Il Melograno Cafe and Gelateria

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There's a new gelato hotspot on High St and it's producing a bit of a gelato Renaissance. It's not your flashy and hip hangout, but it's reminiscent of a classic and rustic gelateria.



Il Melograno is your warm and family-friendly Italian cafe. You can head in for some brunch in the morning or some gelato in the evening - or you could have gelato for breakfast if that's what you prefer. They serve lunch until 3pm as the kitchen is busy stocking up gelato in the afternoons.



You can have some classics for brunch such as baked eggs or their varying Italian specials, that seem to be highly recommended as authentic. It's unfortunate that they don't do dinner as well but we were happy with our gelato and coffee choices in the evening.



You can also still grab a coffee until late and I was fascinated to try their ricci method coffee - artisan wood roasted coffee. They even had a ricci method coffee gelato, one on a long list of flavours on their black board.



All the flavours sounded so good - some were classics but with a twist. There were also quite a few drinks on offer and also granitas. We had to look at the menu on the window outside though for drinks, so I feel the staff could have taken a bit of initiative to ask if we needed any help.



They did bring us water though as we seated our selves and pondered over what to choose. I ended up with a ricci method coffee gelato and one of the specials - strawberry mint sorbet. My sister decided to have the coconut and dutch chocolate. We chose to have it in cups, and it just happens their cups are like mini cones and edible!



The chocolate was very rich and well, I don't like coconut, but it definitely tasted like that! My favourite would have to be the strawberry and mint, just a perfect combination for a sorbet and to refresh you on a warmer night. The ricci method gelato also had a prominent coffee bean flavour and turned out to be my sister's favourite.



My curiosity led me to try their cold drip coffee, which was similarly strong but that's why it's nice to have a small amount over ice. It was a lovely accompaniment to my gelato and definitely different, a rare new taste sensation from my usual lattes. I also loved the cup used for the hot chocolate, with the liquid in an inner cylinder to ensure the outside of the glass is not hot.



They keep their gelato in pozzetti, airtight chambers covered by a lid, to ensure their gelato's flavour does not disintegrate. As they don't use preservatives, their gelato needs to be stored in this way.



They also have many more bites here and there such as muffins, tarts, cakes and ice-creams on sticks that look deliciously tempting for next time!



The wooden features of its decor and tall ceiling ensures a classic and relaxed feeling. I saw many regulars and families head into the store, making it busy for a Friday night and providing a great community feel.



If you're on this end of town and you're after some coffee and dessert, this is the perfect place. Try some unique wood-roasted coffee or one of their many flavours and you'll be planning your next visit soon after. I know I'll be back at some point to try some of their brunch and lunch menu!

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