CUSS

We’ve had our fair share of frozen desserts making the rounds of Sydney—gelato will always have its place, and frozen yoghurt has well and truly had its moment. But what’s next? According to Adem Isik of Alemré Hospitality, it’s frozen custard.

Opening on King Street, CUSS is Isik’s first dedicated dessert concept, inspired by years spent chasing the best frozen custard across the US before setting out to create his own version for Sydney.

"Frozen custard has been a staple of American dessert culture for decades, and I wanted to bring that experience to Australia—done right," Isik tells Urban List.

Unlike traditional soft serve, CUSS's custard is made with real eggs, locally sourced Jersey milk and Australian cream, resulting in a richer, denser texture. The menu centres on three core flavours—original, chocolate and a vegan coconut-based option—alongside a lineup of house-made mix-ins spanning bubblegum sauce, marshmallow sauce, chocolate chip cookie dough and Isik's own pistachio sauce. If you're only ordering one thing, he recommends The Salty Business.

The venue itself occupies the former Kodak film store on King Street, transforming the long-standing retail space into a retro-inspired dessert bar with an industrial Newtown edge. Chrome counters, tiled walls and neon accents sit alongside a soundtrack of house and funk, giving the space a nostalgic energy without leaning too heavily into the theme.

One of the biggest talking points, however, is the vegan offering.

"CUSS has developed what is believed to be Australia's first vegan frozen custard—built on an organic coconut base and put through more than 30 iterations before making the final cut," says Isik.

For Isik, CUSS isn't simply about introducing Sydneysiders to a new dessert. It's about creating a venue people actively seek out—particularly as Newtown's late-night hospitality scene continues to evolve beyond bars and pubs.

"People want something that's genuinely worth talking about—not just worth photographing, but worth the trip," he says.

"The bar has been raised. People are more discerning now—they want craft, a story, a reason to come back."

That philosophy extends beyond the menu. Rather than treating Newtown as a convenient launchpad, the team has made a deliberate effort to become part of the neighbourhood from day one.

"We want to be embedded here," Isik explains.

"We distributed 5,000 flyers to the surrounding houses before we opened. That's old-school, but it matters to us."

Whether you're stopping in after dinner or making a dedicated trip across town, CUSS is making a compelling case to become Sydney's next favourite frozen dessert.

Image credit: CUSS | Supplied