Kariton Sorbetes (Filipino for ‘ cart icecream’) has been one of Melbourne’s lockdown success stories. If you’ve been lucky enough to receive one of their gelato deliveries you’ll be excited to know that they’ve opened a bricks-and-mortar gelato store in central Footscray!
kariton sorbetes Footscray
Since 2020 Melbourne fine-dining chef John Rivera (ex Rockpool Bar & Grill, Lûmé, Amaru and Sunda) and his business partner and friend, pastry chef Minh Duong (ex-Maha), have been churning artisanal gelato, handcrafted in small batches, and delivering it all over Melbourne.
What makes Kariton Sorbetes gelato different? The flavours are all inspired by the John’s Filipino heritage – whether that be a classic Filipino dessert like leche flan, a Filipino cocktail made from calamansi or Filipino produce like ube.
Combine that with some creative textural and flavour combinations, and their gelato is like no other you’ll find in Melbourne.
They pride themselves on the quality of their product too. The gelato is made from scratch, from the bases to the garnishes, using the best quality ingredients.
While the Footscray ice cream store is small (the former site of Roman’s Originals at 50 Leeds Street Footscray), you won’t be able to miss the entrance because of the line of patient ice cream lovers waiting outside.
At the moment only 10 people are allowed in the store at a time (including the servers) and because the flavours are probably not what most people are used to seeing on menus, there’s a bit of time spent deciding on what flavour to get and taste-testing.
If you want to cut straight to the classics, go for the ube halaya (purple yam) and buko pandan (coconut and pandan).
My daughter calls the bright purple ube ‘the Suffragette gelato’ and the buko pandan has fantastical sensory combinations – a bright green base mixed with blocks of chewy pandan jelly, candied coconut curls and crispy, toasted pinipig (rice flakes).
Other interesting flavour combinations include keso (cheddar and bourbon vanilla gelato), turon (ripe banana gelato), kalamansi hinebra (calamansi and gin sorbet) as well as daily specials and soft-serve flavours.
You can choose to have your scoop in a cup or a waffle cone or tucked into a handmade crunchy-topped pastel bun. Or you can buy a takeaway tub of ice cream with your choice of flavours to enjoy at home!
If you’re celebrating a special occasion the fridge contains ice cream cakes, frozen desserts and packaged handheld gelato/sorbet treats.
Find Accommodation near Footscray
The ice cream shop has limited indoor seating – there’s a bench to lean on facing the window and a bench seat on the side. It’s really more of a waiting area than dining in and the limit on patrons means that for the sake of all the people waiting outside it’s good to get in and get out quickly.
Around the corner, you’ll find seats in Maddern Square and there’s a small pop up park with shaded picnic tables at the corner of Leeds Street and Byron Street. You’ll also find the nearest (accessible) public toilets there.
While street parking is in short supply in the vicinity, Kariton Sorbetes is just across the road from Footscray Train Station, tram stop 64 for the #82 tram and the Footscray bus stops.
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Work up an appetite at Footscray Park Playground or Quarry Park Footscray
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