Summer is very much here and nothing screams the season of sun like a big ice cream cone stacked high with your favourite flavours.
My personal preference would have to be chocolate, although I am partial to raspberry ripple and mint chocolate chip from time to time.
With Dundee being home to a variety of different ice cream shops and parlours – and nearly every flavour known to man now available – I have shared some of my favourite places to visit when searching for the ultimate summer treat.
Let me know if I’ve missed your must-visit place in the comments below.
Jannettas Gelateria
In operation for well over 100 years, Jannettas Gelateria is a Scottish institution that’s celebrated for its delicately flavoured and expertly made gelato.
Customers can enjoy 24 flavours of gelato, including the likes of caramel gelato with malt fudge. The company also serve an excellent Fife strawberry ice cream.
Unsure what to order? No problem – the staff are extremely knowledgeable and are happy to talk customers through all the different flavours.
Located on the waterfront, this shop is an idyllic place to grab one of the city’s best ice creams.
Address: Slessor Gardens, South Crichton Street, Dundee DD1 3AZ
Visocchi’s Cafe
Visocchi’s Cafe is known to serve some delicious – and quirky – ice cream. It is not uncommon to see flavours including dragon fruit or maracuja for sale in the shop.
The café – which is stylized as Viso Gelato online – has even served Peroni sorbet in the past.
Vitally, the company’s focus on these experimental flavours is not coming at the expense of the classics. Visocchi’s still serves several old school ice cream flavours that are wonderfully executed.
Visocchi’s Scottish tablet ice cream, for example, is wonderfully rich and creamy. As a bonus, crumbs of real tablet add a welcome chewiness.
The café itself has a great vibe. Ordering the ice cream is nearly as much of a pleasure as eating it.
Address: 40 Gray Street, Broughty Ferry, Dundee DD5 2BJ
Rainbow Ever
Unlike the other shops in this article, Rainbow Ever does not have a brick-and-mortar home.
Instead, the ice cream is served from a stall that currently sits inside Dundee’s Overgate Shopping Centre.
Here, you can watch a staff member make rolled ice creams to order. They do this by combining everything from Biscoff bars to KitKats with liquid ice cream.
The mixture is frozen on a cold plate and subsequently rolled up with a spatula.
The resulting ice creams are eye catching and full of flavour.
Aside from dictating taste, the chopped-up bars also give Rainbow Ever’s ice cream a singular texture – simultaneously smooth and crunchy.
Address: The Overgate Centre, Dundee, DD1 1UQ
Casa Di Gelato
The family-run business has received many accolades for its gelato, which is made using traditional Italian recipes. It serves up approximately 16 flavours.
The shop – which changed location in spring – also offers vegan-friendly soya ice cream and sorbets, too.
Another plus is that Casa Di Gelato has one of the most extensive cone selections of any ice cream shop in the city. Customers can choose anything from colourful cones to ones adorned with sprinkles.
Address: 121 Nethergate, Dundee DD1 4DW
A. Iannetta
If you’re looking to take a trip down memory lane, be sure to visit A. Iannetta, a sweet shop that opened back in 1912.
Along with bonbons and boiled sweets, A. Iannetta also stocks 15 flavours of ice cream. Customers can expect to find everything from mint choc chip to banoffee.
While not as rich as the ice cream served by other establishments, A. Iannetta’s offerings are just as flavourful.
Customers can further ramp up this flavour by topping their ice cream with a number of sauces.
In what will be welcome news to many, A. Iannetta is one of few local ice cream shops that still sells soft serve.
Address: 23 Mains Road, Dundee DD3 7RH
Crolla’s Gelateria
Crolla’s Gelateria is the public-facing side of a family ice cream operation that’s been in business since 1895.
At the ice cream shop on Perth Road, the family’s extensive experience is on full show.
Some 24 flavours of ice cream are available, ranging from Turkish delight to mango and raspberry.
The ice cream is light and not overly sweet, and the fruity flavours are particularly good. They are almost sorbet like in their freshness.
Crolla’s Gelateria also stocks a number of fun toppings.
These include gummy bears, coconut shavings and mini meringues.
Numerous sauces – such as bubble gum, Biscoff and mint – can be added as a final flourish.
Address: 286 Perth Road, Dundee DD2 1AN
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