Where To Find The Best Granita In Sydney

If you've never tried Italy's favourite frozen dessert (other than gelato, obviously), where on earth have you been? For all the anemic ice-chip crunchers, 7/11 slushie lovers, and ex-snow cone addicts, the granita is shaved ice's classy older sister—so you can relive your childhood, without sacrificing your pride. 

While granita has definitely always been around, recently Sydney/Eora is making it the hottest dessert trend of the summer—think creative takes, untraditional flavour profiles, and traditional excellence from ice cream shops across the city. 

Here are Urban List's picks for everything granita—what it is, how it's made, and where to get it.

The Best Granita In Sydney At A Glance

Jump to:

• What Is Granita
• How To Make Granita
• Where To Find Granita In Sydney

What Is Granita

Granita is one of Italy’s most refreshing summer staples: icy, light and all about clean, bright flavour. Think of it as delicate flakes of frozen fruit syrup: crunchier than sorbet, far less creamy than ice cream, and instantly cooling on a hot day. Chefs often use it between courses to reset the palate, but in Sicily, it’s part of everyday life—famously paired with a soft brioche bun for breakfast.

It’s naturally dairy-free and low in fat, which keeps the texture crisp and the flavour front and centre. Traditional Sicilian versions spotlight local favourites like sharp citrus, fragrant jasmine, strong coffee, almond, mint and pistachio, but granita is endlessly adaptable. Almost any fruit can be turned into a batch, and if you’re feeling playful, a dash of alcohol transforms it into an easy frozen cocktail.

How To Make Granita

The best part about making granita is that you don’t need an ice-cream maker or any special gear.

At its core, granita is just a sweetened liquid frozen in a shallow tray and raked with a fork until it forms light, crunchy crystals. It’s as low-effort as frozen desserts get.

1. Start With Your Base

You can use almost anything with flavour: fresh fruit purée, citrus juice, cold-brew coffee, herbal infusions or even a little booze if you want an adults-only version.

For something delicate and icy, choose lighter liquids, such as juice or strained purée. For a richer, more compact texture, go for a thicker purée.

2. Add Sweetness

Most granitas use simple syrup because it dissolves smoothly and keeps the texture soft enough to scrape. A basic syrup is equal parts sugar and water, heated until transparent.

More sugar = denser, softer crystals. Less sugar = lighter, flakier ice. Honey, agave or maple will also work—keep in mind they’ll add their own flavour.

3. Balance the Flavour

A splash of lemon or lime sharpens everything and keeps the granita from tasting flat, especially with sweeter fruits.

4. Freeze + Scrape

Pour your mixture into a shallow container and freeze it. After about an hour, when ice starts forming around the edges, drag a fork through it to break up the crystals.

Return it to the freezer and repeat the scraping and stirring every 30–45 minutes. Over a few hours, you’ll build delicate layers of ice.

5. Serve

When the mixture is thoroughly frozen into fluffy flakes with just a touch of slushiness, it’s ready. Serve straight from the freezer—ideally in a chilled glass—and top with fresh fruit if you're feeling fancy.

Granita is best eaten within a day or two, but if it melts a little, don’t stress—refreeze and scrape again. It’s a forgiving dessert, which is precisely why we love it.

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Where To Find Granita In Sydney

Mapo Gelato

72 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst

Image credit: Mapo Gelato | Instagram

Mapo Gelato is dialled in to everything ice cream—think small-batch flavours built entirely on what’s in season, rotating so often you never get the same cabinet twice. 

This summer, their Oxford Street outpost is serving a watermelon and lime zest granita, topped with mascarpone soft serve. It's the perfect refresh after a long lunch or boozy dinner in Surry Hills.

Canvas

Level 4/140 George Street, The Rocks, Sydney CBD

Image credit: Canvas MCA | Instagram

Canvas is giving its dessert menu a fresh hit with a lemon posset topped with berries and a rocket–tarragon granita.

