Gelato Messina Surry Hills

Located along in the Crown Street hub, this tiny Messina has all the staple flavours and some cool special editions. I was keen to try the ‘Miami Vice’ but it was sold out. No matter the location, sorbets and ice creams are always consistent. Limited bench seating inside and single table outside. There is a park directly across the road as well to chill and enjoy the Messina goodness. Customer service a bit lacking, not much of a vibe going on with customers

I love Messina’s ice cream, but the customer service at the Surry Hills kiosk was disappointing. We waited for about five minutes before anyone acknowledged us, even though the staff were standing around chatting. Even while taking our order, they continued their conversation with each other rather than engaging with us. A little more attentiveness and professionalism would go a long way in improving the experience.

Stopped by here recently and ordered a scoop each of the Cookies and Cream and the Hokey Pokey. The gelato was good but we wouldn’t say great. And the customer service was pretty poor. The was a half opened packet of cones just left over the fridge in the centre of the store and it took a while to be served (we were their only customers there). All up, glad we tried it but probably won’t need to try again.

I love how the gelato flavors are clearly labeled for those vegan and gf customers. The free taste option also helps me chose which flavor I would buy first. The place is immaculately clean and the staff is hard working, even if he was obviously tired, had so many customers and long queue, he was still accommodating, friendly and polite.

There are so many fruity sorbet flavors to choose from! I got a cup with two scoops—passionfruit and blood orange. The blood orange flavor was a bit on the tangy side, while the passion fruit was perfectly balanced with a sweet and sour taste, complete with passion fruit seeds. The staff was also very friendly and polite. It was really relaxing to sit by the street and enjoy my ice cream.

I got a baby scoop of the coconut lychee flavor. It was excellent and unique. The line moves quickly too. I liked that I could try flavors before making a decision.

The Mog Champ sends his regards. The Gelato Messina at this location is actually quite small compared to some other ones like in Darling Square. Me and a couple of friends decided to visit after having our dinner around 9pm and there were still lines! Everyone probably had the same idea for dessert after savoury food. I ordered one of their specials, black loud and proud since they're usually the limited flavours that changes every now and then even with the other stores. The tiramisu gelato was quite nice! It didn't feel too sweet on my taste buds which is great since anything with a high sugar content can make me feel guilty funnily enough. Thanks for the dessert Gelato Messina, delivering your usual quality as always! Mogliest Regards, Your Mog Champ

I was such a happy kid to be in this store, the amount of free tasting I had definitely made my day because it was such a sunny day! I tried quite a number of gelato and ice cream through out my stay in Sydney but this one had to be my absolute favourite. Still thinking about the pandan coconut flavour, not too sweet nor creamy just perfect. I appreciate the staff who was willing to share information of which flavour to try and so happy to know that there were many Halal/vegan options. Looking forward to my next trip to Sydney!

Wow what a wonderful gelato place. They have so many flavors to choose from. I ended up going with the white chocolate hazelnut. It was rich and creamy but also had crunchy hazelnuts throughout. All of my friends were satisfied with Messina! Cash only and the lighting was very dim, so trying to find correct amount was hard. Definitely will be back though to try more flavors.

Very famous gelateria in Sydney with multiple locations around the city. I love that at 11 PM there was still a long line out the door of people on a date night getting gelato afterwards. There was something so sweet & simple about that. I wish you would see that more in the states. The gelato flavors change what seems like every day or every few days. I came here a few times during my trip and every time there were new specialty flavors on the board. Overall, most of the gelato flavors were too sweet for my liking but I was able to find a few that were palatable - bounty being one of them. The only reason I give it three stars is because of that, most flavors were too sweet. If that's your thing then you may love this place. I love that they stay open really late as well. In a city where most stuff closes early compared to what I'm used to, I did appreciate being able to get late night gelato especially because I love ice cream!

Don't know what to say, just go here. It's the best we had in Sydney The flavors are great and change regularly. The prices are reasonable and the people are very good.

Great selection of flavors. Smooth and silky. Amazingly refreshing for a hot day. Service is decent. Nicky glasses is really good (coffee, caramel, cream). Mango cheesecake is great too. Might just get more...

