I found myself in Christchurch for an event and managed to squeeze in an extra night to explore the city a bit. After dinner, a friend and I decided to grab some ice cream and head to Rollickin Gelato. I’d been there a few times before, but it was his first visit.

Despite it being 9 p.m. on a Wednesday, the place was buzzing — a decent crowd was gathered, with people sitting outside enjoying the mild evening. I went with two flavours: Hokey Tokey Pokey and Dulce de Pass. The Hokey Tokey Pokey is their twist on classic Hokey Pokey, but with added chocolate, while Dulce de Pass blends passionfruit with caramel.

To be honest, Rollickin Gelato isn’t really my thing. The service is excellent — no complaints there — but the gelato itself doesn’t quite hit the mark for me. The portions are generous, maybe too generous, and I’d actually prefer a smaller scoop. The flavour combinations sound exciting on paper, but in practice, they feel a bit over the top and don’t quite land, at least for my taste. But hey, that’s just my take — your experience might be totally different.

Address: 35 New Regent Street, Christchurch Central City, Christchurch 8011