Falstaff unveils the best ice cream parlours across Europe with the coolest and most adventurous flavours to mark European Artisanal Gelato Day.
For Italians, ice cream is much more than just a culinary refreshment; "gelato artigianale", as quality ice cream is called in Italy, is a real science. That's not an exaggeration because there really is a "Gelato University" near Bologna. It was founded in 2003 by the owner of Carpigiani, Italy's oldest ice-cream maker, and since then has been popular year after year with prospective students from all over the world. In the meantime, there are offshoots or courses of the legendary ice cream university all over the world.
In honour of European Artisanal Gelato Day on March 24, we present our favourite ice cream parlours in Europe. The day, officially established by the European Parliament, has been celebrated every year since 2013. According to the website, gelato unites Europe and the figures prove it, with annual sales of more than €8.5 billion/$9.3 billion.
Florence, Italy
Grom actually comes from Turin, but the ice cream-loving Tuscans have long since "adopted" the brand with the elegant packaging. Grom is the cult ice cream par excellence. For the different types of ice cream, little sugar and only the best ingredients from the respective region are used (for example, hazelnuts from Piedmont or pistachios from Sicily) and the finest chocolate from South America (Ecuador, Peru). The different flavours of the ice cream manufacturer are already a hit in Shanghai, Paris and Jakarta.
There is plenty of good ice cream in Rome. Among the establishments with an old tradition is Al Settimo Gelo just north of the Vatican side. It is famous for its own creations, such as ice cream made from cassata with fresh buffalo ricotta or fruit ice cream made from persimmon, pear, chestnut, lemons from Sicily or hibiscus blossoms. The ice cream has no artificial flavours and a high fruit content.
A family business in the heart of the city that should be on the to-do list of every trip to the Côte d'Azur: The 94 (!) different varieties from lavender and rose to mojito and cinnamon are produced in the hinterland in a kind of laboratory under the strictest standards and transported daily to the shop on Place Rossetti. By the way, the Fenocchios press the fruit for the ice cream themselves and freeze it afterwards – this is the only way to guarantee that nothing is added.
The main salon in Berlin-Neukölln is a paradise for those who like to experiment: varieties such as strawberry-basil, chocolate-ginger or cucumber-lemon-mint are not available on every corner. But the owners Charlotte Pauly and Carsten Andörfer also have the classics in their repertoire, of course, and thus such a large fan base that in summer you can see the queue from some distance.
Fräulein Frost on Facebook.
The supposedly best ice cream in Paris can be found in the fourth arrondissement on Rue du Roi de Sicile and nearby on rue Vielle du Temple. It has a wonderfully creamy consistency and its delicious taste transports you straight to Italy on holiday. Even though the selection at Pozzetto Gelato is rather limited, all varieties are hand-mixed and contain the finest ingredients. The pistachio and caffè varieties are said to be particularly addictive.
Pozzetto Gelato on Facebook
It is no coincidence that Bologna, with around 390,000 inhabitants, has 300 ice cream shops. After all, the university city is considered an Italian ice-cream metropolis - and the Cremeria Cavour is the city's top address: in addition to numerous (fruity) classics, ice-cream gourmets will also find the finest creations here; the "Il Gigante" (pine nut ice cream with roasted seeds) or the "Cavour" (ricotta with the juice of Amalfi lemons) are always worth trying. It's a good thing that ice cream in Italy is not served in scoops, but with a spatula. You get more of it that way. A second shop has now opened in Imola.
Gelarto Rosa is considered the best ice cream place in town. Many varieties are offered in the shape of a rose, the trademark of the house. The most interesting flavours include white chocolate ice cream with lavender and strawberry elderberry. No additives and lots of fruit flavour. In summer, however, expect longer waiting times because of the crowds.
