With so many new gelaterie opening in Melbourne over the past couple of years, it is easy to forget that house-made gelato is not just a recent arrival. And East Brunswick’s Gelobar, established in 1990, is still going strong.
Gelobar is far more than just a gelateria. Open from early morning until late at night, Gelobar covers everything from early breakfast to late night cocktails, with dining options including pasta, pizza and panini. And then there are the sweet indulgences, which are always very distracting… luscious torte, biscotti and pasticcini (pastries). So, so tempting…
It’s a big place, so there is plenty of seating inside as well as outside on the wide footpath. Benny was fascinated by the huge old gelato churn on display at the front of the café – now replaced by a modern gelato machine.
Everything, including the gelati (and the cakes!), is made at Gelobar. After tearing ourselves away from the cake cabinet – did I mention how difficult it is to resist? – we reached the gelato cabinet. The focus is on traditional style gelato, with the classics, both dairy and non-dairy (sorbetto), well represented. The cabinet holds around two dozen flavours.
Benny chose two flavours in a cone: bounty and limoncello. The latter is a refreshing mix of lemon and lime rather than the zing of the Italian liqueur, as our friendly server explained that all the gelato was non-alcoholic to be suitable for Gelobar’s younger customers. The limoncello is an excellent match for the coconut bounty.
I paired one of the Italian classics – a good pistachio – with mango. The mango was fresh from the churner, which was obvious from its gorgeous velvety texture.
Friendly service and excellent traditional-style gelato. Plus a huge range of very tempting torte, biscotti and pasticcini.
Gelobar
74-76 Lygon Street
Brunswick East Vic 3057
T: (03) 9381 2252
W: www.gelobar.com.au