The gelato here looks like little masterpieces. 4AUD for tiny scoop. 4AUD for one scoop. 6.80AUD for two scoops. 8.80AUD for three scoops. Wide variety of gelato and sorbets. +++ Pannacotta with fig jam and amaretti biscuit- biscuits add a sugary crunch ++ Pistachio praline- solid pistachio ++ Poached figs in marsala- I found this similar in flavor to the pannacotta with fig jam minus the biscuit +++ Chocolate sorbet- creamy and rich, dark chocolately +++ Cherry pie (special)- cherry jam swirled in Other interesting flavors: - Bananas foster - Coconut and lychee - Italian nougat - Pear and rhubarb - Tiramisu - Blood orange sorbet - Pandan and coconut sorbet- a friend's usual - Passionfruit sorbet Be sure to check out the cakes, too. There's one that looks like a mushroom and is filled with cake and ice cream.

OMG OMG... I am in absolute heaven! Everything i come here this place never ceases to disappoint with their new and exciting unique flavours. Today's choice: Coconut & Pandan - creamy velvety coconut dreamyness with the perfect hint of fresh Pandan infused through it Salty Caramel w White Chocolate Shards- perfect combination of sweet and salty with thin white chocolate shards for the perfect melt in your mouth texture Worth the wait in queue which is the average evening at Messina but Sunday late night drop in reduces your wait to a short few minutes.

Do you ever get that moment when some regular activity might become dull with time if not regularly spiced up? Oh you do? Really? OH MY GOD WHAT ARE YOU THINKING OF???! I was just talking about Yelping, and finding original opening lines for reviews. Tss tss tss you should be ashamed. Or not. Where were we ... Ah, ice cream. Messina is a very serious ice-cream place: from classic flavours in both ice-creams and sorbets to completely delifunkikerious combinations of pretty much anything, they have inscribed themselves in Sydney's nightlife as the pre-club post-date place to be - #trendy. As a regular Messina customer - I can walk on a handstand to the end of the queue on crazy nights, my favourites have gone from the crazy peanut special to the classics: their chocolate sorbet is to ice cream what Schubert is to piano. Try both at the same time: mindblowing. The white chocolate bits in the salted-caramel ice-cream are like a warm current in the first fresh Spring dive in the ocean: the perfect surprise in an already awesome moment! I can only regret the little slack in customer service over the past two years because of the popularity, as well as maybe a slight increase in prices that took them from student-friendly to Surry Hills-friendly. Definitely recommend.

Yes, the queue is quite long but we were only queuing about 5 mins, so don't worry! Salted caramel with white chocolate and tiramisu is my favorite! Sure, will be back tomorrow. I'm going to try another flavor.

Quite possibly the best gelato I have ever had! I came here with a group of friends post-dinner, looking for our dessert fix. I am so thankful we decided to check out this place! The line was out the door when we got there, but it was incredibly efficient--people who worked at Messina handed out menus when we were in line so we could decide ahead of time what we wanted. When you get to the counter, they are incredibly quick about getting your order and giving back your change after you pay. I tried the chocolate hazelnut (basically tastes like nutella!) and I was blown away by the flavor and the texture! I found it difficult to find good dessert in Sydney, so if you have a sweet tooth, you absolutely need to hit this place up. TIP: Take your gelato to the park across the street to sit on a bench and enjoy your delicious treat.

I really really wanted to like this place but even free gelato thanks to Yelp's UYE could not convince me. It always starts off good but the goodness feeling wanes a little bit for me. At first I thought it was my falvour selection but I've tried 5 flavours now so I don't think that's the problem. The gelato is good. I just wish I was like everything else and was able to give it a "as good as it's gets".

Gelato Messina has been around since 2002 but the queues just keep growing and new Messina outlets are popping up all over the place. The least crowded outlet is at the STAR in Pyrmont just up from the Lyric Theatre. What's my favourite flavour? Yogurt and Caramel Gelato with a serve of Pandan & Coconut. But I must say that I am slowly working my way through the extensive flavours available. I love this place - as does the rest of Australia!

