Gelato Papa Fairfield

Lilly Stuckings (née Papa) started Gelato Papa in 2017 with a store in Preston, and it quickly became a local favourite, thanks to its canny combination of traditional techniques with eclectic flavours. In 2021, Gelato Papa got a sibling, this time in Fairfield.

Here, there are 12 core flavours, including Nutella crunch, honeycomb choc-chip, salted caramel and strawberry cream. Vegan options include lemon zest, raspberry, mango and jaffa.

Plus, there are around four rotating, “left of centre” specials. When Broadsheet visited those included an apple pie flavour, with baked apples spattered throughout; lemon meringue (fior di latte gelato rippled with lemon curd and topped with house-made meringue); and a tangy Israeli yoghurt option balanced with sweet apricot jam and crunchy pistachios.

There’s also a selection of gelato cakes, ideal for a birthday or dinner party. The Golden Gaytime-inspired cake is a particular highlight, when it's on the menu: soft caramel and chocolate ganache topped with a crumb on the outside, and a combo of milk and caramel gelato on the inside (with an ooey-gooey caramel sauce oozing from the centre). The vegan Bombe Alaska – with a fluffy centre of lemon and chocolate sorbet and a lemon-sponge base – is also an impressive option.

The tiny store is swept in a swish blue and white palette, which – while many will think of it as quintessentially Greek – emulates the colours of the House of Savoy, a royal Italian dynasty.