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Summer’s not summer without a real fruit ice cream
There’s a lot to love about the hot season – not least being the compulsory road-trip detour for a real fruit ice cream. It’s an Aotearoa special – a scoop of vanilla ice cream blended with fresh or frozen fruit, moreoften than not grown nearby, to create a smooth and airy, creamy, divinely fruity, sunny-weather treat. Many places also offer the opportunity to pick berries, too, so you can head home with some juicy treats. No matter where you’re headed this summer, seeking out one of the spots to indulge in this uniquely New Zealand pleasure is a must-do. Here are some picks from around the country.
Zippy’s Coffee and Ice Cream Truck
An ice cream at the beach is as Kiwi as it comes and the gorgeous surrounds of Lang’s Beach in Northland is where you’ll find Zippy’s Coffee and Ice Cream Truck parked up. Choose between ice cream or frozen yoghurt and quite the range of local and seasonal fresh fruits to blend with. Great coffee on offer too and Little Island Vegan Ice Cream tubs are available for dairy-free punters. Apparently, the queues here can get quite long but hula hoops are available to entertain the kids while you wait.
A trip to Good Planet could be a day out all on its own –you can pick your own strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, boysenberries and blueberries, let the kids run wild at the inflatable obstacle course and more at ZaberriWorld Adventure Park or cool down at Splash Park, then sit down to a farm-fresh meal at the on-site café. Fruity treats are, of course, on offer aplenty, including four real fruit ice cream flavours to choose from: strawberry, raspberry, blueberry and mixed berry.
Located in the heart of the Waikato, Ruakura Berry Shop is a one-stop shop for all things berry. Spend some time and pick your own or make a beeline for the real fruit ice creams, made with Tip Top premium vanilla or frozen yoghurt and your choice of strawberry, blueberry, raspberry, boysenberry, blackberry, mixed berry or banana. The good news for those who can’t eat dairy is that they also offer Duck Island Coconut ice cream.
Hawke’s Bay is well-known for its incredible fruit offerings so it’s no surprise there are a few real fruit icecream spots in the region. At The Fruit Shop, you can walk away with some of the juiciest, luscious sun-ripened fruits and great veg too, plus fresh juices and, of course, a range of real fruit ice cream flavours.
Based just outside of Wanaka, Red Bridge Berries is a family-owned and operated real fruit ice cream and pick-your-own strawberry farm. Here you can get the family involved in collecting your own berries before treating yourself to a strawberry, mixed berry or seasonal (cherry, plum, apricot) frozen treat.
This popular fruit and vege spot can often sell out of its sumptuous produce but its real fruit ice cream is usually always available. Keep an eye on its Facebook page for opening days as berry supply and weather play a factor.
