a little quieter on the Esplanade near our target, Okay Lucy, just around the corner from the lunchtime action in Main Street.
Peach-hued Okay Lucy has been open for a couple of years now. Its gelati are made in small batches with a focus on natural ingredients sourced from local Mornington Peninsula producers. Such as honey from Pure Peninsula Honey, strawberries from Sunny Ridge Farm, and coffee from Mornington roaster Commonfolk Coffee. Continue Reading
The little foodie enclave at Kew’s Willsmere Village – home to a clutch of on-trend cafés as well as one of our favourite burger places – now has its very own artisan gelateria. Opening in mid-January, Lui Jon Gelato is already a rising star of Melbourne’s gelaterie.
Smartly turned out in its signature deep blue and white, the centrepiece of the small shop is – of course – the gelato cabinet. While COVID restrictions meant that we couldn’t sit inside when we visited, there is room for a few stools – a lovely bright spot to watch the world go by. Continue Reading
Cooped up with the coronavirus lockdowns in Melbourne, it looked like we would miss out on the 2021 Ballarat International Foto Biennale. But miracle of miracles, the organisers were able to extend the dates and so we caught the very last few days of the BIFB. Continue Reading