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Where's the best place to pick up a frozen sweet treat in Luxembourg? Our readers have spoken!
Ice cream holds a special place in Luxembourg, especially when summer temperatures rise. But even in colder weather, many still enjoy ice cream from the freezer, either as dessert or simply while relaxing on the couch.
Milk, cream, and sugar are essentially all that is needed to make ice cream. Though simple in theory, preparation can be complex: fruits, chocolate, biscuits, nuts, and spices are often added depending on taste, and combining these ingredients into a creamy, flavourful ice cream remains a craft in itself.
The exact origins of ice cream, like many foods, are unclear. Cold snow mixed with fruits, honey, and spices has been enjoyed as far back as 3,000 years ago in China and ancient Rome. Knowledge of ice cream production as we know it today likely spread from the Arab world to Europe during the Middle Ages.
In the 17th century, Sicilian Francesco Procopio dei Coltelli is said to have opened the first ice cream café in Paris, bringing ice cream to a wider audience. Italians, of course, remain renowned for their creamy gelato.
The popularity of ice cream has never faded. Whether enjoyed at home on a hot day or as a dessert in the sun, ice cream continues to appeal to young and old alike.
We asked, you voted – so without further ado, let's take a look at the Grand Duchy's best ice cream shops!
Readers' Choice Top 10: Best ice cream in Luxembourg
Rank 1: Glacier Bargello
Opened in: 2013
Address: 13, Rue du Fort Elisabeth, 1463 Luxembourg-Gare
Contact: 26 29 60 97
Readers' favourite ice cream flavours: Pistachio, Dark chocolate sorbet, Crema Vespucci, and Strawberry/Orange (Sorbet)
Upon entering Glacier Bargello, hidden down a side street just off Rue de la Liberté, it soon becomes obvious that this is not a regular ice cream shop. Owner Laura Fontani told RTL she wanted to stand out, and this difference appears to have catapulted Bargello to first place in Luxembourg's ice cream parlours. Fontani opened her first shop in 2013, followed by a second outlet in Brussels in 2018, and last year opened another store in Luxembourg, in Limpertsberg.
Fontani, whose family ran a popular ice cream parlour in Florence, Italy, wanted to bring an entirely new concept to Luxembourg, replicating the shop of her youth. On the one hand, she wanted to maintain the traditional methods of making and selling ice cream, alongside a host of other Italian sweet treats such as waffles, cakes, and other specialties. But she also wanted to embrace Luxembourg's regional ingredients, to make the best ice cream possible, and focus on sustainability.
Bargello uses Luxembourgish milk, chocolate from Belgium, and produces its ice cream locally. The product is sold in large, closed, round containers, unlike other ice cream parlours where the ice cream is displayed in a glass case. This mimics the way ice cream was sold in Italy in the 1950s, explains Fontani. One of her most popular flavours, Crema Vespucci, is made using Luxembourgish honey. As well as original creations, Bargello also sells 12 classic ice cream flavours, such as vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, and many more.
Fontani says the most important aspect for her is that her customers have a good experience when eating ice cream from Bargello. This means supplying a high quality product, with helpful and friendly staff, in an agreeable setting where her customers can feel at home. It is clear there is a strong vision behind Bargello, no doubt influencing its popularity with ice cream lovers. Fontani believes that ice cream is much more than a simple dessert and hopes to reflect this through her business. It would appear, based on our poll, that she has achieved her goal, as our readers named Bargello their clear winner. An absolute must for authentic and excellent ice cream, akin to the Italian gelaterias which inspired it!
Rank 2: Bonomeria - Gelateria Artigianale
Opened int: 2014 (Merl) / 2022 (Bertrange)
Address: 4 Rue Wurth-Paquet, 2737 Belair Luxembourg / 7 A Laangert, 8117 Bertrange
Contact: 26 45 98 05 / 26 38 93 64
Readers' favourite ice cream flavours: Pistachio, vegan sugar-free Pistachio
Andrea Bonomi came up with the idea for his own ice cream parlour in 2012, and made it a reality some two years later when he opened his first shop in Merl. He says he was immediately met with praise and success, garnering plenty of positive reactions from the public and his concept of the "Bonomeria" soon became popular. But he admits it took some time in the beginning to build a large and regular customer base.
Ironically, the reason for this lies in the concept of the "Bonomeria" itself, as Bonomi opted to focus less on advertising, and more on letting his product and comfortable, welcoming ice cream parlour speak for themselves. In time, news of his shop spread by word of mouth and the number of satisfied customers increased every year. The fact that his shop is not situated in the city centre, thus lacking the usual footfall, means he really had to build up a dedicated customer base.
Bonomi's stand-out products are his sugar-free ice creams and vegan varieties, which regularly attract new customers, particularly younger people. Up until two years ago, Bonomi prepared all the ice cream himself on a daily basis. But he was able to expand his business in 2022, opening a second shop in Bertrange selling the same ice cream flavours, and his success is clearly reflected in our poll, achieving a well-deserved second place!
Rank 3: Café Veneziano
Opened in: December 2024
Address: 1 Pl. d'Armes, 1136 Ville-Haute Luxembourg
Contact: 26 20 35 08
Readers' favourite ice cream flavours: Vanilla, Chocolate, Stracciatella, and Strawberry
In a happy coincidence, RTL was able to meet Café Veneziano chef Michael Frank and his wife in their parlour on the Place d'Armes. The couple, responsible for preparing the shop's ice cream each day, are usually not found on the shop floor. But when RTL spontaneously visited the shop, it coincided with Frank choosing to sample his own homemade ice cream for a snack. "I love ice cream, I could bathe in it daily", he says.
Café Veneziano was established in 1995, Frank told RTL over his ice cream (chocolate, if you were wondering), and was first located on Rue Philippe II until 2011. It then moved to the city's central plaza, the Place d'Armes, in 2012. At the time, the building's owner would have preferred a clothing chain, but when he was unable to find a tenant for over a year, he eventually accepted Frank's proposal.
Frank began his career in pharmaceuticals, working as a production coordinator for a large supplier until his brother entered the world of ice cream and inspired a career change. He visited Venice to learn how to make the best ice cream from the experts. "Ice cream is a craft and like all other crafts, you have to dedicate time to perfect it", he says. The rest is "just" creativity. Veneziano sells 40 ice cream flavours, alongside other desserts and even savoury dishes. The choice is vast. And after 30 years in the business, with its prime city centre location, it is unlikely the café will ever see a drop in customers.
Rank 4: Beim Franky
Address: 80 Rte de Longwy, 8060 Helfent Bertrange
Contact: 45 22 66
Rank 5: Confisserie Namur
Address: 44 Av. de la Liberté, 1930 Gare Luxembourg
Contact: 49 39 64
Rank 6: Eiscafé Dolomiti
Address: 81 Grand-Rue, 9051 Ettelbruck
Contact: 691 802 566
Rank 7: Gelateria Valentino
Address: 28 Quai de la Moselle, 5553 Remich
Contact: 27 07 59 50
Rank 8: Fred's - Belgian Waffles & Ice Cream
Address: 7 Av. du Rock'n'Roll, 4361 Esch-Belval Esch-sur-Alzette
Contact: 26 17 67 45
Rank 9: Dolce - Gelateria & Cafeteria
Address: 19 Grand-Rue, 1661 Ville-Haute Luxembourg
Contact: 23 64 11 63
Rank 10: Oberweis
Addess: 16 Grand-Rue, 1660 Ville-Haute Luxembourg
Contact: 47 07 03
