Early Bird Creamy gelato like in Italy

Early Bird in Prenzlauer Berg has had a new owner for quite a while now. Since then, things have been a little quieter around the ice cream parlour, which was initially very popular. We asked ourselves, "Why is that?" and finally paid a visit to the café in Winsstraße.

Afterwards, however, the question mark was even bigger. Because what the new owner Lorenzo Lodi hides in his "carapinas", the traditional round ice cream containers with lids, is simply a hit. He came to Berlin from Bergamo two years ago after learning his trade in southern Tuscany from one of Italy's best ice cream makers.

Twelve to sixteen flavours, all without flavour enhancers, aromas or emulsifiers, are available daily at Early Bird during the summer months. They are spread into cups and wafers as desired, rather than portioned into scoops, as is usually the case. Even in a small cup, several varieties can be tasted at once.

"What luck!" I think. With promising flavours like strawberry cheesecake, smokey whisky or "Strega", a yoghurt ice cream with caramelised red onions from Tropea, you really want to taste everything in the refrigerator right away. And so I indulge in "peanut butter & jam" and spoon up an incredibly creamy chocolate sorbet called "Arturo", made of 100 per cent cocoa with Indian long pepper.

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"And there's really no cow's or plant milk in it?" I ask Lorenzo Lodi incredulously. "No," he laughs. "And once you know how to do it, it's not even hard to create that creaminess." But that remains his secret. Instead, he shows me the pistachios bags used to make the excellent pistachio sorbet at Early Bird. Definitely one of the very best in town!

And while I'm still feasting, I'm secretly planning my next trip to Early Bird and thinking about which varieties I'll put in my cup. It's good that it's such a long way for me to go; otherwise I would be here all the time. Sometimes maybe for a coffee and one of the little chocolate cakes with a melted centre. -Fie, how good!

Constanze Hallensleben

Founder Creme Guides