Rivareno Gelato Barangaroo — Restaurant in Sydney

I have been a big fan of Rivareno for many years but recent incident at Barangaroo store and the way their management handled the feedback, has ruined all the trust I have for Rivareno. It started with the lady staff at Barangaroo store who just scooped the gelato out into the ice cream cone but as soon as she handed it to me, the scooped tilted and nearly drop. What she did was, grab a cup and let the gelato drop into the cup, grab a wooden spoon and push the cup towards me, served me just like that!!!! Imagine when you ordered an ice cream in a cone coz you want a cone and not eating in cup with the gelato melting & look unappetising… Yet, I was polite enough to just paid for two and left without saying anything feeling perplexed and dissatisfied. My colleague who was with me mentioned this was not a good practice for hospitality and encouraged me to feedback. Since she saw I had to put up eating the gelato unwillingly and not enjoying at all (see photos of how they served) On top of that, I found big chunks of sharp wooden inside the gelato and almost choke on it! I mean I didn’t notice it until it was in my mouth and cut my tongue. My big concern was if instead this was a kid who might have chewed it or swallowed it? The consequences would be devastating. The worst part is when I decided to feedback to the store, two days later a store manager called me and all they did was just saying sorry then asked me to revisit for a free ice cream. I did say to the store manager, who apparently witnessed the incident on the day but chose to not act upon until I escalated it, that my feedback was not meant for freebie (of all many years being loyal to the brand, I was never once let anyone paid for any gelato for me but it was me who always took my friends, family & colleagues to my fav gelato and shouted them). After another email communication with Rivareno team, my concern still wasn’t acknowledged. I received even blunt and rather rude reply in which still ignoring on the hazardous of sharp wooden found in their gelato. As a result, I had to share this publicly and hope it would help preventing future incidents like this particularly the harmful that might occur to your kids or children. PS. Sharing a screenshot of how they replied to me, full of excuses but not even acknowledging the...

🍨 Rivareno Gelato at Barangaroo — A Gelato Lovers’ Dream

📍 Location Nestled on the scenic Wulugul Walk in Barangaroo (Shop 4, 33 Barangaroo Ave), Rivareno gives you artisan gelato right by the water’s edge with beautiful ocean views . It’s easy to pop in while strolling along the waterfront, perfect for enjoying a treat with a view.

🌟 Gelato Quality & Flavours • Made fresh in-store multiple times daily using authentic Italian techniques—no preservatives, artificial colours, or hydrogenated fats . • Premium ingredients: alpine milk from Italy’s Piedmont region, single-origin Valrhona chocolate, Sicilian pistachios, caramelised pecans, mascarpone . • Wide variety: around 26 classic and specialty gelati plus seasonal fruit sorbets and Sicilian granitas . • Flavours are intensely pure and velvety: reviewers rave about combos like ricotta & figs, crema cavour with extra dark chocolate, pistachio, and bacio .

From Reddit: “Rivareno is Sydney’s best for my money… best gelato in Sydney by far.”  “Texture and … flavourwise and slow melt point.” 

🌊 Oceanfront Experience The location on Wulugul Walk offers tables outside where visitors can soak up waterfront vistas as they savour creamy scoops, blending atmosphere and indulgence seamlessly.

⏰ Hours & Accessibility Open daily (typically 12 pm–10 :30 pm, extending to 11 :30 pm on weekends) . The venue is wheelchair-friendly, with street-level access and outdoor seating .

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✅ Final Verdict

Rivareno Barangaroo delivers top-tier Italian-style gelato in Sydney. Expect rich, natural flavours, silky-smooth texture, and a charming waterfront ambiance — this is gelato with a view. Whether you’re after intense hazelnut, fruity sorbet, or a creamy pistachio scoop, this spot should be at the top of your...

I barely leave 1 star rating as how bad can u scoop serving an ice cream? But this is definitely the WORST ice cream experience EVER.

I’ve been to over 10 ice cream shops here in Sydney, and this was by far the most frustrating visit. The blonde girl working there had no idea what she was doing. After I placed my order, she immediately turned to ask another staff member what to do next—clearly untrained.

Then, instead of scooping the ice cream properly, she WHIPPED and TOSSED the scoop trying to juggle the ice cream out, causing the ice cream to melt and drip everywhere. She had to switch cups because the first one was a mess.

I understand she’s new—I’ve worked in an ice cream shop and coffee shop before—but basic training should be in place before putting someone at the front. The other staff had already completed at least five orders while she was still struggling with mine.

In the end, she just gave up and handed my dad a SOGGY, DRIPPING MESS of three scoops that barely amounted to one. No apology for the long wait, no apology for the poor service.

When I asked another staff member to scoop my second cup, she explained it was the blonde girl’s second day. But shouldn’t she have been trained first? Or even she made a mess, at least a good attitude would somewhat compensate??? I’ve seen other stores, like Anita, actually was training 4 new hires of putting a trainer standing by them giving instructions while the rest staff were regularly serving customers.

To top it off, the ice cream here was overly watery and sugary. Poor technique, poor attitude, long wait times, and a complete lack of preparation. Won’t recommend and definitely...