Gelato Messina Parramatta — Restaurant in Sydney

Here we go again - they sent me another 1.2L tub instead of 1.5, the only difference is this time the 1.2L has '1.5L' written on it. I've sent a complaint letter to their head quarter and below is the copy.

Hi there,

This is about your Parramatta store.

I'm a VERY loyal customer of yours - I kept ordering 1.5L tubs ritually every 2 weeks for the past 3 years and last year there was one occasion your store sent me a different tub which holds only 1.2L instead of 1.5L. I wrote a complaint letter to you and you explained it was because the store ran out of containers and used the wrong size. So I dismissed the matter.

Last week I ordered another 1.5L and guess what? You guys sent me the smaller container again. I waited until I finished the tub and tried with a measure cup, yep, exactly 1.2L instead of 1.5L.

Look, I like your ice cream and all I want is my 1.5L, you can raise the price if the time is difficult but hey don't cheat by reducing the actual amount! This is totally unacceptable.

Thanks, Bruce

past review about 6 months ago ====

The taste is as good as ever, but they betrayed my long term patronage.

I am a very loyal customer of messina since day 1, I always bought from their city store at work. Ever since they opened a store in Parramatta I would religiously buy from them every 1 or 2 weeks, a large 1.5L tub. You can see my purchase history for that. Now, they really really betrayed me. They changed the packaging and the new container, when fully filled with water, is around 1.2L. I’m basically paying the price of 1.5L for a 1.2L tub. I am deeply upset about this. You could raise the price if you are not coping well but please, please do not cheat.

See my test below: I’m using a 1 litre drinking bottle and I filled the water up to exactly 1L to test this.

I poured the 1L in the tub and it was pretty much filled up already, then I started pouring another 500ml to it, you’d think this container should handle that just fine right?

WRONG! See for yourself, there’s around 250ml left in the container. So the new container only holds 1.25L when filled to the top (and mind you they also put a thin paper on top and the lid has a bump that press it even further.

This is not how you treat your good customer that religiously purchase from you.

I’ve included screenshots of my purchase history as well, just a few apps - I bought more when there...

Changed the rating back to 5 stars! Still my favourite ice cream shop :) Received a sincere apology email from Messina today, explained what happened with the packaging. The usual tub stock were running low, the shop had to change a container supplier in very short turnaround. After receiving my previous complaint, the shop did quantity test themselves and got in touch with me right away. Very impressive! Everyone is struggling during the pandemic. Wish our favourite ice cream stay strong!

Below was my post on 26 June.

Absolutely love Messina ice cream. We have been ordering takeaway or bought in the shop for several years. Even during the pandemic, it is our source of happiness and enjoyment. However, ordered the same size 1.5 L takeaway from Deliveroo last week, noticed the box looked the same but not quite feel the same. There is a very thin plastic container inside the normal foam one. When we eventually finished the tub and took out the thin plastic container, we instantly noticed it was much smaller. I pulled water to the plastic container and measured its weight. Only 1.2L but it was marketed as 1.5L tub. We truly hope that’s the issue with this new container not the shop trying to save some money in an inappropriate way. We love Messina ice cream. Lots of business are struggling during the crazy time. Please stop this cheating behaviour. We rather you increase price. It would be very sad to lose this...

If you’re after top-tier gelato that doesn’t break the bank, Messina in Parramatta absolutely delivers. This place has become a classic go-to for anyone craving something sweet, creative, and high-quality.

I ordered the cheesecake flavour—and wow. It’s one thing to say a place does “cheesecake gelato,” but Messina actually means it. You get real, generous chunks of cheesecake folded through that velvety gelato, and somehow it doesn’t feel over-the-top or gimmicky. It strikes a perfect balance between indulgent and refined. You can tell they put serious thought into the flavour development, without losing that fun, experimental edge they’re known for.

The vibe of the store is chill and modern, and the staff were genuinely friendly—not just going through the motions. Service was quick, even though the line was starting to build, which is always a good sign for a dessert spot. They also seemed happy to answer questions or give flavour recommendations, which made the experience feel even warmer.

For the quality you’re getting—both in ingredients and experience—the pricing is more than fair. You can tell Messina values both craft and customer, and that’s rare these days.

I’ll definitely be back to try more of their unique flavours. If you’re in Parramatta and looking for a dessert that’s worth your time and tastebuds, Messina is a must-visit. Cheesecake lovers, don’t...