Summer will be hot in the city. So here are five of the best places for some cool refreshment.
Our 5 favourite places for ice cream
Gaston
Turan and Lucy Ucar spent ten years making a name for themselves with Gou, their restaurant in Sint-Pieters-Woluwe/Woluwe-Saint-Pierre, which specialised in bistro food. That was until Turan, mad about food, came up with the idea of making artisanal ice cream, a passion of his since childhood.
Disillusioned by an inscrutable market and industrial methods of production (the many texturisers and other processed additives) used by seven out of ten ice cream-makers, this chef decided to restore this wonderful product to its former glory. With that in mind, he took over the legendary Brussels outlet Comus & Gasterea and decided to put into practice there an approach in keeping with today’s world.
As well as undergoing training in Italy and at Lenôtre in Paris, he pulled out all the stops and called in the self-taught interior designer Lionel Jadot – the man who designed the decor for Marc Veyrat’s restaurant in the French capital. The result is a space that opens onto a lab in which you can watch the ice cream being churned every day.
What makes it special is the range of top-quality ingredients – including organic milk from the Ardennes, which is used to create some of the flavours, as well as cane sugar and agave syrup in place of the usual refined powder. We love the vanilla mixed with caramel and dotted with pecans – not unlike a certain well-known “cookies & cream” – and the banana with freshly-roasted sesame seeds, the “yoghurt and honey”, and the Iranian pistachio made with an excellent homemade mix.
> GASTON
> Baksteenkaai 86 quai aux Briques, Brussel/Bruxelles, 02-223.43.06
Nanouk Ice
Christine Waignein’s well-thought-out project, Nanouk Ice, is now in its fourth summer. After starting out in the financial sector, this dynamic forty-something turned her life upside down to “do something cooperative.” She was absolutely determined to revive the frisko, that ice cream on a stick that we all remember fondly from childhood… which she offers in two different formats.
Christine Waignein’s well-thought-out project, Nanouk Ice, is now in its fourth summer. After starting out in the financial sector, this dynamic forty-something turned her life upside down to “do something cooperative.” She was absolutely determined to revive the frisko, that ice cream on a stick that we all remember fondly from childhood… which she offers in two different formats.
After originally deciding to name her concept “Friskot”, an unmistakably Belgian play on words, she was disappointed to discover that “frisko” was already a registered trademark. Turning the pages of a Walloon dictionary, this Dutch-speaking entrepreneur came across the word nanouk, defined as a “stick of ice-cream with chocolate.”
She then set about developing a natural approach using unprocessed natural ingredients, many of which she sources from the organic morning market in Mechelen. Her frozen creations include sorbets and ice creams in classic flavours – try the unmissable coffee flavour developed with the help of Kaffabar, the gold standard of coffee places, located on place Rouppeplein – and in more original formulas such as pineapple-mojito with fresh mint and lucuma, a Peruvian fruit that is seldom seen in this part of the world.
> NANOUK ICE
> Thursdays at the Sint-Gillisvoorplein/parvis de Saint-Gilles and other locations during summer, 0496-57.90.05
Mellow Kitchen
Since 2013, foodies have been finding their way to the “pink ball”. The pink ball? A sort of foodtruck – or more accurately a “trailer” shaped like a sphere. This appetising UFO was the invention of Noémie, a 30-year-old foodie whose speciality is “froyo”, frozen yoghurt. Having become popular in Brussels, Mellow – the actual name of the concept – has now taken up a more permanent residence on Londenplein/place de Londres in a space that was formerly a chemist’s shop.
Since 2013, foodies have been finding their way to the “pink ball”. The pink ball? A sort of foodtruck – or more accurately a “trailer” shaped like a sphere. This appetising UFO was the invention of Noémie, a 30-year-old foodie whose speciality is “froyo”, frozen yoghurt. Having become popular in Brussels, Mellow – the actual name of the concept – has now taken up a more permanent residence on Londenplein/place de Londres in a space that was formerly a chemist’s shop.
We are happy to report that the concept has lost none of its appeal. Achieved with the help of an upcycled decor that brings old furniture back to life, the overall effect is a great success. We love their take on frozen yoghurt, which involves flavours that are quite lively, partly due to being a little more tart than usual.
The frozen yoghurt is served with toppings from which you can choose as many as you like – not to be missed are the neuzeke/cuberdon topping and the one made with large chunks of strawberry. On Sundays, the place offers a brunch consisting entirely of pancakes, both sweet and savoury.
> MELLOW KITCHEN
> Londenplein 10 place de Londres, Elsene/Ixelles, 0491-07.31.07
Belicia
At first glance, nothing sets Belicia apart from any other ice cream place. But this establishment, whose terrasse opens onto place Colignonplein, is run by a genuine enthusiast. The owner is an agricultural engineer converted into an evangelist for ice cream. The man works like a slave, every day, from dusk till dawn. He believes in an artisanal approach to ice cream.
At first glance, nothing sets Belicia apart from any other ice cream place. But this establishment, whose terrasse opens onto place Colignonplein, is run by a genuine enthusiast. The owner is an agricultural engineer converted into an evangelist for ice cream. The man works like a slave, every day, from dusk till dawn. He believes in an artisanal approach to ice cream.
As well as the classics – the excellent vanilla, for example, a flavour which always reveals the quality of an ice cream-maker – you can find more original creations which vary according to the seasons and his mood. The dairy ice cream with fruits-of-the-forest yoghurt is an absolute must. Equally unmissable are the neuzeke/cuberdon version and one inspired by Ferrero Rocher.
> BELICIA
> place Colignonplein 3, Schaarbeek/Schaerbeek, 0485-93.31.67
Il Monello
In Italian, a monello is a “kid” or an “urchin”, which is just what a titi or a poulbot is in Paris. The name was not chosen at random, as there is something of the rebellious spirit of the street urchin about the place. The ice cream, served on a wafer, adheres to the rules of the gelateria, making you feel like you are in Italy.
In Italian, a monello is a “kid” or an “urchin”, which is just what a titi or a poulbot is in Paris. The name was not chosen at random, as there is something of the rebellious spirit of the street urchin about the place. The ice cream, served on a wafer, adheres to the rules of the gelateria, making you feel like you are in Italy.
The owners were trained by Francesco Suppa, a renowned master ice cream-maker. So typical flavours like stracciatella and gianduja are present, as are those deliciously creamy textures. We also enjoyed the warm reception from brother and sister Roberta and Alessandro, as well as the little regional nibbles on offer: arancini (risotto balls typical of southern Italy) and generous lemon- and chocolate-flavoured cakes of a kind you won’t find the equal of in this part of the world.
> IL MONELLO
> chaussée de Charleroisesteenweg 31-33, Sint-Gillis/Saint-Gilles, 0484-08.56.57
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