The good news is: the very first Brisbane Ice Cream Festival starts tomorrow, held in the old Peters Ice Cream Factory in the groovy suburb of West End. The bad news is: The event is sold out.
But never fear, we've got the inside scoop on Brisbane's ice cream scene, plus we’ve helpfully curated a list of other ice cream festivals around the world to keep you sated until the next one rolls around. Prepare for a brain freeze!
Ice Cream in Brisbane
Dimanche
Dimanche on Bulimba’s trendy Oxford Street is an ice cream cafe serving locally made ice cream using full-cream milk and cream from local farmers, as well as 100 per cent dairy free sorbet, in its shady courtyard. Try the Big Yummies – French-style sundaes piled high with ice cream, sauce, cream and all manner of other toppings.
Charlie’s Raw Squeeze
This chain of 100 per cent vegan superfood bars dotted about Brisbane serves a range of tasty flavours of Nice Cream, including banana, chocolate, strawberry and pina colada. Amp it up with a Loaded Nice Cream, like pecan coffee flavour, salted caramel or cookies and cream. Yum!
Mister Fitz’s
An old-style milk bar in Fortitude Valley, Mister Fitz’s is known for its ice cream sandwiches – just choose a cookie, choose a flavour and add your topping. Flavours include pink sea salt and caramel, banana, brown sugar and bacon (really), and good old rum and raisin.
Ciao Gelato
This cute Nundah newbie serves delicious ice cream, gelato and ice blocks to the people of the northern suburbs. The raspberry gelato is to-die for, and the waffles and coffee aren’t bad either. It’s the city’s best-kept ice cream secret.
La Macelleria Gelateria
This gelataria in the riverside suburb of Teneriffe is the real deal. Owners Matteo and Matteo wanted to bring the heart of their city, Bologna, to Australia, through traditional gelato, and they did. Perfect for a late-night treat after dinner in one of the suburb’s many restaurants, but be prepared for a queue.
Ice Cream Around the World
Gelato Festival, Italy
This months-long festival is already under way, visiting several Italian cities, including Florence, Milan, Naples, Puglia, Rome, Sicily, Turin and Tuscany, until October. See gelato makers at work and learn how to make your own, vote for your favourite flavour or follow the festival and sample a flavour in each city, such as Nutella or mango-kiwi-strawberry.
Prague Ice Cream Festival, Czech Republic
This festival, which attracts thousands of ice cream lovers, caters for all sorts, offering gelato, soft serves, yoghurt ice cream, sorbets, vegan, organic and ice blocks. Plus there’s kids’ entertainment, tastings and competitions. Participants at the June 25 event come from the Czech Republic, as well as Poland and Slovakia.
Austin Ice Cream Festival, USA
This Texas town known for its happening music scene is also developing a reputation for its ice cream festival, to be held this year on August 12. In its 10th year, the festival includes games, an ice-cream eating contest, a popsicle stick sculpture contest, live entertainment and, of course, ice cream.
Museum of Ice Cream, USA
It’s not a festival as such but the Museum of Ice Cream, which celebrates a passion for ice cream, art and technology, was a huge hit when it popped up in New York last year. It featured a swimmable rainbow sprinkle pool, edible balloons, an immersive chocolate room and a collaborative ice cream sundae. The inside scoop is that its next pop-up stop will be somewhere in Los Angeles.
