Freshio Gelato

The gelato at Freshio is churned in the shop each day, and that is the whole proposition: no industrial base, just temperature control, ingredient ratios and the churning method the founder learned from an Italian master chef in Thailand after he retired from his first career. He runs the counter with his wife. The original Sunshine Plaza shop carries the brand, and a newer branch at Kada Maxwell repeats it.

Fresh churning and a wide flavour board

Uncle KT is founder and gelato maker both, and the café has billed itself as the first in-store fresh-make Italian gelato in Singapore, which tells you where daily production sits in the priorities.

The core flavours are Sicilian pistachio, Turkish hazelnut and Belgian chocolate, with the wider range spread across classic, premium and alcoholic options, tiramisu made with Kahlúa among them. Singapore-exclusive experiments, durian desserts, yoghurt bowls and açai bowls fill out the board, while the dessert formats keep gelato central: gelato on a waffle cone, chocolate lava cake, waffles, croffles and the Sicilian gelato panini.

A small counter with a homey feel

The room is a casual dessert stop. Order at the counter, choose gelato or a dessert, then sit if there is time. The Sunshine Plaza shop is compact and intimate, with a simple counter and limited seating, which creates a close, communal feel suited to a small independent operation. It is warm and unpretentious rather than polished for effect, and that is a good part of the appeal.

The couple behind the counter give the place its character. He handles production and serving, she runs front of house and the daily logistics, and the hospitality is personal, with conversation folded into the scooping. The crowd mixes office workers, students from the nearby colleges and residents after a sweet break. Matcha drinks turn up as well, including through events such as a matcha mixer, but the programme stays dessert-led.

Order the pistachio first, then the panini

Start with the Sicilian pistachio if it is in the case: a named signature and the strongest first read on what the churning produces. Turkish hazelnut is the other nut-led choice, and Belgian chocolate covers the richer classic craving. Tiramisu with Kahlúa is the one to take when the mood runs boozier.

If the visit is for more than a scoop, move to the gelato panini, a Sicilian format that turns gelato into something more filling, or take the gelato on a waffle cone. Chocolate lava cake, waffles and croffles cover the warm dessert side, and the durian desserts, yoghurt bowls and açai bowls show how far the café has stretched beyond pure gelato without letting go of the daily churn.