While the heat of summer might be behind us, it’s still pretty warm out there! So why not keep the kids cool – and happy – with a scoop (or two!) of ice cream. There’s plenty of ice cream shops in Hong Kong offering their own twist on the creamy dessert, from Messina’s homemade goodness to Givrés’ fancy florals. With so many flavours that will be sure to delight the whole family’s taste buds, don’t wait to sprinkle a little joy in your life and read on for the scoop on where to get the best ice cream around Hong Kong.
The Talk of the Town: Gelato Messina
With the help of Black Sheep Restaurants, Australian gelateria Gelato Messina has become a staple in Hong Kong. This ice cream brand prides itself on creating their offerings from scratch – in addition to churning all 40 of their flavours on-site at their 2,000 sq. ft Pottinger Street location, their dairy even comes from Messina’s very own herd of cows in Australia. The pistachio flavour is a must-try, and the local-inspired exclusives – among them being egg tart, Hong Kong milk tea and tofu fa – are also ones not to miss. Ice cream birthday cakes are also available to order.
Address: G/F, Car Po Commercial Building, 37-43 Pottinger Street, Central
Opening hours: Tuesday-Thursday 12-10pm and Friday-Sunday 12-11pm
Pop-up shop in The Landmark opens 12-8pm daily
For Matcha Lovers: The Matcha Tokyo
The organic matcha chain The Matcha Tokyo has become a fast favourite for its range of matcha-based drinks and Hojicha lattes, but did you know they also serve ice-cream? Their soft-serve is one of the creamiest we’ve ever tried and comes in a delicious waffle cone or as part of larger desserts including the matcha espresso latte parfait. You can also enjoy scoops of Hokkaido milk or Okinawa brown sugar flavours and a range of croffles if you’re feeling a bit peckish.
Locations in Central (Queen’s Road Central), Tsim Sha Tsui (Hanoi Road), Causeway Bay (Matheson Street), Cyberport (Core C) and Tuen Mun Town Plaza
Seen on Instagram: Barista by Givrés
Roses are red, violets are blue. If you go to Givrés, get a gelato rose or two. If you’ve spent any time scrolling through a food influencer’s account, you’ll surely recognise the cafe’s signature gelato rose. After your chosen ice cream flavour(s) bloom from a rosebud into a flower, you can continue to appreciate its beauty in a classic cone ($50 and up), sandwiched between an egg waffle ($75) or floating on top of your drink ($80). If you’re up for a family photoshoot, be sure to bring the kids outside the cafe, where they can pose next to the cutest drawing of a little girl licking her ice cream petals.
Address: G/F, 7 Staunton Street, Central
Opening hours: Monday-Sunday 8am-6pm
A Local Mainstay: XTC Gelato
Born in 2001, XTC Gelato is Hong Kong’s homegrown gelato brand. With a wide-ranging rotational selection of flavours, XTC will always hit the spot when you or your kids are craving a sweet treat to lift your spirits. Whether you’re looking for rich and creamy gelato, or something lighter, like frozen yoghurt or sorbet (all lower fat of course), there’ll always be an option for each member of the family – some of their creative flavours include sea salt caramella, lavender, pineapple mango and clover honey yoghurt ($40 and up). Hoping to take home some of their gelato goodness? Get straight to the pint and pick up their tubs at supermarkets around Hong Kong.
Locations in Central and Causeway Bay and at selected City’super, Wellcome, Oliver’s, Great Food Hall, Jason’s and Marketplace stores.
Straight From Italy: Venchi
If your kids are crying for chocolate, Venchi is the place to go. This Italian chocolatier prides itself on using raw ingredients like single-origin chocolate from Ecuador, Venezuela and Peru, and also boasts no artificial colourants, flavours, thickeners or palm oil in their gelato. Chocolate aficionados will appreciate selections like cuor di cacao (75% chocolate), gianduiotto (chocolate and hazelnut) and chocolate truffle, but other flavours like mascarpone and caramelised figs, raspberry and pistachio are also delightful. The mini gelato goes for $55, while the regular goes for $68 and the large for $78.
Address: 11 locations all over Hong Kong
Lower Fat Gelato: Holly Brown
Do you know the difference between Gelato and Ice Cream? Gelato is churned at a slower speed than ice cream so not as much air is whipped into the mixture meaning it is denser . Gelato contains about 25 to 30 percent air, while ice cream can contain as much as 50 percent air. And less fat. And because Gelato contains less fat, the flavours are more intense. The punchline. Holly Brown Gelato contains 50 per cent less fat than many premium ice creams. Perfect!
Holly Brown Gelato is freshly made daily using natural ingredients and real fruit imported from Italy. There are no preservatives or artificial ingredients. Flavours include chocolate fudge, wild berry, banana caramel, mint, Oreo and coffee, all of which can be mixed with your favourite mouth watering toppings. Tubs to enjoy at home are also available.
Address: G/F 22 Stanley Street
Address: D2 Place Two, 15 Cheung Shun Street, Lai Chi Kok, Kowloon
Vegan Gelato: Snack Baby
This Trendy new gelateria is bringing a new perspective to having Ice Cream. With 14 flavours on rotation, ranging from Blueberry Earl Grey to Chili Mango, it really has something for everyone. Not all of the gelatos are vegan, but they have various lactose-free ice creams made with cashew milk or lactose free milk. Their gelato is also available for take away. Not a fan of ice cream? They also have a range of speciality coffees, wines and mocktails.
Address: G/F, 93-95 Hollywood Road Central
Opening Hours: Sunday to Wednesday 12pm – 10pm, Thursday to Saturday 12pm – Midnight
Whether you’re looking to indulge the kids, on the hunt for the best healthy treat or searching for the best Instagrammable eats, there’s an ice cream shop on this list for everyone, no matter what age. With so many different ice cream places to try in Hong Kong, the possibilities are simply endless, so go forth and lick away before the ice cream melts!
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Featured image courtesy of Shutterstock; picture 1 courtesy of Gelato Messina; picture 2 courtesy of Barista by Givrés; picture 3 courtesy of XTC Gelato; picture 4 courtesy of Venchi; picture 5 courtesy of Holly Brown Coffee
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