Having visited Swoon a handful of times before, and including it on our list of best Bristol ice cream parlours , I was looking forward to my latest visit. Located at the bottom of Park Street overlooking Bristol's iconic College Green, Swoon is in a prime spot for tourist and shopper footfall. In the just over half an hour I was sat inside, only a mother and daughter visited alongside me.
Of course, it is a dreary weekday, but in the middle of summer I have queued out of the door to get my hands on a scoop of Swoon. The prices have risen slightly from when we reviewed it last year, with one scoop now costing £3.95.
The array of flavours is mouth-watering but my eyes were drawn towards the Tiramisu, primarily due to the chunks of the dessert smattered across the top of the tub. Read more: Bristol Harbour Festival 2024: Final additions to line-up includes a DJ set from Jayde Adams aboard Thekla I went to Easton’s Afghan community restaurant where customers pay what they can Unfortunately, my scoop did not include a coffee-sprinkled 'ladyfinger' sponge. The single scoop cone was the size you would expect, and I was looking forward to a creamy coffee zing.
As I sat down as the lonely customer, I pondered over the most comfortable looking of the weathered leather tub armchairs. I opted for a seat by the window, looking out to the green. It seems that Swoon doesn't expect its customers to take a seat indoors, as the interior has tired since my last visit.
The mismatched wallpaper delivers an ambience more comparable to that of a retro seaside hotel than a luxury gelato bar. Oddly, there was no music playing and I felt as though some light Italian jazz would have boosted the atmosphere. Instead, I was accompanied only by the whir of a generator and the quiet chatter of the two employees.
This is proper gelato: it's creamy and not as cold as ice cream, and feels like a warm hug. I was not taken aback, however, by a velvety mascarpone or tang of strong Italian coffee as I had hoped. I enjoyed my lunchtime sweet treat, but I was not left hungry for more.
Some of the other flavours, such as Bacio and Pistachio looked appetising, but I would worry that they are similarly lacking the zest I would expect from such an applauded parlour. Two people taken to hospital after Bristol restaurant fire 'Wonky' clock 'melts' and leaves locals baffled Extremist jailed for two years after breaching terror prevention order Potholes 'emergency' blamed on bad weather Conservatives fight proposal to tax people living near Downs.