Ok...I haven't been in Oz too long, but I have been to Italy, and I could honestly say these people figured out hos the Italians do it....their gelato is ammaaaazzzing! Some would say heaps amazing! the line can go past 2-3 stores....so if you get lucky and happen to see no kind, jump in for some deliciousness! If not, grab a friend to bitch with, and wait out the best dessert in town

Yes definitely go here! Gelato is delicious. We got the tiramisu which has pieces of cake in it. Amazing! We are going back again tomorrow, it was THAT good :)

Thank you Yelp for the gelato treat yesterday afternoon. This is one busy little gelatissimo on popular Crown Street. This ice cream haven of heaven is right opposite the little park. Love the ambience, trendy as. Quick service and the range of ice cream delights make it difficult to choose. Love the music here too. Just a shame that there is not enough indoor (or outdoor) seating for that matter. Street side conversations were enjoyed instead. The poached figs in marsala was full of fig flavour. I also opted for the coconut and lychee scoop. Utterly divine. I also tried a bit of the pistacchio. Full of flavours. With the coconut and lychee it feels like you're diving into a real piece of coconut of a real piece of lychee. Love it all. It does melt fairly quickly, otherwise filling and oh so flavoursome. Bags of flavour was the order of the day yee ha!

Great gelato in Surry Hills! My friend and I were walking in the neighborhood and we happened to stumble upon this place right when it opened for the day! There was a great variety of flavors, with some flavors unique to Messina. I got the Nicky's glasses, which I think it's caramel and chocolate? Not quite exactly sure of the components, but it was delicious, nonetheless. The only downside was that it was a little dark inside, but it was nothing too major. Overall, great gelato in a cute and quaint neighborhood!

Messina is the classic gourmet ice cream place that's super trendy and everyone knows about so I guess there's not much more about it I can say haha. The ice cream is great, although sadly a bit overhyped and not amazing, which is disappointing considering the out-of-this-world rep this place has. Why? Every time I come here the ice cream seems to be not as cold as it should be and prone to melting quite fast. Maybe I just don't appreciate the gourmet home made texture of it though haha. Having said that, they have delicious flavours you really won't find anywhere else. My favourite(s) at the moment: Khaleesi (followed by Salted Caramel). It's yogurt and mango with Dulce de Leche, if I remember correctly - quite rich without giving you that gross feeling in your mouth after you've had too much Vanille ice cream. Would definitely come back for that. Talking about the building itself, it's adorable. Always dark, purposefully, and cozy. Downside: there's very very little sitting room, especially if you're there at night. Also, there will always be a line here at night, especially on a weekend, so try go right before the rush (we went 8pm Saturday night and managed to miss the like by 5 minutes haha). You don't want to be in that line - the first time we came here, we waited 20 minutes in the freezing cold. If you're in Surry and don't mind a bit of a wait, come here and give the ice cream a try, if just to say that you have.

By far the best gelato I have ever tried. Yes, better than gelato in Italy (hard to believe, I know!) Gelato Messina is more than gelato, it's actually an experience. Lining up outside, crowding and pushing your way towards the counter, sampling the new special daily flavors (holy alfajores!), and then painfully trying to decide which flavor(s) you will choose... it's definitely an experience worth having. If you've been to Bi-Rite creamery in San Francisco you'll feel right home as the whole experience reminds me of Bi-Rite. Yum!

Cockroach! We were there on Wednesday Night. Thought it was a hair poking out of the ice cream machine... then it MOVED. Ok. Surry Hill probably has more roaches than humans, so it's probably not that surprising but still... and we bought 2 scoops already... for $9 instead of advertised 6.8 cuz the girl serving us used 2 cups even though she asked if we wanted "a" cup or cone. Hazelnut Ice cream is alright, but it had really hard chucks of sugar that hurt my teeth cuz... putting something rock-hard in soft ice cream is basically a trap. lol. Coconut Lychee taste EXACTLY like Lychee Tim Tam, which uses artificial flavoring so... do these guys do the same? $9 for 2 scoops of questionable quality... Anyways, no diarrhea following morning so... probably not bad... probably... *shivers*

Was not planning to get gelato but I walked past this place after brunch and just had to get some. Their gelato all looks BEAUTIFUL. I was so indecisive but they were so nice about letting me try a few flavors while I tried to decide. Ended up going with the pistachio praline gelato and never looked back - it was so good!!! Nice a creamy with a strong pistachio flavor and crunchy praline bits. Sososo satisfied!

