The best ice cream parlours in Lisbon

It’s likely that you’ll develop some kind of addiction after trying the most creative flavours in town. The chocolate salami, the peanut butter, and the pastel de nata – cream custard tart (yes, there’s an ice cream version of this typical tart) are among the biggest hits. The others you’ll have to try for yourself.

Our pick: cinnamon and honey

There is no leg that won’t complain or knee that won’t give in while you wait for one of the city’s best ice creams. The queues can be long, but Costanza Ventura’s art is the most rewarding satisfaction. Costanza is an Italian from Rome that brought to Lisbon wonders such as the almond ice cream (imported from Piedmont) or the pistachio flavoured one (that comes from Bronte, in Sicily). In a cup or in a cone, the tradition is to complete the pile of flavours with whipped cream.

Our pick: sweet basil.

If you never pictured yourself trading a beer for an ice cream then you are in for a surprise. This establishment, located at Lisbon’s nightlife centre will seduce you with its fruit flavours and others such as zabaione (a typical Italian sweet) or basil. With no industrial additive, these are the creations of Riccardo and Filippo (who left Nannarella to open his own store).

Our pick: white chocolate.

It was by the end of the 1940’s that Attilio Santini came to our country to conquer Portuguese people with his ice creams. It arrived at Cascais first and later to the centre of Lisbon, with its fruit flavours and artisanal cones that already conquered the likes of everyone everywhere. After testing over 300 flavours, strawberry and cream are still the classics people go for.

Our pick: raspberry.

This ice cream parlour at Alvalade is a family business that was passed down from generation to generation. Using the same machines they had in the 1940’s and 50’s, the fruit flavoured ice creams attract huge crowds – especially with the stifling heat. The Conchanata cup is still the all-star: four ice cream scoops served in a shell, with strawberry syrup on top. 

Our pick: mango.

Pistachio, vanilla, pinion with ovos moles (a sweet made with sugar and egg yolks), cream cheese and honey or rennet with cinnamon, blackberry or... perhaps Oreo? There are plenty of options. There are also 100% vegan ice creams at FIB – il vero gelato italiano. They also serve crepes, waffles, Sicilian brioche and refreshing slushies for hotter days. 

Our pick: lemon.

It doesn’t come in a cone or in a cup but on a wooden stick. These are the typical Mexican ice pops reinvented by a Portuguese team that takes the ice cream concept to a whole new level. The percentage of fruit lies somewhere between 50% and 70%, but there are also sweets such as the banana ice cream stuffed with Nutella, pineapple and mint, and yogurt ice cream with fruit pieces flavour.

Our pick: strawberry ice cream stuffed with condensed milk.