Not Just Ice Cream…
St Georges Road in Kemptown is renowned for its strong sense of community and friendly village vibes. Situated on College Road, adjacent to this vibrant high street, you will find Cocco Gelato, with owner Andie at the helm, who embodies the spirit of the community with her warm and welcoming nature.
This delightful gelateria sells pina colada bubble waffles, pistachio tiramisu Dutch pancakes, semifreddos, hotdogs and homemade soup (during the colder months). The venue opened last June and the queues of people waiting to try a taste of Italy caused quite a stir in the popular shopping area, indicative of just how good the gelato is. Within their range of gelato flavours and sausages some have been accredited with the ‘great taste award’. When discussing the opening, Andie revealed, ‘We had a very busy first summer to say the least. I wanted to create somewhere bright and colourful where people feel welcome and at home, I hoped to delight children and adults alike.’
She has certainly achieved this, the intimate venue features glass fronted display cases housing mouth watering cakes and gelato, brightly coloured walls and bifold windows with a scattering of outside seating. Within minutes of our arrival we were offered coffee (from her other premises next door) and a delicious peanut butter bomb encased in white chocolate and sprinkles.
A wide selection of gelato is available and visible in a glass fronted freezer with all of the flavours available. Apart from one we’d never seen before that really caught our eye. Black Coconut ice cream. Andie explained, ‘We use fresh coconut, but also some of the husk which is where the black colour comes from. We also have special black ice cream cones…’ Every Emo girl’s dream right there, black ice cream in a black cone. Truly unique and delicious. There are also many toppings to choose from including smarties and crushed nuts.
The hotdog menu which graces the wall is also pretty spectacular, these are not just ordinary dogs, aside from the classic offering, they are globally themed with flavours such as; Argentine Dog with Chimichuri, Aji Molido and Salsa Creola and one we definitely want to try on another occasion the Tex Mex with Guacamole, Ancho and Chipotle Chilli Mix and Mexican Slaw. There are also flavours from Greece, Japan, Hawaii and Southern USA. The hotdog sausages themselves are also not bog standard, with flavours packed inside them too, such as chilli, bacon and paprika. These are the hotdogs of dreams and have proved to be so popular they will be sold throughout the year and not just seasonally.
If any of you buy the black ice cream, please tag us on Instagram @discover_brighton share your photos with us!
Follow Cocco Gelato on Facebook: @coccogelato_
Words: Samantha Harman.
