Ah, the joys of gelato! Discovering purveyors of the finest ice cream in Cape Town has been a mouthwatering challenge. From the creamy, artisanal textures to the vibrant, locally-sourced flavours, each scoop is a mouthful of indulgence. Exploring these gelato havens is a heavenly experience for any dessert aficionado.

The Dairy Den

Serving up a range of dessert

The Dairy Den brand is a labour of love and a coming together of years of experience, happy family memories and fresh thinking – serving a range of Soft Serve, Donuts, Milkshakes, BubbleWaffles!

With a family history like theirs and seeing a space in the market for a concept that provides simple, fun and affordable treats for all families, they set to work creating the brand in 2017, they wanted to create a store that was friendly and welcoming and where people could treat themselves to products that were yummy and fun.

Where: 148 Main Rd, Sea Point, Cape Town (also in Kenilworth, Bellville, and Goodwood)
Opening hours: Mon 12pm to 9pm | Tues – Thurs 10am to 9pm | Fri – Sun 10am to 10pm
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Icezeit

Join the queue for quality

With over 50 standard flavours, Icezeit brings the traditional Italian way of making Gelato to South Africa. Combined with years of international experience, they’ve expanded to Cape Town back in 2007.

Icezeit specialises in producing gelato the traditional way and you can enjoy these flavours on the coast of Sea point while overlooking breathtaking views and enjoying some decadence.

NB This stall also hosts a QR code for Scene It, so you can watch videos made right there while waiting for (or eating) your ice cream.

Where: Icezeit Gelateria Kiosk, 3 Beach Rd, Sea Point, Cape Town
Opening hours: Daily 7am to 8pm
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Sweet Revenge

A vibrant mix of desserts

Sweet Revenge is an innovative dessert destination founded in 2021 with the first rolled ice cream bar in the stunning Seapoint area of Cape Town.

Their desserts include expertly crafted rolled ice cream, including Belgian waffles, Japanese-inspired flapjacks and many more. Their mission is to be more than just a dessert destination and they achieve this by striving to create a welcoming and friendly atmosphere, where customers can relax, connect, and enjoy a moment of sweet bliss at the Mojo Market.

Where: Mojo Market, 30 Regent Rd, Sea Point, Cape Town
Opening hours: Daily 8am to 12pm
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Sorbetiere

Guilt-free indulgence

Sorbetiere takes their cue from nature, inspired by local products to create artisan sorbet and ice cream. Using natural ingredients to take the guilt out of your secret indulgence, all scooped onto homemade cones, as French Chef Beran brings her “je ne sais quoi” to every Sorbetiere creation.

Offerings include Sorbetiere 500ml take away tubs, ice cream bonbon’s, ice cream cakes, ice cream brioche sandwiches, cornetto as well as 5-litre and 2-litre tubs .

Where: 48 Albert Rd, Woodstock, Cape Town
Opening hours: Mon – Fri 8am to 4pm | Sat 9am to 2pm
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Gelato Mania

Generations of gelato

Gelato Mania is a unique family-run gelaterias, found in the heart of the Western Cape, South Africa, that specialise in serving Gelato.

Gelato is served in one, two or three scoops in cups or in homemade sugar cones. For those who are already addicted, there are take-away containers in 500g and 1kg tubs to enable the pleasure to last longer. they also have a Diabetic, Sorbet and Vegan range of Gelato.

Where: Hermanus, Newlands, Sea Point, Green Point, Camps Bay, Stellenbosch, Kloof Street, Penlyn and the V&A Waterfront.

Opening hours: Daily 9am to 10pm
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Sinnfull

Offering 450+ unique flavours

Sinnfull is a leading manufacturer of super-premium ice cream, milkshakes, waffles & coffee. Using all natural hand-made ingredients. The ice cream contains no artificial flavourants, additives, colourants or preservatives. Located in Hout Bay, it makes a great location for the family to take in the seaside sights while enjoying their menu.

Their ice cream continues a time honoured tradition of making all natural, super-premium ice cream. Sinnfull supplies leading hotels, restaurants and selected retail outlets throughout the Western Cape. They continue to expand on 450 unique flavours and are up to the challenge of making any flavour to order.

Where: Harbour Rd, Hout Bay Harbour, Cape Town
Opening hours: Wed – Sun | 11am to 6pm
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Unframed

Officially rated one of the Best Ice Cream Brand

Rated Cape Town’s best ice cream brand, Unframed Ice Cream makes vegan, dairy, and sorbet artisan ice cream – there’s somethings for every lover of ice-cream.

Offerings include artisanal ice cream in dairy, vegan and sorbet. The passionate team at Unframed are on a mission to bring a little more happiness into the world.

