Overview
The Yarra Valley and the Great Ocean Road boast scenic sights as far as the eye can see, but that's not their own attraction. Both areas are also home to a combined chocolaterie and ice creamery. Exploring the countryside, snacking on hand-crafted chocolates, licking your way through an array of gelato flavours — what's not to love?
Come Wednesday, December 26, the Mornington Peninsula will also join its regional counterparts, welcoming its very own purveyor of sweets. It's the third venue for Ian and Leanne Neeland, who've created a petite-sized sibling to their Yarra Valley and the Great Ocean Road stores. As well as serving up chocolate and ice cream in the seaside town of Flinders, their new location will also feature a brownie bar.
Taking over the space formerly occupied by Mornington Peninsula Chocolates on Cook Street, the similarly named but Mornington Peninsula Chocolaterie & Ice Creamery will combine a bit of the old and the new — although, regarding which is which, it depends on how you look at it. The store will continue to make truffles in flavours made popular by the site's previous owners, such as chilli and tequila, blood orange and tonka beans, and tangy lime caramel. Indeed, it'll focus on truffles in a big way. And, it'll sell 180 unique chocolate varieties made by Belgian and French chocolatiers Thomas Wierinck and Anna Guinet, who also provide the sweets for the Neelands' other spots.
Among the chocolate range, nut clusters, rocky road, giant chocolate freckles, and choc-coated ginger, honeycomb and nougat will all be on offer. At the ice creamery, 16 styles of Italian gelato will be available, too. And as for the brownie bar, it'll bake up a revolving menu that includes triple choc, mint, Cherry Ripe, Nutella and Baileys varieties. Milkshakes, hot chocolates and barista-made coffee will also be on the menu.
If you're super keen on chocolate (who isn't?), you'll also be able to enjoy a 20-minute hosted tasting session, which'll take place at 10am, 12pm, 2pm and 4pm each day. Or, you can book into a chocolate discovery class, where you'll not only taste a few choccies — you'll also make some.
Find Mornington Peninsula Chocolaterie and Ice Creamery at 45 Cook Street, Flinders — open Monday to Sunday from 9am–5pm.