Giapo

Giapo is a gelato maker and bakery combining Italian roots with New Zealand ingredients and an approach that treats dessert as an art form. Its kitchen is on Gore Street in the city centre, and the business describes its philosophy simply: art can change the world.

The gelato is churned fresh every day, and the chocolate and cones are made on site. Creations range from the familiar to the experimental. A Hokey Pokey cone, coated in chocolate and topped with honeycomb, is one example, while limited-edition flavours, such as a gazpacho and cream gelato created for the Tasting Club, show the team's more adventurous side.

The kitchen is also a 100 per cent gluten-free bakery, which makes Giapo particularly valuable for coeliac visitors. It bakes bread, focaccia, pizza, savoury items and sweet buns, and prepares ready meals to take home, so you can pick up lunch or supplies for a self-catering stay as well as dessert. For travellers who struggle to find safe gluten-free food, being able to buy pizza, focaccia and a loaf of bread from the same kitchen as a gelato cone is a real convenience, and it removes the worry of cross-contamination with wheat flour that comes with mixed bakeries.

Giapo runs a Wednesday Tasting Club, with complimentary tastings at 12.15pm. There is no booking, guest list or upsell: you simply turn up. The business also offers Tasting Table and Meet the Makers experiences for those who want to learn more about how the gelato is made, and it provides catering and ice cream cart hire for events.

Opening hours are listed on the website, so check them before making a special trip. The Wednesday lunchtime tasting is a good reason to time a visit midweek.

Giapo suits families, dessert lovers, anyone with a gluten intolerance and visitors who enjoy food with a sense of theatre. Gore Street is in the Auckland city centre, so a visit is easy to fit around other plans downtown. If you are buying for a group, ask about catering options in advance.

Because so much is made in-house, from cones to chocolate, the range changes regularly, and returning visitors often find something new. Follow the business online for announcements of limited editions.