They make classics often with a twist, and love to take you off the beaten track to discover new and extraordinary combinations and cater for a variety of events including celebrations, corporate events, conferences, birthday parties, weddings, and large gatherings.

Unframed’s headquarters are in Woodstock but also have venues in Kloof Street, V&A Food Market, Stellenbosch and Franschhoek.

Where: 187 Sir Lowry Rd, Woodstock, Cape Town
Opening hours: Mon – Fri | 11am to4pm
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The Creamery

Classic ice cream parlour

The Creamery serves up handmade, local, seasonal ice cream for your sweet cravings.

Offerings include a various range of handmade ice cream fit for every taste profile as well as waffles, warm cookies, puddings, sundaes and drinks.

Ice creams are a range of classic and seasonal flavours, that are made with natural and locally sourced ingredients. Flavours change frequently so it’s best to contact the café you intend on visiting for specific flavours. Based at the V&A Waterfront and also available at Claremont, Newlands, Mouille Point, and Durbanville.

Where: V&A Waterfront, 1, 6160b Breakwater Blvd, Waterfront, Cape Town
Opening hours: Mon – Thurs 9am to 9pm | Fri – Sat 9am to 10pm | Sun 9am to 8pm
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Moro Gelato

Gelato like it used to be

With its quality hand-made gelato, Moro Gelato puts the flavour in creativity!

What makes Moro special? They make gelato like it used to be made, by hand, from scratch, and with seasonal ingredients. To help preserve the gelato in a natural way they also use the traditional “pozzetti”, the sunken counters where gelato is protected from air, light and temperature fluctuation.

You can’t see it but it’s all for a much better quality – a gelato master is just like a chef, but cooks below zero degrees, only with the best ingredients. Quality is Stefano Moro’s obsession – he’s an artisan who doesn’t use colourants or other chemical shortcuts. Moro Gelato has locations in Sea Point, Stellenbosch, Long Street and Green Point.

Where: 85 Regent Rd, Sea Point, Cape Town
Opening hours: Mon – Wed 12pm to 11pm | Thurs – Sun 11am to 11pm | Public Holidays 11am-11pm
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Kristen’s Kick-Ass Ice Cream

Made with a whole lotta love

Kristen’s Kick-Ass Ice creams are churned on site in each of the locations, 3 litres at a time with a whole lotta love and the highest quality ingredients that Africa has to offer.

While the majority of the ice creams are made with milk, cream, and sugar, Kristen’s also offers flavours that are made with xylitol, as well as vegan flavours.

500ml Tubs are the signature range includes top selling essential flavours, and are available all year long. The seasonal range rotates throughout the year to celebrate all seasons, holidays, and harvests. You can also order Special Delivery Boxes that makes for a great gift or to spoil yourself.

Where: Noordhoek Farm Village, Constantia, Newlands and Stellenbosch
Opening Hours: Mon – Thurs 12pm to 7pm | Fri – Sun 10am to 8pm
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Ditto on Kloof

100% plant-based ice cream

The Ditto On Kloof Ice Cream and Waffle House offers a selection of plant-based, vegan ice cream as well as waffles. Gather the family and friends for an outing in the very heart of Cape Town during the summer!

This is the first 100% plant-based ice cream parlour in the city which now also has a waffle house right next door. Their range of vegan ice cream flavours are made with Oh Oat Milk, an alternative to dairy, and Ditto also serves hot drinks and other menu items.

Where: 119 Kloof St, Gardens, Cape Town
Opening Hours: Tue – Thurs 7am to 10pm | Fri 7am to 11pm | Sat 8am to 11pm | Sun 8am to 10pm
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Tapi Tapi

Ice Cream with a distinctly African twist

Tapi Tapi is a one of a kind ice cream parlour in the laidback suburb of Observatory. The parlour uses ice cream and frozen treats as a way to tell stories of Africa’s scents, flavours, cultures and history.

Flavours are inspired by cuisines such as the salty Zimbabwean snack maputi, the Cape Malayan koeksister, botanical flavours like blackjack and baobab and many more.

The unique offerings include the Amagwinya ice cream with deep-fried vetkoek dough, the avocado ginger and lime flavoured ice cream, and the Rondo ice cream, which is made with edible clay and vanilla. An ice cream medley is available to order from the cafe to taste their unique and wide range of ice cream flavours all at once.

You can order online and visitors to the parlour on Monday mornings may also have an opportunity to churn with Guzha and learn how to make ice cream from a professional.

Where: 76 Lower Main Rd, Observatory, Cape Town
Opening Hours: Tues – Sun | 12pm to 6pm