There's nothing quite like a refreshing scoop of ice cream or two on a hot summer's day in Canberra, but who are we kidding, it really is a delicious treat all year round. Thankfully, our region is home to a number of fantastic ice creameries that are perfect for those looking for a cup or cone of ice cream, an extravagant sundae, some frozen custard or gelato.
What makes a great ice cream shop?
Here are some elements that often define a quality ice cream shop:
Exceptional ice cream: Well, obviously the quality of the ice cream is the number one factor, and it should be rich, creamy, and delicious.
Creative flavours: A great ice cream shop often stands out by offering a variety of creative and inventive flavor combinations. While traditional flavors are appreciated, introducing unique and unexpected flavors can excite and intrigue customers, encouraging them to try new creations.
Fresh ingredients: Using fresh and high-quality ingredients is crucial for creating excellent ice cream. Whether it's sourcing locally produced dairy, seasonal fruits, or premium chocolates, using top-notch ingredients enhances the overall taste and texture of the ice cream.
Impeccable presentation: A good ice cream shop pays attention to the visual appeal of their products, from the attractive display of flavors to the artistic presentation of sundaes, cones, or milkshakes.
The best ice cream in Canberra 2024
To be listed as one of Canberra’s best, Canberra Daily requires them to have maintained a track record of positive reviews on Google and Facebook, with a minimum average of 4/5 stars. We also check to see if they have verified customer reviews.
When looking for great ice cream in the nation's capital, check out our list of the best local spots below.
Oliver Brown
Oliver Brown is known as the perfect place for anything chocolate, such as hot chocolate, fondue, churros dipped in chocolate and plenty more.
However, they also do a range of top quality sundaes, with flavours including choc mountain, frutti, crush cookies and tropical citrus.
Alan Carlyle left this positive review; “Nice coffee and deserts at good price. Ideal situated to sit back and take in the diverse night-life in civic.
Best of all the staff are wonderfull, friendly and happy even when things get busy and bit crazy.”
Anita Gelato
This Israeli ice cream chain has shopfronts around the world, including New York, Barcelona, London and Los Angeles, and now they are right here in Canberra.
The shop recently opened up in the city and has quickly become a popular destination for gelato lovers across Canberra.
They have over 30 different flavours on rotation in the shop, including favourites such as Cookieman, Milk Chocolate Pretzel, White Chocolate and Pistachio and many more.
Miju Kang left this positive review on Google: “Despite being newly opened, the service was remarkably fast and friendly which left me very impressed! They offer a wide range of flavors, and I had the opportunity to try their refreshing Lemon Fresh Mint, which was absolutely delicious. Additionally, I indulged in their delightful Pistachio Cream, which had a rich and enjoyable taste, packed with plenty of flavorful pistachios.”
Max Brenner
Max Brenner has opened up a new shop in the Canberra Centre and are now serving up an indulgent range of chocolate gelato along with savoury waffles.
The gelato range is crafted from Max Brenner’s exclusive recipe of premium milk, white and dark chocolate.
Alcyon Dunajszky left this five-star review on Google: “Enjoyed my time at max brenner very much! I went with my dad and I’ve grown up with max brenner as a kid so it was great to finally visit one in the city. Big thanks to Mitch for my waffles they were awesome.”
Goodberry's
Goodberry’s has been a Canberra institution since the 90s and just like the interior of their shops hasn’t changed since, neither has the irresistable taste.
Their frozen custard is incredibly creamy and smooth and you have a host of toppings to choose from, including chocolates, nuts, fruits and fudge. They also do indulgent sundaes, milkshakes and thickshakes.
Open 11am to 10pm
Robert Klay Lageano wrote this five star review; “So delicious! The concretes are so good, it takes a little bit of time for you to find the perfect combination, but once you find exactly what kind of concrete that you like from the extensive list that they have, you will always come back for one.”
Gelato Messina
Gelato Messina has a number of successful stores right across the country and it’s easy to see why given the popularity of the Braddon and Kingston shops.
They have a wide range of up to 40 different flavours to choose from at ant one time, including favourites such as cookies and cream, choc mint, hokey pokey, milk choc with choc peanut fudge, tiramisu as well as special gelato cakes and single-serve pieces.
Thanh Ngoc Nguyen left this five star review on Google; “The best gelato ice cream ever!! Love all the flavours! Must-try item if you are in Canberra or planning to visit Canberra!”
That Gelato Place
Located on the outside of Cooleman Court in Weston, That Gelato Place is a Canberra owned family business serving a range of excellent gelato flavours.
Along with the gelato, which includes gluten free and dairy free options, they also do special gelato cakes that are available in store or you can make a custom order.
Jaala Kellam left this five star review; “Where to start? Huge range of GF/dairy free options. Very friendly and helpful owners too. We picked boysenberry, espresso, & choc gelati in 1L takeaway pks, which were all really delicious. We’ll be going back to try more!”
Gelatissimo
Gelatissimo is the perfect place to treat yourself to over 30 flavours of gelato and a variety of milkshake combinations.
Some of their indulgent flavours include; baked strawberry cheesecake, biscoff made with kit kat, decadent cookie dough, peanut butter brownie, choc honeycomb and plenty more.
Aashish KC wrote this review on Google; “Great service and wonderful flavours to choose from. I had the kit kat one, loved it. They also do cakes.”
Spilt Milk Bar
Starting out as a hit in the NSW town of Orange, Spilt Milk Bar have since opened up a store in Dickson, serving up mouth-watering ice cream made from 100% natural Aussie ingredients.
They have plenty of great ice cream flavours to try, including honeycomb, salted caramel, pistachio as well as sorbet options.
Opening hours:
- Monday to Wednesday – 2pm to 9:30pm
- Thursday to Friday – 2pm to 10:30pm
- Saturday – 12pm to 10:30pm
- Sunday – 12pm to 9:30pm
Derrick Leong left this positive review on Google; “Delicious high-quality Gelatos and Sorbets. Friendly and helpful staff as well. Our favourite go too with the kids.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Do ice creameries have vegan and gluten free options?
It will depend on which ice cream shop you go to, but yes there are certainly some delicious vegan and gluten free options out there. It is best to check the shop website or social media channels, or even call them to check if they do have options for your dietary requirements.
Where did ice cream originate?
It is believed that the Chinese came up with the initial concept for ice cream, before the Italians started to turn it into what it is today. Read more about it here.
What is the difference between gelato and ice cream?
While both gelato and ice cream contain cream, milk and sugar, there are some minor differences. Gelato typically uses more milk and less cream than ice cream and generally doesn’t use egg yolks, which are a common ingredient in ice cream. This means that gelato usually offers fewer calories, less sugar and lower fat content per serving than ice cream.
What is the difference between ice cream and sorbet?
Ice cream always contains dairy, such as milk or cream, as its main ingredients, while sorbet traditionally never includes dairy or eggs, instead being made primarily from fruit juice or fruit purée.
What types of ice cream flavors can I find at an ice cream shop?
Ice cream shops typically offer a wide variety of flavors to suit different tastes. You can find classic flavors like vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, and mint chocolate chip, as well as unique and seasonal flavors such as salted caramel, cookies and cream, pistachio, peanut butter and many more.
