Rivareno Gelato

The concept behind famed Italian chain RivaReno is simple: to create the perfect gelato. And that’s why you won’t see any when you walk in.

The gelato is stored in pozzetti, sealed, insulated cylinders that help to maintain freshness, temperature and consistency. Evidently, it works. Flavours are more vibrant and the texture so velvety that RivaReno’s ice-cream is immediately discernible from any other.

Another part of that is quality ingredients. The milk, pistachios, hazelnuts – even the lemons – are of the highest grade, imported from Italy. The chocolate is Valrohna’s 65 per cent dark.

Our picks? The hazelnut is obscenely close to being Nutella, but without the cloying sweetness. The Alice (marscapone and marsala drilled in gianduja sauce) and New York New York (organic maple syrup and caramelised pecans) aren’t too shabby either. The fruit-packed, ultra-refreshing granitas are another specialty.

Everything is made in batches to last the day, but if a store runs out it’ll be made again, cutting down on wastage and keeping everything as fresh as possible. Just like the perfect gelato should be. It's no wonder the chain has conquered Italy and parts of Spain already.

At the second location in Barangaroo there's a cafe serving Mecca coffee, tea by TeaCraft, plus waffles, crepes and specialty affogatos.