‘I was shocked that I loved Pesto gelato at the UK’s weirdest ice cream shop’

This summer, designer Anya Hindmarch has launched a pop-up shop featuring the quirkiest ice cream flavors, and most are surprisingly good! Located in Kensington, it’s the perfect destination for a hot weather treat.

Anya Hindmarch’s Ice Cream Project invited us to try ice creams made from renowned cult food brands, and many are unexpectedly delicious. The Filippo Berio Classic Pesto flavor was a particular surprise – I even had a whole scoop of it.

The bright green gelato is blended with the nutty, fragrant flavor of classic pesto, produced in Liguria, the home of pesto. I could definitely taste the familiar pesto flavor in it, so my brain and taste buds were confused about why I liked it.

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However, the flavor that takes the crown for me is an Essex-inspired one – Maldon Salt. It is rich dark chocolate ice cream with a creamy texture that rivals traditional Italian gelato.

When I asked the staff about its ingredients, they revealed that it’s the only vegan option available on the menu. I was genuinely surprised by its creamy texture despite being dairy-free!

Among the more bizarre offerings are Heinz Baked Beans and Kikkoman’s Soy Sauce ice creams. While the baked beans flavor was surprisingly pleasant, the soy sauce gelato was not to my liking, which I expected because I do not like soy sauce itself.

The shop really impressed me because the only flavors I didn’t enjoy are based on foods I dislike in real life – olives, soy sauce, and vinegar – which shows they are well-executed. Another highlight was the Jaffa Cake ice cream, with its chocolate base and strong orange aftertaste, making it an everyday favourite.