Gelatorino – Covent Garden’s Real Italian Ice Cream Parlour
Ever since I visited Venice as a teenager something has eluded me. Proper ice cream, and I’m not talking Ben & Jerry’s (which is amazing but primarily because is has tasty ‘squidgy surprises’ as my friend says) but the ‘all I want is it in a tub without a cone so I can stuff my face’ real Italian ice cream.
However this Italian ice cream abstinence (ahaha I say that like it was a choice) ended today when I visited Gelatorino. I was greeted into the bright and airy parlour by an enthusiastic manager who knew everything gelupo. It is refreshingly rare for an employee to be so knowledgable and passionate about their job, which instantly made me interested in Gelatorinos story.
With all their ingredients sourced from Italy in areas of monitored ecological welfare. Gelatorino is authentic Italian ice cream through and through. The nut varieties have real nuts churned into them (not the roasted variety we’re used to), the yogurt contains natural honeyed notes, the mango sorbet is intensely fruity and the chocolate indulgently decedent.
But the thing that struck me is how much everything TASTES, not once did I miss having cookies bits or chocolate chunks in there. I only had eyes for the ice cream.
So as the maestri churned I sampled. Coconut, lemon, fig ripple, vanilla to name but a few. Even the base was creamy and lush!
But then a decision had to made to construct my perfect pot. In an attempt to try all ends of the spectrum I selected (with some help) mango sorbet, chocolate, yogurt and pistachio. This was all topped with a hazelnutty chocolate sauce. It was divine, the pistachio not the florescent green we are so used to in the UK, the chocolate so rich and the sorbet palate cleansing. Good choice chaps! I did actually have a biscuit to use as a spoon. I sat I sued the cute little cafe and tucked in. To top it off the music then switched to Nirvana and I was left blissfully forming an ice cream tash.
But any who, as I now roll to the tube in an ice creamy haze I urge you to check out Gelatorino if like myself you have been searching for Gelupo to rival Italia. A small cone or pot is £3, regular £4 and large £5 (mine was large with 4 flavours) with regular sampling allowed! They also offer coffee, take away and in shop cakes made by their master pâtissier.
Website, @Gelatorino, Facebook
2, Russell Street
WC2B 5JD
