Gelato Messina brings the cool to Melbourne

Let’s count some of the reasons why Gelato Messina arriving in Melbourne is cool. For a start; it’s a gelateria, the ultimate in cool, -18 degrees to be exact. They have opened on Smith Street in Collingwood, undoubtedly Melbourne’s coolest current dining strip and the opening of the Melbourne store happens to be in the coolest (or coldest, rather) week we has seen in over 20 years according to the plummeting mercury and our coiffed weathermen.

As cool as all these elements might be, it’s traditional methods paired with innovation and outstanding ingredients that has made Gelato Messina one of the best gelaterias in the country (voted best gelato in Australia by the Australian Good Food Guide) and now its Melbourne’s turn, sure to have its own cult following akin to our northern neighbours.

The key to making Gelato Messina stand out above its competitors is the absolute commitment to fresh, true-to-taste ingredients. Locally sourced dairy from Warrnambool is used in the base of their creations, then in goes the very best produce they can get their hands on – D.O.C pistachios from Italy to the lemons grown in one of the chefs own gardens, everything you taste is coming from it’s most natural source.

Nick Palumbo and his team of master craftsmen are continually creating concoctions that, to some, may seem unimaginable – fois gras and cherry sorbet on a stick? What about pavlova or campari and orange marmalade? Their most popular flavour is salted caramel and white chocolate, so popular in fact that Sydney goes through well over 1000 litres of it a week.

The counter snakes through the Melbourne store showcasing some truly remarkable flavours together with the good ol’ standards as well (the chocolate fondant would make Augustus Gloop weep). There are also daily specials; one off creations that, due to the labour intensity and an absolute passion to serve the best, are made in small batches and when they are gone, they are gone.

But where the talent truly shines is in their cakes – patisserie works of art from the multi layered chocolate orb of the black forest, ‘Dr Evil’s magic mushroom’ and Bombe Alaska, it will take all your will to come at these with a knife.

Gelato Messina opens today; look for the huge glass doors and the kitchen full of beardless men – another first for Smith Street.

GELATO MESSINA
237 Smith St, Collingwood
12PM-late
www.gelatomessina.com