First Look: Mondo Gelateria Brings Artisanal Gelato And DJ Nights To Melbourne CBD

You’re about to start finding excuses to “accidentally” wander down Elizabeth Street more often. That’s because Mondo Gelateria, Melbourne’s newest dessert daydream, is opening on Friday, 23 January—bringing with it gelato flights laced with limoncello, gateaux pretty enough to live behind gallery glass and flavours that sound like they’ve been backpacking through Europe.

Behind the magic is Owner and Gelato Artist Rio Olivetti, trained by none other than Stefano Tarquinio from Bologna’s Carpigiani Gelato University (yes, that’s a real and very prestigious thing). Olivetti’s bringing serious gelato artistry and a dose of playfulness to the heart of the city—one icy swirl at a time.

The Space

Set inside a 150-year-old heritage building on Elizabeth Street, Mondo masters that nostalgic-meets-modern balance. Designed by Aydnco Commercial Interiors, the fit-out pairs intricate cornices and dusty peach walls with a sculptural ceiling light in the shape of Mondo’s radiant sun emblem—each ray inscribed with global coordinates, a nod to their mantra of culture and community.

On one side, soft banquette seating invites daydreamy afternoons; on the other, a glass counter gleams with towers of creamy gelato, glossy fruits, candied nuts and cookies. It’s basically an edible art exhibit that’ll make your inner child do cartwheels.

The Flavours

Mondo’s rotating lineup of 28 flavours takes you on a world tour, like yuzu-blood orange, cassis calamansi, matcha-mango and strawberry shortcake with pistachio. Five signature scoops will always remain on the menu:

• Black Forest Gâteau: Cherry and chocolate with a splash of kirsch-soaked Amarena cherries.
• Pistachio Crunch: Silky Sicilian pistachio with praline and salted pistachio crunch.
• Salted Caramel: Swirled with homemade caramel and dotted with kumquats and freeze-dried raspberries.
• Chocolate Fudge Brownie: Rich dark chocolate with chewy-fudgy brownie pieces.
• Lemon Cheesecake: Creamy cheesecake gelato packed with roasted lemon cake and almond slivers.

The Gâteaux Display

Led by Taiwanese dessert experts Peini Yu and Jasper Yang, the gâteaux display could easily rival a Parisian showcase. You can bank on some glossy petit gâteaux, cloud-like eclairs and cookies baked fresh every morning. Highlights include:

• Black Forest Gelato Cake: Layers of chocolate sponge, cherry-chocolate gelato and dark ganache.
• Yuzu-Pistachio Mousse Cake: Pistachio and orange gelato beneath airy yuzu mousse and chocolate sponge.

Coffee & Late Nights

Mondo’s also fuelling CBD mornings with Melbourne locals’ favourite, Veneziano Roasters, from 7:30 AM sharp. The creative crowd should try the signature brews:

• Tokyo Drift: Matcha, yuzu and miso caramel.
• Casablanca Dusk: Orange blossom honey, preserved lemon zest and mint.
• Seoul Harmony: Plum and barley with black sesame and rice foam.
• Peach Bellini: Elderflower, peach and grapefruit soda with a cheese foam twist.

When the sun goes down, DJs spin soundtracks till 11:30 PM, scoops flow freely, and the takeaway fridge stays stocked for your midnight wander home.

Fresh scoops land at Mondo Gelateria, 215 Elizabeth St, Melbourne CBD—opening Friday, 23 January, and serving from 7:30am until 11:30pm, seven days a week.

Main Image Credit: Mondo Gelateria | Supplied