Taste This: Ice Cream and Gelato in Bend, Oregon
There are some summer problems that are best solved with a spoon.
On a sunny Central Oregon day, Emily Kirk stopped by Newport Avenue Market for a new episode of Central Oregon Daily‘s Taste This, and this time we’re heading straight for the freezer. From creamy Italian pistachio gelato to Oregon marionberries and locally made favorites, we’re tasting our way through a few of the ice creams and gelatos you can find right here at Newport.
Because, as we determined during this episode, ice cream really does make everything better.
A Little Taste of Italy
First up is Sammontana gelato from Italy. 🇮🇹
We tried the pistachio, a beautifully creamy gelato topped with bits of pistachio for a little extra crunch and nutty flavor.
Emily shared that when she traveled to Italy, she had one very important vacation rule: one gelato a day. Frankly, we support this policy.
The pistachio is a great choice for anyone who prefers something rich, creamy and a little more savory than fruit-forward flavors.
🛒 Purchase Sommontana gelato on Instacart
An Oregon Favorite: Marionberry
Next, we moved from Italy a little closer to home with McConnell’s Marionberry Lemon ice cream.
If there is a flavor that knows how to speak Oregon, marionberry certainly makes the shortlist.
The bright lemon paired with a swirl of marionberry makes this one especially refreshing on a warm summer day. McConnell’s makes its ice cream from scratch without stabilizers or fillers and offers plenty of flavors to explore, along with sorbet.
Tasting the ice cream and gelato side by side also made the difference in texture especially noticeable. The gelato was exceptionally smooth and creamy, while the ice cream had its own refreshing frozen texture.
Obviously, further research was required. Spoonful after spoonful.
🛒 Purchase McConnell’s icecream on Instacart
Wait… Ice Cream for Bears?
Then there is a pint that is nearly impossible to walk past without stopping.
Yes, really.
Made with raw honey and grass-fed milk, this simple ice cream has a wonderful honey flavor that immediately stands out.
And considering we were sitting outside Newport Avenue Market with our own beloved bear nearby, tasting Ice Cream for Bears felt particularly appropriate.
For the record, the humans liked it, too.
🛒 Purchase Ice Cream for Bears on Instacart
Keeping It Local with Bonta Gelato
e wrapped up our tasting with a Central Oregon favorite: Bonta Gelato.
Supporting local makers has always been a big part of what we do at Newport, and Bonta makes it particularly delicious.
We tried the Roasted Strawberry, which delivers exactly what you hope it will: lots and lots of strawberry flavor wrapped up in that wonderfully creamy gelato texture.
Bonta has plenty of other flavors to discover, too, including a lavender flavor that earned a special shoutout during our tasting.
🛒 Purchase Bonta gelato on Instacart
Grab a Pint and Stay Awhile
Once you’ve chosen your frozen treasure, you don’t have to go far to enjoy it.
Newport Avenue Market’s outdoor space has even more room to settle in with your lunch, your ice cream or gelato, and maybe your four-legged shopping companion. There’s water for the pups, our colorful Bend mural to check out and, on a beautiful Central Oregon summer day, a pretty lovely place to sit for a while.
So stop by Newport Avenue Market in Bend, wander through the freezer section and find a new favorite.
Italian pistachio gelato? Marionberry Lemon ice cream? Raw honey? Locally made Roasted Strawberry?
Better yet, invite a friend, grab two spoons and conduct your own taste test.
Watch the full episode of Taste This and then tell us: Which one would you try first?