The combination is smart: soft citrus cream underneath, a cold, herb-driven granita over the top, and enough brightness from the berries to tie it all together. This granita leans more savoury than sweet, thanks to the rocket and tarragon, which makes it a perfect match for the posset rather than just another sugary finish. And yes—it's gluten-free.

Watermans Barangaroo

R1/88 Barangaroo Avenue, Barangaroo, Sydney CBD

Image credit: Watermans | Supplied

Watermans' dessert menu leans into the Levant influence of the kitchen, and the halva ice cream with date granita and must vinegar is one of the clearest examples.

The halva brings a nutty sweetness, the date granita adds a cold, concentrated fruitiness, and the must vinegar cuts through with just enough acidity to keep everything lifted.

Bistro Bondi

17 Warners Avenue, Bondi Beach

Image credit: Bistro Bondi | Supplied

Dessert at Bistro Bondi leans classic, but not stuffy—and their Campari granita with Mapo sorbet is a prime example. Expect a bittersweet, citrusy edge from the Campari, paired with fresh seasonal fruit gelato. 

Granita is all across the menu at this spot—the Bondi Blue is a piña-colada-style number topped with watermelon granita and a paper umbrella, just because. 

Bar Herbs

213 Clarence Street, Sydney CBD

Image credit: Bar Herbs | Supplied

Bar Herbs has slipped a very welcome twist onto their cocktail list: a fresh lemon granita, folded straight into a yuzu and hibiscus Cosmo.

The cosmo lands with bright citrus and gentle florals, then gets topped with a scoop of the icy stuff—cooling the drink and nudging the flavour in a fresher direction as it melts. This is an excellent op if you'd prefer to take your granita with a splash of booze—or if you're in your Carrie era. 

The Corner

1 Beach Road, Palm Beach

Image credit: The Corner | Supplied

The Corner rounds out their lunch menu with a coffee granita with mascarpone and yuzu peel, a well-balanced yet straightforward finish to the meal.

There's bitterness from the coffee, smoothness from the mascarpone, and a slight citrus lift from the yuzu peel. As the granita softens, the flavours blend gradually, giving the dessert a bit of movement without complicating it.

Rivareno Gelato

Various Locations

Image credit: Rivareno | Instagram

Rivareno might be known for its ultra-smooth gelato, but its Sicilian-style fresh fruit granita is just as impressive. Each batch is made with a high percentage of real fruit, plus only water and a small amount of sugar, giving you a classic, straight-up take on granita.

Flavours rotate, but you’ll usually spot options like watermelon, Sicilian blood orange, Arabica coffee, strawberry, raspberry–passionfruit, Sicilian almond, lemon with Calabrian peel, mandarin, rockmelon, peach, pink grapefruit, blood plum and a coconut–pineapple piña colada.

Bar Julius

8 Baptist Street, Redfern

Image credit: Bar Julius | Instagram

Bar Julius gives its freshly shucked Sydney rock oysters a sharp, savoury edge with a house-made Bloody Mary granita. The mix of tomato, spice and a little heat cuts cleanly through the oyster’s natural brininess without overwhelming it.

Pasticceria Papa

145 Ramsay Street, Haberfield | 95 Queens Road, Five Dock

Image credit: Pasticceria Papa | Instagram

Pasticceria Papa isn’t just about ricotta cheesecake—summer brings out their granita lineup, and it’s a solid reason to stop by. Papa keeps the flavours simple and fruit-forward, closer to the traditional granita you’d find in Italy than anything overly sweet or dressed up—ideal on a hot Sydney day.

They’re scooping classic, straightforward flavours like strawberry, chocolate, coffee and lemon, all made in-house and served ice-cold.

Bistro Kai

316 Victoria Avenue, Chatswood

Image credit: Bistro Kai | Instagram

If you're a Chatswood local and you haven't tried Bistro Kai, their granita alone is reason enough to book a table. Finishing off their asian-fusion dining menu on a fresh note, the lychee granita is paired with finger lime, gelato and a hint of celery.

It’s a light, clean dessert that leans more refreshing than rich, and the mix of lychee and celery brings an unexpected but genuinely balanced lift.

Main image credit: Mapo Gelato

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