The best ice cream and gelato shops in Hong Kong (2026)

Macau import Digreen walks a fine line between inventive and sheer madness, churning out unconventional ice cream flavours ranging from Vita lemon tea and coriander to caviar and spicy Tabasco served with an actual mini bottle of the sauce. They’re equally popular for their freshly made egg waffles stuffed with savoury fillings like melted cheese, Portuguese sausage, or salted egg yolk. Pair it with a swirl of soft-serve and one of their specialty drinks for the ultimate treat.

What started as a humble Kwun Tong industrial unit before expanding across town, Ganto Gelato has built a cult following for its smooth, Italian-style gelato that’s practically made for local palates. Aside from trusty staples like Sicilian pistachio and Piedmont hazelnut, Ganto keeps things exciting with a monthly rotating menu. One month might celebrate cha chaan teng classics like sweetcorn pork rice and condensed milk peanut butter toast, while the next highlights aromatic roasted teas or traditional desserts. Whatever it is, they never disappoint.

L’antico Gelato was born after its founders encountered life-changing scoops on their European honeymoon and decided Hong Kong desperately needed the same standard. Made without artificial flavourings, their gelato uses fresh seasonal fruits and premium ingredients from Europe and Japan. The menu spans from timeless classics to intriguing wildcards like sea salt parmesan cheese, grapefruit genmaicha, and a savoury Korean seaweed that works surprisingly well. Equal thought goes into their boozy options, which read like a cocktail list with scoops like strawberry cloudy sake, spiced rum Biscoff, white peach plum whisky, and sea buckthorn gin.

Located on Hollywood Road, Snack Baby offers a welcome alternative for anyone who usually has to navigate around dairy. Designed with mid-century Milan in mind, this retro gelateria doubles as a late-night haunt, pouring cocktails alongside an extensive lineup of lactose- or dairy-free options. Signature scoops include rich milk with house-made buttercrunch ‘Snack Crackle’, Szechuan chilli mango, pina colado, pistachio crunch, and more.

Having mastered his craft under Taiwan’s famous Double V gelato master, the owner-chef behind Edenly Gelato makes everything strictly from scratch. The focus here is on clean, understated sweetness across both staple flavours – like Isuzu matcha, tofu, and Greek yoghurt – and weekly specials that often pair fresh fruits with botanicals such as lemongrass, basil, and osmanthus. They even serve each portion with a chilled metal spoon, doing away with any unwanted aftertaste from wooden or plastic spoons while keeping each bite perfectly chilled right off the tongue.

Why choose between egg waffles and gelato when you can have both? Located near the Kennedy Town waterfront, Nook pairs cold, velvety gelato with piping-hot egg waffles – or pancake waffles, should you prefer – fresh off the iron. This clash of hot and cold, crisp and soft, is a match made in dessert heaven, especially when paired with crowd-pleasing gelato flavours like Sicilian pistachio, black sesame, or tiramisu. Pick your flavour and take it for a walk by the harbour.

Best known to dessert lovers for their queue-worthy Basque cheesecakes at their original Sai Ying Pun bakery, Sleep Well Eat More’s Gough Street space locks in on churning out densely rich Italian-style gelato. The flavour menu ranges from nutty classics like pistachio, hazelnut, and salted peanuts, to more unconventional profiles such as extra virgin olive oil, gyokuro genmaicha (a premium Japanese green tea), tofu, and more. Their opening hours can be a little unpredictable, so give their Instagram (@sleepwelleatmore_gelato) a quick check before heading over.

Ice cream is good, but ice cream sandwiched between two freshly baked cookies is infinitely better. Originating from Singapore, The Ice Cream & Cookie Co. offers a full dine-in menu featuring signature desserts like kaya French toast, churros, and warm cookie skillet – all topped with your choice of ice cream. They even shake up ice cream cocktails if you’re hoping to make dessert time a bit boozy. For flavours, you can’t go wrong with Thai tea mochi, Biscoff cookie butter, or strawberry Yakult.

Hailing all the way from Australia, Messina is the real deal. They make everything from scratch, going as far as growing their own hazelnuts and harvesting their own honey so that they have full control over the quality of raw ingredients. The counter features 40 freshly churned gelatos and sorbets, including five Hong Kong exclusives like Hong Kong milk tea, tofu fa, and black sesame tong yuen. Be sure to keep an eye on their Instagram (@gelatomessinahk) for their weekly rotating specials, so there’s always an excuse to go back and try something new.

Ice cream plus a gorgeous view – who can say no to that? Sitting along the Tsim Sha Tsui harbourfront, Milk & Cream makes old-fashioned ice cream in small daily batches using whole Australian milk, fresh fruits, and quality chocs. The menu focuses on execution over gimmicks, offering flavours like lemon crème fraîche, Rocky Road, salted caramel peanut, and good ol’ vanilla. Think of it as the ultimate incentive to keep your harbourfront walk going just a little bit longer.

Named after chef Vicky Cheng’s two daughters, Liz & Tori on Wellington Street brings a polished touch to a neighbourhood gelato parlour. The menu features 10 rotating creations that balance nostalgic and innovative flavours, including triple chocolate with chewy brownie, salted caramel with potato sticks, condensed milk and azuki, and our favourite, salted duck egg milk jam topped with puffed black quinoa. A range of gelato floats is also available, including an espresso martini and an Aperol spritz with lemon meringue for those looking for a cheeky midday drink.

While best known for high-end chocolates, Italian chocolatier Venchi takes its frozen craft just as seriously, churning gelato fresh on-site every day. The menu draws heavily from their signature confections – think Cremino, Bronte green pistachio, and an intense 70 percent Cuor di Cacao. New original recipes drop throughout every year, but durian fans should make a specific point to drop in during the summer for their luxuriously rich durian scoop.