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Long before you were old enough to crack open a cold pint at the pub or sip a Spritz on a sun-drenched rooftop, a humble scoop of ice cream was the ultimate summer reward. To be fair, it’s still the top choice for many Aussies wanting to cool down after a long day at the beach. And with summer on the horizon, we’re here to introduce you to Australia’s best gelato for 2026.
This week, the Melbourne Royal Australian Food Awards crowned the nation’s top artisan goods and produce across dozens of categories. Among them was the best gelato, with industry experts blind-judging every scoop on flavour profile, body and texture, condition and melting.
After tallying the results, South Australia’s Hokey Pokey was awarded Best in Class Gelato 2026 for its rich Belgian dark chocolate stracciatella. Tucked away on Stirling’s leafy main street in the Adelaide Hills, this small family-run ice creamery takes no shortcuts when churning out its award-winning gelatos.
“This award is just such a lovely acknowledgement of all the hard work that goes into everything we do,” said Hokey Pokey owners Tim and Helen McNamara. “We do everything traditionally and make everything we use by hand, even roasting and grinding our own nuts. This is not as quick or as cost-effective as the methods many use, but we believe it makes the best product, and these awards absolutely validate this.”
Hokey Pokey’s small-batch gelatos and ice creams are made using fresh milk and cream from local Fleurieu Milk Co, with all mix-ins made entirely from scratch. Think gooey brownies and caramels, crunchy honeycomb, sugary crumbles and zesty jams.
As for their seasonal sorbets, around 90 per cent of the fruit used is excess produce donated by customers (yep, grown right in their backyards), which Hokey Pokey trades for gelato. Everything is peeled, zested, cored, pitted and juiced by hand, powering their rotating menu of specials.
Last year’s champion, Melbourne’s Scoops & Smiles, won four gold medals across the gelato category for its culture beurre noisette, ube halaya, rich chocolate and pistachio flavours. Meanwhile, Tasmania’s Canopy Foods won Champion Ice Cream for its standout salted walnut flavour. You can explore more winners in the 2026 Melbourne Royal Australian Food Awards here.