The genuine tradition of Italian gelato is alive and well behind the counters of La Commedia, an ice cream parlour in the Salamanca neighbourhood, very close to El Retiro park. The grandparents of its founder opened their first ice cream parlour in Milan just before World War II: Gelateria Piermarini, practically a landmark in Milan. And La Commedia aspires to become its worthy heir here in Madrid.
At the counter are a selection of artisanal ice creams, made only with natural ingredients, and among them are a good number of vegan options. Their big hits are the 'flavours of paradise', with four gourmet creations – the pistachio cream ice cream with hazelnut and chocolate, and the red velvet with beetroot are out of this world. And there's more: Piedmont nocciola, Sicilian pistachio, flor di latte, amarena reale and gianduia (the genuine article of chocolate and hazelnut cream), as well as fresh fruits, including passion fruit, banana and mango. They're all so great, they just might be your downfall.