Four Corners
Sweeten Up, Cool Down
Regulate your temperature on these long, hot summer days with a cold treat. Where to find the best scoops in town, whether you’re north, south, west or east in the motu.
PAIHIA
Cherry on Top
At Cellini’s scooped ice cream is good, but it gets even better. Have it elevated into a banana split, sundae or shake, made to your tastes with quality ingredients, the most important being fresh full-cream milk. It’s all whipped up on Williams Rd, right by the seaside.
OMAHA
Field to Cone
Earn your sweet treat by picking your own juicy strawberries first, fresh from the field. Gala Berry is at 256 Omaha Flats Road, and their ice cream is made and served from a wee red caravan — or a giant strawberry, depending how you look at it.
AUCKLAND
R18
If you’re in the big smoke over summer, these boozy treats may take the edge o! the heat. Hawte, in Chancery Square in Auckland’s CBD, slowchurn ice cream, and mix in real liquor. Try the Mexican Hot Chocolate — a tequila twist on a classic favourite.
KŪAOTUNU
Ten Scooper
The monster ice creams served by this Coromandel Peninsula township’s general store are legendary. Tip Top scoops are stacked five-high in a double column, atop a double cone. Prepare for drips and complete collapse.
NAPIER
Follow your nose
Scented by its freshly-made waffle cones, Danish Delight serves up scoops from a little hut on Marine Parade, right by the seaside. It’s the toppings which set it apart: mini Oreos, caramel pop-corn, M&Ms and Maltesers, held on with swirls of sauce and whipped cream.
Danish Delight
TAUPŌ
Lakeside licks
With its pink neon lighting up Tongariro St, Luna’s Gelateria offers award-winning gelato and sorbet. For the adventurous or indecisive, they offer free tasters — it would be rude not to give them a try.
INGLEWOOD
Creamier than Cream
Just 17 minutes from New Plymouth, Little Liberty Creamery has been winning medals for its plant-based ice cream. It reportedly tastes even better than the “real stuff”, in flavours such as brown sugar vanilla, mint choc chunk, and peanut butter cluster.
Little Liberty Creamery
NELSON
Argentine Locals
In Montgomery Square in central Nelson, Penguino Ice Cream Cafe rotates 300 intriguing homemade flavours, including lavender and cardamon, and ginger with orange. The owners also have on offer alfajores and mate — treats from Argentina, their homeland.
KAIKŌURA
Scoop of heaven
If you like it smooth, creamy, fresh and natural, head to Poppy’s Parlour, 100 metres from SH1 and a two-minute walk to the seaside. Hand-made to a local recipe using fruit, cream and eggs, and available in a cone, tub or shake.
Poppy’s Parlour
By Gabi Lardies
All photos supplied
This story appeared in the January 2023 issue of North & South.