Cape Town is the perfect combination of stunning nature, fascinating history, outstanding cuisine, and some of the world’s most exciting wildlife. Now you can include some of the best ice cream parlors on that list!
From the bounties of ice cream and gelato shops, here’s where you can find the best ice cream in Cape Town, South Africa
Moro Gelato
When you crave some real Italian gelato in Cape Town, there’s nothing that compares with Moro Gelato. A pretty gold-and-pastel-hued parlor on Long Street, Moro Gelato is so lovely that you don’t want to take your eyes off it. They even have dark and white chocolate fountains pouring like a waterfall!
Moro Gelato came to be thanks to owner Stefano Moro falling in love with South Africa during a shoot for a magazine and deciding to stay and make ice cream!
Their ice creams and sorbets are carefully crafted from fresh, local produce, and natural ingredients, including spices and seasonal fruits. From the salted lime, blond chocolate, buttery salted caramel popcorn to pure pistachio, coconut stracciatella, and the Pinocchio (toasted pine nuts gelato), each flavor are scoops of heavenly bliss.
Equally perfect is their vegan-friendly ice creams and sorbets including a rich chocolate gelato that will delight vegans. Adding to the ultimate experience, each gelato comes with a chocolate-dipped wafer! (if you want it!)
- Moro Gelato, various locations including 165 Long Street, Cape Town, and also every weekend at the Oranjezicht City Farm Market.
Unframed
Catering to the sophisticated palette are the artisanal ice creams of Unframed, queen of the Cape Town ice cream scene on Lower Kloof Street. They offer a slew of options (including vegan) at all times, varying flavors depending on seasonal produce and daily inspiration. Unframed was the dream of french-born founder Yann Rey
Owing to their range of plant-based ice creams, they’ve become quite popular among vegan ice cream eaters. With a perfectly smooth and velvety texture, some of their standout flavors include double carrot cake, turmeric latte, burnt white chocolate, jasmine rice and lemongrass, and chocolate and sea salt caramel, plus a mean cookie dough.
They even have splendid toppings like crumbled raw coconut macaroons, crumbled Amaretti biscuits, cardamom dark chocolate, and raw date caramel, among others.
With their ‘tasting flight,’ you can choose five flavors you’d like to try – that’s my kind of way to eat ice cream!
- Unframed, various locations, including 45C Kloof Street, V&A Waterfront Market, and more
Crumbs and Cream
A stone’s throw away from the Sea Point promenade in Cape Town is this popular ice cream shop where you can get a the most decadent ice cream sandwich on the continent!
From their choice of your favorite delicious cookies then fantastic ice cream, then color toppings, you can create your own personalized ice cream sandwich!
The cookie options include oreo, rainbow, milk tart, choc chip, and even a few vegan ones. As for ice cream, there’s Yogi Berry, choc mint, and caramel fudge; and to top it off, there’s peanut butter, toasted marshmallow fluff, sour gummies, and more. There are endless combinations which make you keep coming back for more!
- Crumbs and Cream, various locations
Kristen’s Kick-Ass Ice Cream
Kristen’s in Noordhoek Farm Village is the perfect place for some Kick-Ass ice cream. Forget gelato here, this is truly American-style , dairy-based ice cream, made with only cream, milk, sugar and seasonal flavors.
This style of making ice cream produces a light, more textured ice cream. Adding a twist to classic flavors is the vanilla and salted caramel or chocolate made with 70% dark chocolate and cocoa.
They also have more creative flavors like Earl Grey and cherry, brown sugar cream with caramelized figs, sea-salt caramel with dry-roasted cane sugar, and Maldon smoked sea salt, among others. Their version of a deconstructed Bounty bar (toasted coconut, milk chocolate, and almond) is a must-try.
- Kristen’s Kick-Ass Ice Cream, various locations
Sorbetière
You would guess by the name that you are going to find great sorbet at Sorbetiere! Although it began making seasonal sorbets with a refreshing, creamy texture and no dairy, soon they were also making ice cream as well. Hidden away in Woodstock, you will not be disappointed.
Some of their remarkable creations include rooibos and apple, strawberry and basil, and roasted plum. Other popular ice cream flavors include fresh mint with chocolate chips, salted caramel, white chocolate and lime, and coffee.
You can eat your ice cream or sorbet in hand-rolled chocolate-dipped cones or cups. They also do mini ice cream bon bons and chocolate-covered vanilla ice cream cornetto cones to take away. I love the toasted brioche ice cream sandwiches – a decadent scoop of ice cream smashed in their homemade brioche.
- Sorbetière, 48 Albert Rd, Woodstock, Cape Town, 7925
Gelato Mania
Another fabulous family-run gelateria is Gelato Mania which you can find all over South Africa. It specializes in artisanal gelato, using traditional recipes to make exceptional and refreshing flavors.
Their most loved flavors are chocomania, mango sorbet, salted butter caramel, and yogurt berry crunch. There’s also After Eight mint, Bar One, and chocolate hazelnut. You’ll be spoilt for choice between the different flavors and serving options.
- Gelato Mania, various locations
Las Paletas
Whether you call them ice lollies or popsicles – Las Paletas is the place to find them. These handmade artisan lollies are made with both sorbet and ice cream, but everything is on a stick!
These are made in small batches, and the sheer variety will make you want to try out as many as possible. From their chocolate-dipped and dairy lollies to sugar-free and vegan options, they have a dizzying number of choices.
Some tastebuds-ticking flavors include pineapple and chili, raspberry and kiwi, mango, and dragon fruit. The rose-infused raspberry sorbet dipped in white chocolate is out-of-this-world.
- Las Paletas , various locations
Tapi Tapi
Tapi Tapi translates to sweet sweet and is made with ingredients indigenous to the African continent. The ice cream at this little cafe in Observatory, Cape Town, is unmissbale.
Some authentic ice cream flavors include spiced vermicelli, indulgent deep-fried amagwinya, kei apple jam, chili jam, and matemba (salt-cured dried fish paired with toffee), ginger, fire-roasted peanut ice cream, and caramelized plantain.
While you can dig into familiar flavors, it was be sad not to try something you might never have heard of.
- Tapi Tapi, 76 Lower Main Rd, Observatory, Cape Town
The best ice cream in Cape Town is as stunning as the city itself. Undoubtedly, you simply cannot stick to a single scoop; you must have at least two to satisfy your sweet tooth. Each shop has its own story behind its offerings, so sit and enjoy your ice cream there and start chatting.
Try Ice cream in these places:
