Overview
It's popped up in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne. It sold out in just 45 minutes when it originally launched in 2014. Now it has become a full-time fixture in Marrickville. It's Messina Creative, Gelato Messina's next-level sugar-heavy degustation restaurant.
In previous iterations, the restaurant's capacity has been in the single digits. But, with the privilege of Messina's expansive new Marrickville HQ, it can now seat up to 20 dessert lovers a night.
The Inner West headquarters opened back in April with 40 different flavours, gelato cakes, chocolates and a fully-stocked dessert wall. The latest move is welcoming this imaginative dining experience, with limited spots available each month.
The menu at Messina Creative is ever-changing, with the gelato lords' team of chefs and mixologists crafting six-course meals paired with either alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages.
Each course will, of course, feature either gelato or sorbet. The opening sample menu features gastronomical creations like yuzu and olive oil gelato with scallop sashimi and caviar, truffle gelato paired with ricotta and butternut tortellini, a secret twist on garlic bread, and a scoop of wild honey gelato topped with lemon beehive and honey tuille to round out the meal.
The luxurious set menu will set you back $165 per person, which includes non-alcoholic bevs. If you want to pair your wild gelato creations with a cocktail and a pét-nat, the alcoholic drinks package is an additional $40 a head.
To kick things off, the Messina degustations will be available Thursday–Saturday at 7pm throughout August and September. But, you'll want to act fast — almost all of the bookings for the first two months have been snatched up already. From there, bookings will be released monthly.
To stay on top of when bookings are being released, sign up for the mailing list at the Messina website.
Messina Creative is now open within Gelato Messina's Marrickville HQ at –9 Rich Street, Marrickville. Seatings are available at 7pm Thursday–Saturday, with new bookings being released monthly.