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20th December 2016
12:10am GMT
Ireland's ice cream is among the best in the world – not our words, but those of Francis Ford Coppola.
Based on the evidence of this list, it’s hard to argue against him. Our expertise in dairy production coupled with our natural charm means two essential ingredients of a brilliant Italian-style ice cream parlour are in-built into Irish culture. Not to be confused with 99s, these scoops of sweet, sweet gelato and ice cream are the stuff that dreams are made of.
The parlours listed below represent the best Dublin has to offer in terms of rich, milky ice cream and present ideal opportunities to experience what Italians call "la dolce vita" – the sweet life.
It’s hard to miss the hot pink front of this Temple Bar establishment. But while their colour scheme might be a bit flashy for some people's tastes, their ice cream is a top-class treat that almost everyone will enjoy. This place also has a pretty intense selection of sweet treats all around the walls, if its an extravagant topping you seek. Take any sort of deep breath in here and you'll probably inhale some sugar.
If you’ve imagined it on an ice cream, they probably do it. You don’t need to wait for your golden ticket in the mail, just hop down to Dun Laoghaire on a sunny day and gorge on the widest selection around.
Drury Street's esteemed chocolatier and macaroon outlet also do amazing ice creams. These ones are quite rich, so you may find yourself unavoidably torpid lying on the Powerscourt Centre steps after polishing one off – but it’d be completely worth it.
Disclaimer: Nobó is not a gelateria, it's an Irish-owned dairy-free ice creams supplier. But with all the hype Nobó has been gathering since its opening just over two years ago, don't be surprised to see a flagship store opening up some time soon.
The fact that they don't have a physical location as yet however gives you the opportunity to bring the gelateria experience right to your home. So sit back, relax, stick on some Pavarotti and pop open your delicious Nobó. Bellissimo!
Cones & Co is ideally situated on the northern edge of Stephens Green to satisfy the dry mouths and depleted souls of the swarms of people who flock to the park each sunny day. Cones boasts a chirpy staff who are well-equipped to handle the busy traffic popping through here. Getting a gelato and lying down by the lake is a great summer date option.
This O’Connell Street spot could have been yet another run-of-the-mill place serving a guaranteed busy passing trade, but Suso's have taken it upon themselves to go beyond the line of duty in producing quality, authentic gelatos. With insanely appetising options like the caramel-based Dulce de Leche, this place deserves even more recognition than it has at present.
Gino's is arguably the most frequented gelateria in the city. Even a stray half-hour of sun typically results in a queue materialising outside this Grafton Street establishment. Gino's homemade gelatos are surely one of Dublin's finest.
Located just off Grafton Street, Sweet Nosh is a more than worthy competitor to Gino's. It's generally less crowded than its better-known neighbour however, which is even more reason to stop by here and ruminate over your choice of splendid gelato.
This lovely neighbourhood spot straight outta Rathmines does incredible authentic gelatos. Eschewing stocking up on an arsenal of toppings and sauces (though there are still many nice options), this place concentrates on doing ten flavours incredibly well. Pairing on of these with a trip to nearby Belgrave Square is a delightful summer pursuit.
We have to give it to this Irish-style Italian parlour. Murphy's has been serving incredible gelatos from Rome via Dingle for years. No other gelateria has made a bigger splash on the scene as Murphy's Wicklow Street store. These guys now seem poised to expand a budding ice cream empire. It's tempting to wonder where Mr Copolla dipped into to sample our ice cream and become so convinced of our prowess, and it's tempting to think Murphy's convinced him.
