Gelato. The name alone can make you melt. It’s got the nostalgic appeal of any cold jellylike treat, but it’s laced with that same luxurious intricacy suggested by a fancy pair of Italian shoes.
Lucky then, because there’s not much visual gelati allure at Spring Street Grocery. This is the newest venture by Con Christopoulos and Josh Brisbane, who are using the unassuming name to house an artisanal frozen dessert nirvana before launching into full grocery mode next year.
The fit-out and the faces are nice enough — just don’t expect glistening sorbetto mountains or Wonka-like displays. Traditional pozzetti tins keep out nasties like oxygen and light, and when you taste what’s inside you’ll never order from behind a glass cabinet again.
10 gelati flavours and six sorbets rotate daily depending on what’s in season, all of them churned on site by Friuli expat Massimo Biden. Non-dairy types will dig the peach and basil sorbetto, while others can get fired up about chilli-laced salted caramel gelato.
The boys have plans for a European-inspired grocery come January, or if it’s the covert element that gets you giddy then keep an ear out for the purpose-build underground ‘cheese caves’.
Starting with dessert is always a good game plan.
Spring Street Grocery
157 Spring Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000
T: 03 9654 0811
Mon – Fri 7am – 11pm; Sat – Sun 9am – 11.30pm