Great ice cream and very friendly staff. They let us try many flavored before we settled on Pistachio Praline

Hands down the best gelato I've ever had. I've sampled a lot of flavors but I still go back to Bounty - coconut and chocolate chips. Almost tastes like an Almond Joy candy bar and it's so delicious. My parents are addicted to the salted caramel with white chocolate. They are never not busy, but their service is great. They work quickly and give you a decent portion size. Amazing!

With so many different flavors, it's hard to choose! I ended up going with Salted Caramel & White Chocolate Chip. Just one scoop was filling enough for me.

44 people have come before me and told you the truth. This place is the way, the truth and the light and a must stop when in Surry.

Ok listen: you'll stand in line. You'll pay five dollars for two scoops of gelato. You'll hear about this place from everyone you talk to along with scattered hyperboles like "epitome of awesome" and "God himself creates the flavour combinations." And then you'll eat it and start doing all three of those things yourself. Often. At Gelato Messina's various locations. Apparently nothing in life is perfect. But I'd argue that a scoop of their sour cherry sorbet nestled next to their dark chocolate sorbet is as close as you'll get in this life.

Messina has quickly become the cornerstone of frozen desserts in Sydney. You know it's a big deal when there's a red velvet rope for you to line up behind outside of a gelato shop. It is always jam packed and there no real method of determining who was first in line. People are practically beating each other out of the way just to get a look at what's available in the frosty cases. I also hate that they only take cash (who carries cash on themselves these days anyway?) but it's worth going out of your way for an ATM beforehand for the multitude of delicious options available. Warning - it'll be torture trying to choose a flavour or 2 or 3.

Damn good gelato. Creamy and satisfying. Had the chocolate peanut butter. Get that shit!

Messina - need I say more? Asking anyone whether they want to go to Messina is like asking a kid if they want to skip school and go to Disney Land - purely a rhetorical question. The day this outpost of the Messina Empire opened was a joyous day for my mouth and a devastating one for my waistline. Only two blocks from work, it's the perfect spot to grab afternoon tea...or post lunch dessert...or after work treats...or it's-a-stressful-day-I-need-gelato-now relief. Great gelato, incredible flavours and super friendly service. I can only fault it for its popularity and the ensuing lines. But get in early and you can take as long as you want deciding between the cornucopia of flavours (my tip - always go for one of the specials). Who said dessert had to be at the end of a meal anyway?

Sex on a cone that's worth the 20+ minutes waiting in line. Just consider it foreplay. I can't decide if my favorite part is the actual product or the fact that they play house music! Yes, I was totally that chick boppin around whilst ordering. Speaking of ordering, the trick is to weasel your way up to the counter ASAP in the front of the shop, otherwise you risk being swept down to the back where it's like swimming upstream in a salmon run. Flavors are everything from standard to peanut butter brownie, and the specials are funky combos that almost always sell out. A double scoop on a cone is so worth it at $6.

It's intimidating leaving less than 5 stars, considering the impeccable score card this place has - hence I have written what feels like an essay to justify.. I love gelato, it's my favourite dessert, so I am always on the look out for good gelato. I always assess the quality on two flavours - pistachio & hazelnut - because these are simple but SO easy to stuff up. I feel that the gelato at Messina is really palatable and popular (hence the lines) because of the sweetness. Obviously gelato is sweet - I get that - but great gelato balances the intended flavour with the sugar so you get a really lovely smooth hit of the flavour. I think that the fragrance of the hazelnut and pistachio nut are lost in the sugariness, which is what I find disappointing. As an aside, Messina has certainly topped the charts for popularity in the last few years. I remember visiting the Gelato Messina shop in Crows Nest about 15 years ago, before they re-branded and moved to Darlinghurst. Perhaps it was new ownership that changed the flavour (?), but the original Messina gelato tasted a lot better than the fancy flavours stuff now.

