Piccolina Gelateria St Kilda

Piccolina means “tiny” in Italian, and it’s true of this shop. The gelateria’s signature is pistachio, but it’s worth checking out the stracciatella variety, made with fior di latte cheese as well as the traditional flavours on offer. Better Than Nut-ella is made with Piccolina’s own take on the chocolatey hazelnut spread, topped with the housemade “Nutella” on tap.

Four special gelatos rotate weekly and everything is made in-house. There’s a watermelon, lime and mint granita on the menu, alongside frappes and vegan sorbets – including the spectacular vegan chocolate.

On the shelves, there’s a collection of homemade jams, nut butters and cakes. Piccolina’s take on a Ferrero Rocher is made with hazelnut gelato, milk-chocolate gelato, Better Than Nut-ella gelato, hazelnut praline and puffed rice. It’s covered in dark chocolate and crushed roasted hazelnuts, finished with a touch of gold leaf.

Terrazzo walls welcome the natural light that enters through large windows at the front of the shop. And there’s a stand-up bar – a tiny, but very Italian, way to enjoy gelato. A green-heavy colourway references the Italian flag, as do red, white and green highlights and packaging (the latter designed by Projects of Imagination).

Watch chefs prepare batches of soft, creamy gelato while you choose flavours from the Scrabble-esque board above the servery bench, which is clad in vanilla-coloured, square-cut Italian tiles.