With winter slowly coming to an end, I have been on the hunt for the best ice cream shops in preparation for the summer heat ahead. It was hard to pick just five of my favs, but I have searched all ends of the city, and have come up with my favourite top brain freezing ice cream shops in Melbourne.

1. N2 EXTREME GELATO

One of the first nitrogen ice cream joints to hit Melbourne was N2 Extreme Gelato who are a quirky Sydney-based establishment. Opening their first doors in Melbourne on Brunswick Street, it was my mission to check this place out! With an endless selection of unique ice cream combinations, it’s worth the trek out to not only get a taste of this amazing frozen dessert, but also to be entertained on watching it being made.

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Everything and anything you can think of is on the menu here. Think popping candy, boysenberry, honeycomb, Nutella, blue cheese, and every chocolate bar and fruit under the sun is used to mix up some amazing and unique flavours.

Inspiration for N2 has come from the very talented Heston Blumenthal and Ferron Adria, where liquid nitrogen is used to create your favourite ice cream concoction right before your own eyes, and served within seconds.

With a menu changing weekly, I get excited for each visit to see what they have come up with for me to try. Anything sweet and savory mixed together is a winner for me! If there’s something you want but don’t see on the menu (which is rare) you can jump on their site and require a new flavour! How’s that for getting exactly what you want.

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Keeping with the whole ‘science’ theme, all the flavours are kept on display in small beakers waiting to be chosen to be mixed together. Once you choose your flavour, stand back and watch has liquid nitrogen and your favourite flavours are mixed together right before your own eyes.

So, for those looking for the creamiest, out of this world flavoured ice cream, N2 Extreme Gelato is definitely my first stop on a hot day.

N2 Extreme Gelato on Urbanspoon

2. GELATO MESSINA FITZROY

I just happened to stumble across here by chance, and thank god I did! The funky decor and pumping music is what originally got me through the door, and then I saw the endless list of amazing flavoured ice creams and I was sold. Originally born in Sydney, Gelato Messina is a new comer to the Melbourne ice-cream market with their giant glass doors, which showcase the never ending line of people waiting to get their hands on some of these delicious flavours.
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With a massive demand for their ice cream, everything is made fresh daily using some of the finest ingredients this country has to offer. Everything to rhubarb to coconut to figs make the list to create some of our favourite dessert flavours including apple pie, tiramisu, and my favourite, pannacotta with fig jam and amaretti biscuit (doesn’t get much more Italian than that!).
I went with the Hazelnut ice cream which is made with freshly roasted hazelnuts from Cortemilia in Italy. It had a lovely nutty flavour and was perfectly creamy, exactly what you would find in a true Italian gelato store.
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With such a popular name now behind them, getting here early is key to not having to wait in the never ending line. I’ve been here during the cold Melbourne winter and had to wait, so I can only imagine how it’s going to be once the weather hits the 30 degree mark.

Gelato Messina Fitzroy on Urbanspoon

3. GELATERIA PRIMAVERA

A close third for me is Gelateria Primavera, conveniently located in the CBD. Specializing in amazing frozen gelato and sorbet treats, with bursts of flavours capturing the hearts of all.
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This is your typical Italian grocer showcasing the finest cheese, homemade fresh rolls, and all essential ingredients needed to make only the best Italian dishes. If this isn’t Italian enough for you, mixing new spices and old flavours together to create new and interested gelato flavours are their specialty. Think goat’s curds, walnuts & honey or watermelon & mint, both sounding a bit on the odd side, but can assure you they are both AMAZING!
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My ultimate favourite gelato is pistachio, which has been all I’ve ever wanted since my first trip to Italy, and they make one mean pistachio gelato here! Their menu changes daily, so there is always something new on display in their old school white tubs. Skip the cone and go for the traditional cup with the small gelato spoon to make the experience that much more Italian. For some reason, ice cream just tastes better with those little plastic tasting spoons.

Gelateria Primavera on Urbanspoon

4. JOCK’S ICE CREAM

Being a former chef, Jock canned the long hours in the kitchen after a motorcycle accident and opened Jock’s Ice Cream and Sorbets store in Albert Park after having so much fun making ice cream during his time off recovering.

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Jock’s gone above and beyond the chocolate and vanilla flavours and spends most of his timing creating new and adventurous cold treats for his ever growing clientele. Not only has he won the hearts of the locals, he has also created an interesting ‘sweetcorn’ concoction for the well-known, Mamasita’s Restaurant in the Melbourne CBD.

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My all-time favourite flavour here on one of my latest visits was the ‘Obama Rama’ which was peanut butter and jelly. What more could you ask for, this is every kid at heart’s dream from their childhood days! This is by far one of the creamiest and tastiest ice cream places in the area and is perfect after the beach on a scorching hot day!

Jock's Ice Cream on Urbanspoon

5. HELADOS JAUJA

Good ice cream isn’t just made by the Italian’s, and Helados Jauja has proven that with their Argentinean ice-creamery located on Lygon Street. They have made it known that all their products are used with only the highest quality ingredients, with no added preservatives, and it really shows through their flavours.

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With a rotating menu of 30 plus delicious creamy ice creams to choose from, everything from Eggnog to White Peach to Dulce de Leche make the list. I must say, the dulce de leche was absolutely amazing! It’s definitely worth the extra calorie intake consisting of caramel and bitter sweet dark chocolate chips. You really can’t go wrong with any of their traditional and innovative flavours.

Helados Jauja on Urbanspoon

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