Written by: Hennie Fisher
Whether it is ice cream, gelato, sorbet, kulfi, soft serve, frozen yoghurt, sherbet, granita, dondurma or shaved ice, humans hold an enduring fascination with one of the most sought-after treats right across the globe.
Fortunately, ice cream has transformed from ‘beach holiday treat’ to mainstream indulgence and Pretoria’s got some sweet spots for an icy scoop or three. We no longer need to wait for the December holidays to have a good ice cream; it is always available - even mid-winter.
Ice Cream Tip - While good ice creams are not complex to make, the challenge lies in keeping them fresh. So, look for shops where you can peek into the kitchen to check out their ice cream machine. This is usually a sign that the ice cream is made in-house and fresh.
Here are our top suggestions for the best ice cream in Pretoria:
Villa San Giovanni
What beats going out for a wood-fired pizza followed by a delectable ice cream? Villa San Giovanni at the Wonderboom Airport not only allows you to see the comings and goings on the relatively busy airport tarmac, watching small planes landing and taking off, but also has a small gelato bar from which you can select your freezing cold confection.
If you choose nothing else, go for a bowl of vanilla ice cream with the world's most decadent cherries - Italian Fabbri Amarena Cherries (a variety of sour cherry) - in a rich syrup, sold in a beautiful highly decorated blue and white jar. It is worth every penny!
Website: vsg.co.za
Brewers Ice Cream
Brewers Ice Cream is a recently opened shop in the Waverley Plaza centre - a spin-off of the small stable of Brewers restaurants. It functions as a proper ice cream parlour with large, retracting, glass doors that leave the counter and workspace open, creating a sidewalk ice cream shop. In addition to ice cream, it also offers frozen yoghurt, soft serve, flurries, waffles and milkshakes. Simply peer into their holding counter and choose your favourite flavour combination, scooped into either cones or cups. Brewers Ice Cream is the sort of brightly coloured place that would make deep impressions on any young mind.
Instagram: brewersicecream
Royal Danish
Royal Danish remains the queen of ice cream shops in Pretoria, having been around forever with its initial roots in Sunnyside. You’ll always see people either queueing for ice cream or enjoying their treats outside, seated at small tables - sometimes even as early as 9AM on a Sunday morning!
Although the interior décor may feel somewhat retro, the smell of their home-made waffle cones will lure you in. They make some of the best waffles on order, still warm and steaming when brought to the table. Best of all is that all their ice creams are also available to purchase in take-home containers. Although they offer a range of innovative ice cream flavours, their rum-and-raisin has always been one of the best versions of this rather old-fashioned, nostalgic flavour that should not be missed.
Website: www.royaldanishicecream.co.za
Vee & Forti
If you want to feel like an Italian, find yourself a seat outside Veralda and Fortunato Mazzones' little Italian deli, Vee & Forti located at Lynnwood Bridge. Apart from being able to tuck into some proper Italian antipasti, they always have a selection of excellent Italian gelatos available. Forti’s shops are legendary in Pretoria and he and his dad used to have the most beautiful, old-fashioned, industrial ice cream machine on display at one of their previous establishments.
Website: www.veeandforti.com
Aroma Gelato & Waffle Lounge
These days, Aroma in Hazelwood has a steady following of young people hanging out and spending time with friends. It is often vibey and busy both inside and outside, with gelato lovers indulging in icy treats while admiring the sleek cars coming past. Enjoy a bowl of three gelatos from their extensive range at the gelato bar, or opt for a cookie sandwich to be chased by a short, serious espresso. Aroma’s flagship store on Lynnwood Road is, of course, also worth a visit.
Website: aromacoffee.co.za
Wedgewood
A new standalone ice cream parlour, in the perfect palette of pistachio ice cream green, has opened its doors at The Village in Hazelwood. Part of the Wedgewood nougat brand, this store is officially called Wedgewood Hazelwood Innovation Café, and forms part of the brand’s ever-increasing emporium where you can now, in addition to their famous nougat, also purchase linens, ceramics, umbrellas and other high-end luxuries. But that’s not what we’re after… We’re after their ice cream! What in the world can be better than nougat and lemon meringue ice cream, or salted caramel and toffee? Not to mention peppermint white chocolate & butterscotch ripple! Definitely one of the best spots for ice cream in Pretoria.
Website: www.wedgewoodnougat.co.za/pages/hazelwood-innovation-cafe
Pantry by Marble
One of the latest additions to the Pretoria food scene is Pantry - an amplified version of the highly successful garage shop in Rosebank, Johannesburg, launched by the Marble Group. The Pretoria branch is a large ‘market-style’ shed offering everything your foodie heart desires. Their breads are legendary, or one could just sit at one of the high tables and have a deliciously strong coffee too. The single large space is cleverly divided into different food sections, almost as if you were in a large food market, and in the middle, they have a trendy-looking ice cream stand where you can choose your favourite flavours.
Website: pantry.co.za
Ice Cream Ninjas
Let the ice cream come to you! Ice Cream Ninjas offers incredible children's entertainment along with great ice creams and they do markets and events all over. As the name suggests, they offer some serious Ninja moves to the delight of youngsters - scoops being flipped from one tool to another, deft action moves, and delightful themed entertainment. In fact, at their small space based at Greenlyn Village, some of the innovative ice creams are mixed on an ice cream table right in front of you, with scrapers mixing cookies into your chocolate ice cream.
Website: www.icecreamninjas.com
Keep’em Coming
In addition, you can also try Awesome Ice Cream Pot and House of Ice Creams, which are both worth a try.
If we’ve missed your favourite spot for ice cream in Pretoria, let us know! In the meantime, these options should keep your taste buds soaring this summer. The City of Jacarandas certainly offers a diverse and exciting ice cream scene that caters to every taste. Be sure to explore these local gems and discover your own favourite cool spot in Pretoria.
