The Best Ice-cream in Madeira
Friic
Friic is a local ice-cream producer who only works with local produce. They have unique flavours like guava, passion fruit, papaya, mango, guava, surinam cherry, cherimoya, watermelon and melon from Porto Santo, tamarillo, Madeira wine, molasses and barley, banana and peanuts, banana and passion fruit, and poncha.
Plus, there are classics like dark chocolate (lactose-free), chocolate and hazelnut (a favourite that tastes just like Ferrero Rocher!), chocolate and coffee, pistachio (with a vegan option), cassata, and so many more. In total, they must have around 50 flavours! You never know what you’re going to get, but it’s 100% assured there will be a flavour you like.
The only issue with Friic is that they close temporarily in the winter months, from November to April. Then, they reopen two stalls: one at Fórum Madeira (on the lower floor, close to C&A), and another at Madeira Shopping (on the first floor, in front of Douglas). Although this is outside the city centre, it’s well worth the detour. And if you’re staying in Lido, Fórum is right there.
Gela-Tó
Behind Fórum Madeira, at Rua do Vale d’Ajuda, there’s a new ice-cream parlour that also makes very good ice-cream using local fruit. You can just taste the freshness, the ripeness, and the tropical depth of flavour. Their dark chocolate isn’t as good as Friic’s (which seems impossible to top up!), but their vegan pistachio is absolutely great.
They also make a strawberry guava sorbet, which is an unique flavour I haven’t seen elsewhere on the island. I’d also recommend their pineapple-basil, mango, chestnut and surinam cherry ice-creams (although surinam cherry is an acquired taste). If it floats your boat, there’s also vegan avocado sorbet. Finally, they have ice-cream for pets, which I think is just nice.
If you’re not in the area, a bar in Praia Formosa also sells Gela-Tó ice-cream.
Flip Flop
Another place to have ice cream in Madeira is Flip Flop, an ice cream parlour inside the Quinta do Lorde at Caniçal. I know, I know, a resort mimicking a local village is the last place where you’d imagine me, but go in there just for the ice-cream. If you enter through the first game, just follow the street down until you see a small parking. The ice cream shop is just after the bar.
I suspect Friic manufactures the ice cream they sell – they work with several hotels and restaurants – because some of the flavours are the same. Their chocolate, hazelnul and moka (chocolate with coffee) are made with cashew drink, just like Friic’s. And they have some of the flavours I crave, like guava, tamarillo, cherimoya, and hazelnut (lactose-free).
Since this is way, way out for people staying in Funchal, I’d only suggest you stop there on your way (or on your way back) to Ponta de S. Lourenço, which is very close by. Thank me later.
Manifattura di Gelato
Also outside of Funchal, Manifattura di Gelato is another place to keep in mind when you’re looking for ice cream in Madeira. Located just on the waterfront, near the sand beach, Manifattura di Gelato sells classic flavours as well as fruit-based homemade sorbets (vegan-friendly). By the way, they also make vegan pizza, so it’s a good place to keep in your mind.
(By the way, if you’re vegetarian, here are some other cool vegan and vegetarian sports in Madeira.)
Lambecas
Finally, an honourable mention to Lambecas in Porto Santo. Lambecas was the first place in Madeira to serve soft-serve ice cream, which was an absolute novelty for Madeirans. Therefore, it’s a treasured childhood memory for many locals who make an annual pilgrimage to the old ice stall in the centre of Vila Baleira. (Just make sure it’s the right place and not Nico’s.)
Foreigners may miss the historical context and the emotional attachment. It’s not out of this world ice cream, after all. It does not taste that natural. Sure, they have different flavours like banana and pastel de nata, but is it worth the queue? For locals, it is. And if you’re in Porto Santo, it’s a tradition!