On our recent grand adventure to Vancouver, BC, my humans couldn’t stop raving about this gelato shop that boasted a jaw-dropping 238 flavours! I thought they were pulling my webbed little leg—after all, 238 flavours? That’s beyond what this rubber duck could possibly fathom!
Located in the heart of Vancouver, BC, La Casa Gelato, the delightful gem, first opened its doors back in 1982. Originally called La Casa Gelato/International Sports Bar, it served up Italian classics like pizza and panini alongside a mere twelve flavours of gelato and sorbetto. Somewhere along the line, the owners, Vince and Pina Misceo, decided it was time to make gelato their flagship, and let me tell you, the family has been spinning magic ever since—much to my delight!
Fast forward to 2019, and La Casa Gelato bagged a spot in the Guinness World Records for having the most flavours on-site in the world. A record that still stands today!
The family has created nearly 600 flavour combinations and continues to experiment with daring new ones. I found a gem of a quote from the patriarch of the family:
“Once I run out of flavours, I’ll be a dead guy.”
This dedication to their craft is truly inspiring!
As we waddled into La Casa Gelato, through the vibrant pink doors of this iconic building, it felt like stepping into a luscious strawberry ice cream bowl—pink everywhere!
The atmosphere was positively bursting with fun, making it impossible not to grin as we perused the endless rows of coolers. It was a joyous and lively experience, with vibrant colours and playful decor adding to the excitement of choosing a flavour!
First things first, we lined up to pay, right by a tantalizing display of exquisite ice cream cakes, Italian pastries, and chocolate delights. Ah, so tempting!
But our mission was clear: select one or two of those legendary 238 flavours. We paid for our scoops and received a nifty token that allowed us to bypass the melting treat dilemma while we made our selections—brilliant!
Now came the moment of truth, narrowing down from 238 glorious options to our two scoops each.
The flavor lineup was out of this world: lychee, chocolate bacon, mango, kimchi, durian, black sesame, lavender, basil, chai tea, the classics like chocolate and vanilla, and even more outrageous combinations like chocolate Jack Daniels, berry and jalapeno, pear gorgonzola and blue cheese, and sour cherry, to name a few. Each flavour was a unique and delightful surprise, a testament to the creativity and dedication of the gelato makers at La Casa Gelato. Talk about a flavour buffet!
Despite the overwhelming choices, my humans were victorious, each emerging with their scoops and smiles wide as can be, playfully challenging one another to see who made the best selection. They sampled each other’s scoops, resulting in a delightful gelato tasting spree, racking up eight flavours in total! The gelato was rich and creamy, each flavour a burst of unique and intense taste. The atmosphere was filled with laughter and excitement, making the experience even more enjoyable.
The human who writes for me swears her choices of black sesame and sour cherry were the crème de la crème, but I have a feeling she’s a tad biased. Regardless, every last bite was heavenly!
All in all, it was a fantastic experience, bursting with flavour and joy. I can hardly wait for our next visit to Vancouver, where I’ll be ready to dive into more delightful gelato adventures at La Casa Gelato and see who can pick the champion flavour next time!
NEVER MISS A
