Spilt Milk in Dickson is a top spot for a cone with a couple of scoops. Photo: Supplied.
I’m going to be slightly controversial right from the get-go: this article isn’t really just about ice cream. I can’t be bothered to get technical about the difference between ice cream, gelato and frozen custard because they all scratch the same itch for me! It’s too hot to be pedantic about the ratios of fat in dairy products – or whether dairy needs to be present at all – when all we want is a cooling treat.
Here are a few of our favourites.
Spilt Milk Gelato Bar, Dickson
Originally hailing from Orange, NSW, the Dickson branch of Spilt Milk is now under local Canberra ownership. This gelato bar has a rotating line-up of seasonal flavours, but I personally can’t go past the pistachio: it’s made with real nuts ground to a paste in-house, and you can absolutely taste the difference. This Inner North resident also has the added danger of living within the free delivery radius, so you’d better believe a tub of Spilt Milk is a too-regular treat! I’m crossing my fingers they bring back the lemon curd and blueberry flavour soon (please consider this an official request).
Add sprinkles, chocolate sauce and more to your oat milk soft serve at Future Swirl. Photo: Lucy Ridge.
Future Swirl, all over town
Local food entrepreneur Maddalena Easterbrook has created an oat milk soft serve that holds its own against dairy-filled competitors. Genuinely creamy, with a pleasant, gentle, oaty undertone, this ice cream is a game changer for vegans and those with a lactose intolerance (and anyone who lives with someone who has a lactose intolerance).
I recommend a half-chocolate, half-vanilla cone doused in hundreds and thousands for peak nostalgia. Keep an eye out for the trailer popping up around town at special events and markets, and in very good news, you can now get Future Swirl oat milk ice cream by the tub at several local grocers around town.
Stripey Sundae’s mobile ice creamery. Photo: Jayde McKendrick.
Stripey Sundae, Nicholls
This locally owned business makes its own ice creams in small batches on-site with fresh, local, raw ingredients. It offers plenty of vegan, gluten-free and allergy-friendly options, and has a regularly rotating cast of flavours with creative twists on classic desserts (jam doughnut ice cream anyone?)
Stripey Sundae recently won a local business award and you can even book its mobile ice cream cart to attend your function with flavours of your choice – now wouldn’t that be a party to remember! Some of the flavours feature fruits grown in local backyards that have been traded in for ice cream – it doesn’t get fresher than that!
Gelato Messina, Braddon & Kingston
Rain or shine, there always seems to be a queue outside Gelato Messina, no matter the season or time of day or night! The Sydney franchise has made itself well at home in Canberra, and its many flavours never fail to enchant young and old.
Whether you’re into the more ‘out there’ combinations such as the Dirty Matcha-Mi-Su (matcha tiramisu) or prefer a more relaxed strawberries and cream, Messina has the goods! It also sells incredible cakes and handmade chocolates, but I’ve personally never made it past a waffle cone with two scoops of whatever looks wacky and delicious.
You can’t beat a concrete from Goodberry’s. Photo: Ben Calvert.
Goodberry’s Frozen Custard, Erindale, Belconnen & Franklin
Canberra institution Goodberry’s has stood the test of time and continues to be a solid choice for a cold treat on a hot day. Sundaes, shakes and cones are well and good but if I’m going to Goodberry’s, I’m there for a concrete. Choose your frozen custard base blended with whichever mix-ins you fancy, or pick the expert flavour pairings from the menu (hint: the Nutty Professor slaps). There’s a good reason Canberrans have been loving frozen custard since 1998, and as of this year, you can get it in three locations across the city.
Where is your favourite place in Canberra for an ice cream?
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