Chicho Gelato Northbridge — Restaurant in Perth

A troublesome visit at what felt like Chicho’s first experience with a customer.

As fate would have it, before heading out to our Fringe show this evening, we checked the mailbox and to our delight we found a Fringe World flyer advertising all sorts of wonderful offers and discounts for various venues around Perth. On the right hand side of this shiny paper was an advertisement for Chicho’s Peaches and Cream Fringe ice cream alongside a 10% off voucher for Pass Holders and free chocolate drizzle. It was all sounding wonderful and after our fabulous Fringe show (thank you, Ray) we decided that a sweet treat was in order so off to Chicho we went. Now, we are avid Fringe-goers and have never been to Chicho so the Flyer was working a treat as we excitedly queued waiting for a delicious scoop.

As we entered the store, we were met with a mediocre reception and we tasted one ice cream each. Ready to make our final choices, we asked if we could please use the voucher. A confused look came across the employee’s face so her manager alongside stepped-in and exclaimed “oh yeah, I haven’t told you about them voucher yet” (seems a rather careless omission, but I digress). The manager then says to us “you can’t use this as you aren’t a Fringe Pass holder” - I asked, “Oh, can’t I?I just got this in the mail this afternoon. Is this paper the Fringe Pass?” “no, you have to work for Fringe. You need to read the terms and conditions” “Oh ok. No worries we will just order anyway” I then turned to my partner as I folded the paper and put it in my bag, “well, what’s the point of an unsolicited voucher sheet being put in our mailbox if we can’t use it? That’s odd”.

The first employee served us, still without a smile, and we went to the end of the bench to pay. Out comes the manager and second employee and as they fuss around trying to put their aprons on they started loudly gossiping and rolling their eyes about how they weren’t in the business in giving away free ice cream - we simply asked if we could us the 10% voucher (this is 60c, btw) - we weren’t trying to swindle a cracker deal or cheat Chicho out of ice cream. Unfortunately for the two women, they didn’t know we were still in the store so I kindly let them know, “We are still here. It’s ok” to which I received an exasperated huff.

This kind of behaviour is clumsy at best and very rude at worst. Referring people to terms and conditions for a mailbox flyer (I have gone looking for terms and conditions, still can’t find them, please provide) and then rudely gossiping about it whilst the customers are still in the store is quite embarrassing and immature. A few good lessons for your staff.

When I go to an ice cream store, I expected the ice cream to be cold, not...

Alright, let's talk about Chicho Gelato. This joint has been the talk of the town since it popped up in Northbridge, and after finally dragging myself there on a sweltering Perth afternoon, I get why everyone's been raving about it.

First off, the location is prime. Smack bang on William Street, it's the perfect pit stop after a day of shopping or before hitting up the bars. The shop itself is a bit of an Instagrammer's dream – all sleek lines and pastel colors. But don't let that fool you into thinking it's style over substance.

Now, onto the main event: the gelato. Holy moly, this stuff is good. Like, "close your eyes and make embarrassing noises" good. They've got your classic flavors, sure, but it's the weird and wonderful combos that really shine. On my visit, they had a goat's cheese and thyme number that sounds bizarre but tasted like a cheese platter in ice cream form. Mind. Blown.

I ended up going for a scoop of their salted caramel (basic, I know, but I needed a benchmark) and their special of the day – a lemon myrtle and macadamia situation. The salted caramel was spot on, not too sweet with just the right hit of salt. But that lemon myrtle? Game changer. It was fresh, zingy, and the macadamias added this great crunch.

My mate, ever the chocolate fiend, got their dark chocolate sorbet. Now, I'm not usually one for dairy-free options (give me all the cream, thanks), but this was ridiculously rich and velvety. You wouldn't know it was vegan unless someone told you.

Fair warning – this place isn't cheap. Two scoops will set you back about $8, which might seem steep for ice cream. But trust me, it's worth every cent. The servings are generous, and the quality is off the charts. They're using top-notch ingredients and you can taste the difference.

The staff deserve a shout-out too. Despite the queue stretching out the door (yeah, be prepared to wait on hot days), they were patient and happy to let us sample flavors. Pro tip: try before you buy, because some of those wacky flavors can be hit or miss depending on your taste buds.

One tiny gripe – seating is limited. There are a few tables outside, but on a busy day, you might be stuck doing the awkward "eat and walk" dance down William Street. Maybe not ideal for a first date, unless you're into watching your partner try to gracefully eat melting gelato.

All in all, Chicho Gelato is the real deal. It's the kind of place that makes you grateful for Perth's ridiculous summers, just so you have an excuse to go more often. Whether you're a gelato purist or an adventurous foodie, there's something here for everyone. Just be prepared for it to ruin regular ice cream for...

Today I found Chicho Gelato and how happy I am that I walked into this delightful and super yummy gelato bar... So many different flavours to choose from so I went for the "Salted Caramel Crackers" with chocolate topping in a cone and it was a 10/10... The tiny crispy Crackers that you find hidden in the Salted Caramel gelato are just perfect crunchy pieces that just work with this flavour... the cone paired nicely with this icecream and right at the bottom was a surprise of gooey chocolate sauce and oh how yummy it was... The service was prompt and ever so friendly... I call it a gelato bar as you could either just enjoy your gelato while hanging with your mates or the family inside along the wooden bar bench or pull up a stool at the bar table if your out solo or on a cool date and enjoy and chat about the flavours of the gelato ice cream you are sampling or find a pew outside the store... So very impressed I'll definitely be back and will be trying a new flavour each time... So get out and about and go check this place out... Most of all enjoy the experience of tasting...