Probably one of the best gelato I've had in my travels. The pistachio is really good, is nutty and creamy and I enjoyed the pear and rhubarb too, not overly sweet with a nice fragrant pear flavor.

3 reasons why Gelato Messina is an amazing, amazing place: 1) ALL THE (INTERESTING) FLAVORS: - Coconut & Lychee - Poached Figs in Marsala - Salted Caramel & White Chocolate - Pannacotta with Fig Jam and Amaretti Biscuit - Pandan & Coconut (sorbet) I think the Asian in me really appreciated the lychee & the pandan (the pandan, especially!), since those aren't flavors you'd typically see in a gelateria! 2) Quality of Gelato: Although it's a bit on the sweet side, the texture of the gelato is creamy and thick - just the right consistency. And, as many people are saying, it was delicious - every bit as great as the (many) scoops I had in Rome and Florence over the years! 3) Gelato Cakes! Although the lines are long and most people are there for a scoop or two, Gelato Messina also have these cakes in the fridge at the front - and they are ADORABLE/GORGEOUS. They have everything from Dr. Evil's Magic Mushroom (think Super Mario Bros!) to classy, minimalist cakes (link: http://www.gelatomessina.com/online-cake-orders/). So if you're with a big group or it's a special occasion, you may want to check out their cakes, too. Too bad I don't live in Sydney .. but the next time I'm there, will be sure to visit this place again - summer or winter ^_^!

Oh my days. This place is worth the price of the return flight from London alone. In fact, do yourself a favour and book a one-way ticket only. Then camp outside and eat Gelato every day. Brilliant selection of inventive flavours. I went for Robert Brownie Junior (orgasmic) and salted coconut + mango (to die for). My tip? Go in the morning.. Then back after lunch, then again before tea.. And once more before bed. There is no such thing as too much of this good thing.

I always wanted to check this place out but decided not to line up just for the ice cream. One day I was passing by and there was no queue so decided to give it a go. Great selections. Love the special menu too. I had chocolate flavor as they are my favorites and also tried the salty caramel that everyone here is talking about but not my cup of tea. Too salty for my liking. The balance wasn't there for me. I will definitely be back - if there is no queue....

Ring the bells! The new Gelato Messina has now been open for a couple of weeks and I can report it has not jumped the shark. It's very much like the Darlinghurst one (same limited seating arrangement, same crowds, same killer flavours .... except right now they've got some awesome gelato specials, such as "Gaytime" ... an icecream pretending to be an icecream - so meta). They also had "Ode to Zenos" - a flavour in honour of Zeno's, the much loved old kebab shop that used to occupy this storefront. Ode to Zenos was flavoured with rosewater and pistachio, of course. It's funny ... once upon a time when you saw hip young folks walking down Crown Street, they used to juggle iPhones and oversized bags. But now they're juggling gelato cups and iPhones and oversized bags, no mean feat. When I saw people with the tell-tale green cups on Crown Street I thought, "wow, that big scoop gelato lasted the whole walk from Darlinghurst to here? Wait ... ohhhh yeah. No it didn't." Awesome. So for those who like things to stay as they are, don't worry, Gelato Messina still have the signature flavours like poached fig in marsala, salted caramel and white chocolate, and apple pie. And they still do those perfect icecream cakes.

awesome awesome!! Love the gelato here. What's to say??? The rumors are true! You have to try it to believe it!! I had the Steve Jacobs and it was delicious.

This review is for the vegetarian/vegan/lactose intolerant folks who still enjoy frozen desserts. They have a good assortment of nondairy sorbets including fruity flavors, a coconut & pandan flavor and a chocolate flavor. I really enjoyed my 1 scoop chocolate sorbet on a cone for $4.80. It was creamy and flavorful, especially for not having any dairy in it. There was still a line at 9 PM on a Wednesday night. Highly recommend if you're in the Surry Hills area. Cash only.

