With this south-Buda stretch of the Danube shore, BudaPart, now brimming with new businesses, it’s no surprise that top Italian ice-cream outlet Cioccolate has just opened another venue, bigger and snazzier than the popular original one in Pest’s trendy Újlipótváros.
Here around Kopaszi-gát, where the new Dürer Kert bar and SHO Beach BudaPart have already set up, owners Szilvia and Giuliano have just opened a branch of their of renowned ice-cream outlet, Cioccolate.
This isn’t only a new location, however, there are also new flavours and services. Inside the store, a visual ice-cream workshop operates behind a glass pane, so visitors can see the pasteuriser being put into action or the fashioning of freshly made, fragrant caramel. There is therefore no doubt that the production process here does start with good-quality full-fat milk or a sorbet base, before the purest ingredients are added.
Another advantage of the visual workshop is the aromas you’ll experience (at last!), with tables set in front of the store. The centrepiece of the spacious, clean, playful interior is, of course, the huge ice-cream counter, beside a chocolate bar and a cake display.
The evocation of cool Italian ice-cream parlours is no accident. Szilvia and Giuliano’s passion knows no bounds, so much so that they learned from one of Italy’s best ice-cream masters, Maurizio Poloni.
During shutdown, customers were greeted with ice cream themed around a different country every Friday as part of the Sweet Escape campaign. Drawing inspiration from the lack of travel, they brought the flavours of Greece, Israel, India and Thailand, among others, to Budapest, showing that beans, tzatziki and even tomato soup can influence excellent sweet flavours.
The secret of the ice cream here lies in the excellent ingredients and its simplicity. Scoops of 30 or 50 grammes can be ordered in a cone or paper cup. Dressings and sprinkles are not Cioccolatte’s stock in trade, but your ice cream can certainly be coated in thick chocolate from the tap – hence Cioccolatte.
In the workshop, ice creams (HUF 420-450, junior portions HUF 320) are also made with sherbet and cream bases that perfectly match the fruity flavours. You can also try several scoops at once.
Of the cream-based ones, a favourite is salty pistachio, especially fresh in summer heat, but Bronte pistachio is also a great choice, and the IGP hazelnut should not be missed.
There’s further delight in the sorbet-based ice cream. Basil-and-lemon is a fine example, its refreshing, green flavours evoke the experience of sitting beneath treeshade amid freshly cut grass. Mint-and-watermelon is also excellent, while mango is made from one of the sweetest sorbet varieties in India.
The chocolate flavours merit separate mention. If there were nothing else in the store other than the orange chocolate and Dominican dark chocolate varieties we sampled, it would still be worth crossing town for. It’s high time you experienced the deep and varied taste of good-quality cocoa in chocolate ice cream instead of sugar in a form everyone is otherwise used to.
If it’s cooler and you’re seeking a change from ice cream, there are great Italian cakes, super tiramisu and cannoli, and this range will gradually expand as summer turns to autumn. The cakes contain fine, dark-roasted coffee from a small family factory in Trieste. The aim is also to showcase coffee examples from each Italian province. Be sure to try the Neapolitan coffee (HUF 850), in which you will find a hazelnut surprise, while the plain espresso (HUF 450) cannot be gainsaid.
Cioccolatte BudaPart
District XI. Buda-part tér 3
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