Nuvoletta Gelateria

82 Koornang Rd
Carnegie, VIC 3163
https://www.nuvolettagelateria.com.au/

Every since I had the amazing gelato at MaPo, I’ve been trying to chase that high. And it took 3 years, but I’ve finally found it – Nuvoletta Gelateria. This little shop may be humble, but the texture, flavour, and quality of the gelato here is leaps and bounds better than everything else I’ve tried in Melbourne. They have a range of classic Italian flavours, but also some more modern and innovative combinations, as well as specials that make the most of seasonal ingredients. And the best bit? It’s open late and less than 10 minutes from my house – perfect for after those bad ICU shifts.

Rating: 15/20 – best gelato in melbourne (for real).
To-order: every flavour I’ve tried has been genuinely excellent, but the ricotta, lemon, and olive oil – recommended to me by one of the staff – is a true standout.
Prices: 1 scoop $ 7.1, 2 scoops $8.6, 3 scoops $10.5… and you can get a whole litre for $31.5, just FYI.

I always try out the Sicilian Pistachio at any new gelato place, because what better indicator of quality is there than if they can get this classic right? And oh my pozetti do they get this right. The texture is silky smooth with just a tiny hint of stretch, and the flavour itself is abundantly creamy, but still with enough of that fresh, green nuttiness you only get from using good quality pistachios. To go with the pistachio, I also got a scoop of Pear, Vanilla, and Chocolate, which tasted beautifully of ripe autumn pears, its syrupy sweetness balanced out by smooth vanilla, making it reminiscent of a pear cake topped with a dark cocoa drizzle.

I would never have gotten the Ricotta, Lemon, and Olive Oil, but the staff there recommended it with such conviction that it would’ve seemed rude not to at least try it. And one taste got me scrambling to get a whole scoop. The combination of milky ricotta, zesty lemon, and crisp, grassy olive oil is indescribably good, the hint of salt bringing out the aroma of lemons against the creamy backdrop. And to go with it, a simple Belgian Chocolate gelato, which was incredibly rich, and just the right balance between sweet and bitter.

I love a great cherry flavour. For example, the Mascarpone and Cherry, with its custardy base swirled through with sour maraschino cherry, is so underrated. Much more popular is the special of Peanut and Cocoa Biscuits, which tastes like a suave, grown-up version of a chocolate peanut butter cookie.

Just for research’s sake, I felt like I needed to try some of the sorbets as well. And both the Kensington Mango and Watermelon, Strawberry, and Rose were great, super smooth and packed with bright, juicy flavours. I have to agree with Chris though; the sorbets may be good, but the gelati are drugs.