After hearing all about Gelato Messina I though I'd make the detour and visit their Surry Hills location. If you're not careful you can walk right past this place as the branding in incredibly confusing and hard to decipher, but once you find it, you're greeted to a narrow entrance with two chilled cases of gelato on the left and a weird seating area in the back. The range is honestly nothing out of the ordinary. I think there was maybe one "weird" flavour called Jakes favourite or something instantly forgettable as they have prioritised all the standards but lacking any sorbet options. I had the two scoop milkshake for $8 and it was a medium sized shake. It was good, but in all honesty, not much difference between Gelato Messina and any Gelatissimo. While it was fine, sadly Gelato Messina didn't have any stand out flavours or experiences. It's just a standard gelato bar and certainly not the best thing on the planet. Don't believe the hype, but if you're in the area and want gelato it's a decent place to stop in at.

You can't miss the line of people waiting for gelato any time of the day. Try the gelato and you'll know why. There aren't many worthy contenders (that I know of) that serve the wide variety and delicious flavour like Messina. The closest I can think of is the cold rock ice cream store at manly. I love it that they have random new flavours popping up every so often (e.g. Mr Potato Head - peanut butter flavoured white chocolate gelato with crisp potato chips)

Lined up like fanboys at the Apple Store! We knew we were into a winner when the girls behind us in line declined the offered menu because they knew everything available, and were able to make some worthwhile recommendations. I had the pistachio - natural tasting, slightly nutty texture and fragrant with pistachio aroma. I also had the fig/panacotta/amaretti combo - oh my god I didn't want it to end. A perfect dessert after dinner at 'House of Crabs' just 10 minutes walk down the road.

Ok ok, this place delivers on its hype. I enthusiastically ordered two scoops and dropped into pleasurable coma soon after completing. Interesting flavours, lots with peanut butter, the salted caramel changed my life. Funky design and they were playing cool house music too. Lick it!

Ice cream is always good, ice cream at Messina is so amazing I may have went twice in three nights. The location only helps. And at $7 for three scoops, amaze much? Flavour to try: pear and rhubarb, flavour to avoid: smoked chocolate.

They don't accept cards so that was kind of a bummer, and the line was pretty long as well. Even on a cold, Sunday, winter night! But so worth it! The gelato just melted in your mouth, and the prices weren't too steep as well. Delicious!

OMG! Im an icecream lover and my standars are high, but I must admit, there is a reason there is a queue outside! The best icecream I have ever had! If you are in Sydney on vacation or business trip, this is a must-visit before you'll leave!

The Pandan Coconut ice cream is amazing and it's vegan. I love that they have several vegan options. The service is great too. Stop by this location for a lovely treat

That's some good ice cream and Gellato and I'm not a massive sweets person. Hit the spot on a hot day. Had the Apple pie (excellent) and the cherry pie (very good) While it was a little busy service was quick and pricing wasn't over the top.

There's ice cream and gelato, and then there's Gelato Messina. It's so good that it seriously deserves it's own category. We come here about once every 2 weeks (we hold out for our health's sake!) and every times we're blown away by the delicious flavours. A must visit!

Oh Messina - this place deserves the full 5 stars. I am not sure if my words will do this place justice. You must just go try it yourself. My favourite part about Messina is their specials. I rarely order from the standard flavours and push the limits with their specials. Lately I have had the Moroccan Mistress (orange blossum, ricotta and pine nuts), GM Pie (peanut butter, chocolate, banana), What's up doc (carrot cake and yoghurt) and Peanut Butter Brownie (amazing). I have to re route my walk home often to avoid this place as it has officially become an addiction.

Yummi ummi yummi Got one cone with the salty caramel white chocolate + bounty = 6dollars, pretty cheap regarding the quantity and quality. Great spot for an afternoon "snack" :)

I always knew I was coming up to a Messina because for a 500 metre radius you pass countless people on the street holding the distinctive Messina patterned cups. I love ice-cream, but It always seems to be a choice between a smooth, authentic italian gelato and an america lesser-quality ice-cream that compensates with the chunks and ripples. No longer do we have to choose between the two! Messina is serving up mighty fine bonafide italian gelato whipped to perfection, and then layered with generous amounts of sauces, crumbles, choc chips, confectionaries etc etc. I was in Sydney for 3 days and went to Messina 4 times.....Yep. There is a pandemic sweeping across Sydney and adding 4kg to the mean weight of its occupants.