Albert Adrià brings an ice-cream parlour to Passeig de Gràcia where ice cream is finished like a signature dish

Albert Adrià and Alfredo Machado’s ice-cream parlour will open its second premises on Passeig de Gràcia. More than eighty unique flavours, many inspired by fine dining. The opening is scheduled for mid-May. Discover how they are reinventing ice cream in Barcelona.

Barcelona gains a new must-visit stop for ice-cream lovers: Gelato Collection, the project by Albert Adrià, Alfredo Machado and Ángel Velasco, will open its second ice-cream parlour in the heart of Passeig de Gràcia, directly opposite Casa Batlló. The news comes almost two years after its debut on La Rambla, and promises to transform the experience of those walking through the city centre.

The new premises will have its own production workshop and a tasting area where visitors can try ice creams, coffees, cakes, pastries, churros and nougats. The opening is scheduled for mid-May, and expectations are very high among those seeking different flavours and artisanal offerings in Barcelona.

Around twenty flavours are displayed in the cabinet, but the recipe collection already totals more than eighty, all numbered and classified as traditional, seasonal, signature —many inspired by the haute cuisine of El Bulli and Enigma— and adult flavours, with nods to classic cocktails. Production takes place in the basement and fresh fruit is bought daily from the Soley stall at Mercat de la Boqueria, ensuring that each flavour reflects the best moment of every product.

Machado acknowledges that working with fresh fruit brings challenges: ripeness is never identical and it is necessary to adapt every day. However, for the team, that uncertainty is part of the creativity, since they consider that they cook ice creams as though they were signature dishes. When a fruit comes into season, they taste it and, within two weeks, the new flavour is available. It is now the kumquat’s turn, also known as the Chinese mandarin, a small, tart citrus fruit that takes centre stage in the cabinet these days.

When an ingredient’s season ends, the ice cream disappears from the counter, but the recipe is archived under its number in a bank of flavours reminiscent of a perfumery. Thus, anyone who falls in love with number three, for instance, can always order that flavour again in the future. The creative process is demanding: for the pistachio ice cream, for example, they carried out ten tests with different varieties before finding the perfect result.

The menu surprises with pure flavours such as raw Marcona almond and others that evoke the now-closed Tickets restaurant. They have revived combinations such as lychee, raspberry and rosewater, and they never stop experimenting: they have made ice creams with Peking duck sauce and eel, and have even tried unexpected blends such as chilli, basil and lime, which have turned out to be a success.

Gelato Collection’s origins date back to the pandemic, when Machado decided to learn the trade of ice-cream maker during the restaurant closures. When activity resumed, Albert Adrià —who has always preferred ice cream to traditional desserts— told him that opening an ice-cream parlour had been his childhood dream. They shut themselves away for a week to experiment, and that is how the project was born.

The involvement of Ángel Velasco, managing director of Torrons Vicens, was key to finding the premises on La Rambla. However, the opening was not without obstacles: construction work on La Rambla began shortly after they opened, slowing their start. Despite this, the team values the opportunity to have learned the trade slowly and with dedication.

Gelato Collection has established itself as a flavour laboratory in the heart of Barcelona, where innovation and tradition mingle in every spoonful. Its arrival on Passeig de Gràcia promises to bring this unique experience even closer to Barcelona residents and visitors.

Behind Gelato Collection is the vision of Albert Adrià, one of the most influential names in contemporary gastronomy in Barcelona. His career, marked by creativity and a constant search for new formats, has left its mark on emblematic venues such as El Bulli, Tickets and Enigma. With this project, Adrià brings his passion for ice cream to a wider public, committed to excellence and surprise in every flavour. The ice-cream parlour has become a meeting point for those seeking more than a dessert: a miniature gastronomic experience.

🆕 Second Gelato Collection on Passeig de Gràcia. Albert Adrià and Alfredo Machado open in May opposite Casa Batlló with 80+ artisanal flavours, their own workshop and fresh fruit from La Boqueria; it includes coffees, churros and nougats.