Fresco Freddo’s Gelateria

ERMAHGERD. This place is unbelievable.
I’ve been meaning to go since Emma-​Lou has been banging on about it for months. Finally I made my way to the palace of gelato, and I was not disappointed.
The gelato is beautiful. Packed full of natural flavour and very little else, they use natural ingredients and a classic cooking process to create gelato with a smooth clean flavour that is lower in fat and sugar than regular ice cream. Alongside the amazing gelato (try the Peanutella or Eton Mess if you really want your head blown off) they serve waffles, coffee and a menagerie of sugary treats to tuck your teeth into.
An oasis in this heatwave we’re experiencing, but also a firm favourite for date nights or impressing out-​of-​towners, Fresco’s is already becoming a Manchester favourite and I hope it’s here to say.

Lime-​Mint Gelato. Oh my. My daughter loved the chocolate.

FTR FTW! Go 2013! Oh how I love this little blue badge.
I must say I’m honoured to win a First to Review for Fresco Fred’s. I LOVE THIS PLACE. In fact… perhaps my mood is swinging right around to being almost offended that it hasn’t been reviewed yet. Step up, Mancunians! What — don’t tell me it’s because it’s winter and you’re all chilly and don’t want to eat frozen sweet goodness. I came here when I could see my breath and had a nice hot waffle with my gelato, so there. You’ve seriously got to get involved.
I’ve worried in the past for places like Frurt, HL Cupcake! and Fresco simply because they’re so niche. Sure, you’d find joints like this on every corner in major US cities but in little old Manchester? Well, it looks like we’ve been expanding our horizons because these particular three brands have come on in leaps and bounds. Who’d have thought a froyo place would not only thrive but open a second branch in our city? And speaking of healthier frozen treats, who’d have imagined that when half the buildings on Oxford Street were vacated, one would be taken by a gelato shop?
Fresco is just what Manchester needs, whatever the weather — and especially for the increasingly bereft-​looking Oxford Road area itself. The quality of the produce in here speaks for itself. A countless array of sorbets and gelatos, flavours to suit absolutely everyone, and if you don’t like the Peanutella, don’t speak to me. It’s insane. As is the mint choc chip that we shared. Oh, and we had sorbet too (rude not to, of course), a touch of strawberry and a splash of lemon. Just exceptional. You can have your treat in a tub or a cone, atop a waffle or pancake, with any number of sauces/​toppings, and if you’re not in the market for ices at all they always have great cake in, plus their coffee and tea are superb.
Shameless Instagram reference:
— What we ate, right here.
Noteworthy noticing of someone else’s review:
— This comes from Facebook, not Unilocal… or was it Twitter? Either way, I have it on very good authority that they do excellent hot chocolate, cheap as chips, from pre-​work hours. How’s about that then?