Iannini Gelati

Ice creams from another time

We approach our selection of ice creams, which are quite diverse from one another, because one thing we know for sure is that whoever said "variety is the spice of life" was definitely a fan of this summer treat.

Author: Aina Coll

Photographer: Jaume Oliver

In Cala Major, there's an ice cream parlor that makes you feel as if you've traveled back in time—specifically, forty or fifty years. Its retro aesthetic, colorful interior design, and continuous soundtrack of classic rock and a bit of funk transport you to another era, making you almost dance while you wait for your turn to be served.

It’s no coincidence that, as is often the case, the place is filled with families, couples, and groups of friends looking to enjoy themselves and treat themselves to some sweet pleasure. After all, their ice creams also come from another time—the kind of time when things were done more slowly and thoughtfully. It’s Friday, it’s very hot, and yes, we’re in the middle of the summer of 2024 according to our calendar, but we’ve come to Iannini Gelati to try their offerings because someone tipped us off that they’re absolutely heavenly.

Although as soon as we cross the threshold we discover that their menu goes far beyond the season's star product—with a selection of sweets (like a tempting pistachio tiramisu displayed in the showcase) and savory items (focaccias and pizzas winking at us)—we remain true to our purpose and focus on choosing from their ice creams, which are quite diverse from one another. One thing is clear to us: whoever said "variety is the spice of life" was definitely a fan of this summer treat.

Amarena, nocciola, pistachio, and ginger with lime are our chosen flavors: the first for its slightly tangy fruity note, the second because the combination of cocoa and hazelnut is a guaranteed winner that reminds us of the summers of our childhood, the third because we can never tire of advocating for more prominence of nuts in desserts, and the last because, after such a selection, we anticipate needing something refreshingly cool to savor.

With a spoonful of each, we quickly realize something: the four flavors we've just sampled have at least three things in common. First, all are extremely creamy; second, their flavor is subtle—none of them have that cloying sweetness caused by excessive sugar and who knows what processed ingredients; and third, all the recipes are free of eggs, gluten, and dairy. These aren’t three common features you easily find in an ice cream parlor, so we can state, without further ado, that Iannini has truly won us over.

Their secret may lie in the artisanal production, the use of high-quality ingredients, or perhaps in a pastry tradition that Iannini Biagio passed on to his family after training at the renowned Pasteleria Pantaleone in Salerno in 1936. We read that he later founded his own company, naming it after himself, and naturally, these ice creams are a product of that era.