Restaurant in Multiple Sydney and Melbourne locations, Australia
Gelato Messina
Premium gelato with innovative flavors made daily. Multiple locations serving exceptional Italian-style ice cream with creative combinations.
Gelato Messina is Australia's most celebrated gelato brand, founded in Sydney's Darlinghurst neighbourhood in 2002 by Donato Toce and Nick Palumbo. The business began as a small Italian-style gelateria and has grown into an operation spanning multiple locations across Sydney, Melbourne, and Queensland, maintaining a consistent reputation for the quality of its base product — a dense, intensely flavoured gelato made fresh daily at each location from high-quality dairy and seasonal fruit.
What distinguishes Messina from other gelato operators is the weekly rotation of its special flavour range, which sits alongside a permanent roster of classics. The specials change every Thursday and are developed by the kitchen team as experimental combinations that push well beyond the conventional Italian gelato repertoire. Flavours have included salted caramel pretzel, smoked peanut butter with roasted raspberry, black sesame with matcha, and tiramisu trifle with mascarpone foam — preparations that blur the boundary between gelato, pastry, and dessert.
The signature permanent flavour is Dr Evil, a salted caramel gelato with a bitter cocoa swirl that has become the most closely associated product with the Messina brand since its introduction. Other enduring classics include Chocolate, Bacio, Hazelnut, and Pistachio, all produced to a standard that rivals specialist Italian gelaterie. The milk used is high-fat and relatively low-overrun — less air is incorporated during churning — producing a dense scoop that melts slowly and carries flavour concentration typical of artisan Italian gelato.
Messina's Surry Hills and Newtown locations in Sydney and its Fitzroy outlet in Melbourne are the original and most characterful stores, typically drawing queues on weekend evenings. The brand has expanded into wholesale and an online cake store, offering frozen dessert cakes in the same flavour tradition as the gelato. A medium cup with two flavours is the standard format across all stores. Gelato Messina has become a reference-point business in Australian food culture — a demonstration that a specialist product executed with consistency and creativity can achieve both cult status and national scale.
Signature dishes
- Dr Evil (salted caramel) — $7
- Peanut butter gelato — $7
Hours: Daily 12:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Reservations: Walk-in
Visit / Book / Contact
- Official website
- Phone: +61 2 9557 6233
Location
Multiple Sydney and Melbourne locations
-33.8833, 151.2025 — View on map
Highlights
- Dr Evil — salted caramel with bitter cocoa swirl — is the signature flavour that has defined the Messina brand since opening
- Weekly Thursday special flavours rotate with inventive combinations from tiramisu trifle to smoked peanut butter with roasted raspberry
- Dense, low-overrun Italian-style gelato made fresh daily from high-quality dairy at every location
- Multiple Sydney and Melbourne locations including the original Darlinghurst and Surry Hills stores, open daily until late
- Online gelato cake range extends the Messina flavour palette into celebration and gift formats
Tips
- Visit on Thursdays or the following weekend to access the new weekly special flavours before they sell out
- Dr Evil (salted caramel) and Bacio are the perennial best-sellers — order these if uncertain about the week's specials
- Queues at the Surry Hills and Newtown Sydney outlets peak between 8 PM and 10 PM on Friday and Saturday evenings
- Gelato cake orders should be placed at least 48 hours in advance through the Messina website for scheduled pickup
- Staff will separate flavours in the cup on request rather than swirling them together — helpful for keeping distinct taste profiles
FAQ
How often do Gelato Messina's special flavours change?
Special flavours rotate weekly, launching every Thursday. The permanent classics (Dr Evil, Bacio, Pistachio, Chocolate) remain year-round; the specials are produced in limited quantities and often sell out before the week ends.
Where are the original Gelato Messina locations?
Messina was founded in Darlinghurst, Sydney in 2002. The Surry Hills and Newtown stores in Sydney and the Fitzroy location in Melbourne are the most established outlets, alongside newer stores in Queensland and other states.
Is Gelato Messina's gelato different from regular ice cream?
Yes. Gelato is churned at a slower speed with less incorporated air than ice cream, producing a denser, creamier product. Messina's gelato is produced fresh daily at each store using high-fat dairy and seasonal fruit.
Does Gelato Messina offer dairy-free or vegan options?
Messina produces several dairy-free and vegan sorbets alongside its standard dairy gelato range. Staff at each store can advise which current flavours are suitable for specific dietary requirements.
Accessibility
Gelato Messina stores are typically at street level with counter-service layouts accessible without steps. Individual location accessibility varies — the Surry Hills and Newtown Sydney outlets are at street level with clear access from the pavement. Compact store footprints can be busy and crowded during peak evening hours.