I scream, you scream, we all want more ice cream places in the Mother City. That’s why we’ve scoured Cape Town’s city streets, sleepy suburbs and busy beachfronts to bring you these 6 hidden and lesser-known gems to enjoy everyone’s favourite frozen dessert this summer.
Serendipity
Tucked away in bustling Belvedere Square, Serendipity is a charming little local creamery offering a bold, vibrant and uniquely decadent menu.
Indulge in a selection of artisanal ice creams, authentic Italian gelato and sumptuous sorbets in a quaint family-friendly setting.
Every day their in-store master gelato makers churn the freshest ingredients into extraordinary creations. Boeber, Baklava or Signature S’More flavoured ice cream, anyone?
Serendipity also has vegan, non-dairy, gluten-free and nut-free options.
Location: Shop 3, Belvedere Square, Belvedere Rd Claremont
Price range: From R30-R90
Contact details: +27 68 029 0463 or info@serendip.co.za
Ice Dream
Scooping since 1993, Ice Dream is a hot Hout Bay spot during the summer season. This authentic, family-run Italian gelateria has been serving delicious “old-school” gelato ice cream and sorbets for almost three decades. Everything is made in-store, with only the freshest ingredients finding their way into each mouth-watering morsel.
Savour Stracciatella or tantalising sorbetti in lemon, sour cherry, raspberry, litchi and pink grapefruit flavours, to name a few. Or stick to classic vanilla, made with vanilla pods sourced from Zanzibar.
Occasional unique flavours sneak onto the menu, such as black fig and ricotta, Campari, almond and beer, and even eggnog ice cream at Christmas time.
Vegan and banting gelato are also available at Ice Dream.
Location: 1 Homeleigh Centre, Main Road, Hout Bay
Price range: From R25 – R65
Contact details: +27 21 790 2496 or icedreamgelateria@gmail.com
Milk Beach
Scorching days are here, with everyone clamouring for better ways to beat the summer heat. Take your taste buds on a frosted journey with Milk Beach, a local gem in the heart of Cape Town’s surfing suburb, Muizenberg.
Sweet toothers can swing by for smiles, laughter and guilt-free sugary goodness.
Gorge on golden brown Belgium waffles, decadent shakes and cotton candy cones with unicorn poop creations. Take a trip over their Astros and Bubblegum Rainbow or devour their vegan strawberry delight.
Milk Beach is the perfect recipe for good music, great vibes and gorgeous creamy gelato in the company of groovy people this summer.
Location: 54 Beach Rd, Muizenberg
Price range: From R39 – R79
Contact details: info@milkbeach.co.za
Ditto Ice Cream & Waffle House
The first completely vegan ice cream parlour in Cape Town, Ditto is a 100% plant-based establishment. The attraction uses oat milk and chunks of fresh ingredients to produce their stunningly original flavours.
Try their tantalising Passionella, Marvellous Mango and Berry Bonanza.
Tuck into their signature Dreamy Cookies and Creamy, Hunkin Chunkin Chocolate, Peanut butter bomb and limited-edition Snap That Strawberry waffles. Or build your own decadent waffle with dollops of delicious ice cream, before crowning your chef-d’oeuvre with a choice of 20 toppings.
Part of the Ditto experience is the element of surprise, rotating their 30 flavours every two weeks, ensuring each visit is fresh, fun and completely new.
Location: 119 Kloof St, Gardens
Price range: From R36 – R98 (This is a cash-free facility; only card payments are accepted)
Contact details: +27 67 807 4170
Vanilla Ice Cream
Unassuming, intimate and very quaint, Venezia is a little retro-style ice cream parlour that has catered to generations of Capetonians, tourists and ice cream aficionados over the years.
One of the Mother City’s oldest Italian ice cream dens, Venezia has a variety of deliciously creamy-buttery gelato for your enjoyment.
Using their unique artisanal process, and mostly South African ingredients, you can enjoy affordable Italian indulgences throughout the summer holidays.
Location: 92 Main Rd, Sea Point
Price range: From R35 – R85
Contact details: +27 81 707 4493 or mudziclem@a-booth
Venezia Ice Cream
On a mission to make everyone’s day just a bit brighter, a bit sweeter and a bit more awesome, Kristen’s Kick-Ass Ice Cream is a small batch churnery with a large fanbase.
Located in various locations across the city, visitors can experience over 40 ice cream flavours based on what’s in season, from brownies, cookies and jams to peanut brittle and marshmallows.
Kristen’s Kick-Ass Ice Cream is handmade in small batches using local dairy and the highest quality, handpicked, sustainable ingredients sourced in Africa.
While most of their ice creams are made with milk, cream, and sugar, they also offer sugar-free options (using xylitol), as well as delectable vegan flavours.
Locations: Noordhoek Farm Village, Village Lane, Noordhoek
Heritage Village, Spaanschemat River Road, Constantia
6 Cardiff Castle, Main St, Newlands
Price range: From R22 – R54
Contact details: +27 79 265 5108 (Noordhoek)
+27 79 654 9027 (Constantia)
+27 81 481 6715 (Newlands)
