Indoor Activity

Giapo

Giapo makes ice cream as a piece of theatre. Orders are assembled at the counter in full view — a cone stacked, dipped, piped and finished according to whatever the current menu calls for, sometimes reaching a height that needs two hands and a plan. The flavours change through the year and lean on New Zealand ingredients rather than the usual parlour list. For children the draw is the watching as much as the eating: the counter sits at a good height, the staff talk through what they are doing as they go, and the whole business takes long enough to count as an event rather than a transaction. It is a small shop and it fills up at weekends, so families with prams often do better mid-afternoon. It is a short walk from the waterfront, which makes it an easy addition to a day already spent down there.

How muchTe utu: $11–$39
Ages: 0–34–89+
WhereKei hea: Auckland CBD
Rating: 4.5; 3,911 on Google

Get directions Their websitegiapo.com

Perfect for

Indoor Activities Toddler Activities

LocationTe wāhi

Auckland CBD

12 Gore Street, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010

Directions Website

What other parents say

Isabelle Qin3 months ago

One of the cutest gelato shops I’ve been to in Auckland 🍦 The flavours were really good and you can try them before choosing which was great. My friend got the “Two Become One” — two heart-shaped cones joined together with chocolate coating and two different flavours. I got the squid cone which looked super cool and the portion was huge. Highly recommend the pistachio flavour, really rich and nutty. The cookies and donuts were also really nice with gelato on top. Definitely worth trying!

踢啊2 weeks ago

Really creative and delicious gelato! 🍦 I tried the Hokey Pokey and Pistachio flavours in the Bat Cone. The flavours were rich and the presentation was amazing. Definitely one of the most unique gelato experiences in Auckland. 🦇

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Roy Wee (Panda)6 months ago

Saw reviews of this all over the internet when looking for location to visit in Auckland. So I had to try it myself and visit this place. Hands down one of the most unique ice cream store that I have visited in my life time. The flavors were limited but the unique part about the whole experience is to order the different type of cones that they have like the Colossal Squid Cone. Made it all the more worth the wait and the for the gram. Highly recommend to visit this place for a unique experience for dessert and to get nice food pictures.

Madeleine Harvey3 months ago

Incredible & 100% Gluten Free 😍 I was delighted to see that Giapo has gluten free lunch options as well as their amazing ice-cream! I tried the Focaccia Sandwich & a cheese scone, both of which were like the real deal - plus super affordable for gf. It was an extra bonus to meet the lovely owners during my visit and get to try some of the new treats they were experimenting with. Such lovely people and both are coeliacs, so they get it! Will be definitely back to try everything, just admiring the cabinet of coeliac dreams 💛

Elizabeth the Sharka month ago

Hands down the worst ice cream experience I've had in New Zealand. Even though it was freshly scooped, the texture was a total mess—it felt like it was already melting and was incredibly watery, as if it hadn't been frozen properly. I was honestly left speechless. It’s a shame because the actual flavor was quite good, but the texture completely ruined it.

Reviews from Google.