Gelato Man

Gelato Man is a small artisan gelato shop at 7B Walker Street in Helensburgh, making traditional Italian-style gelato and sorbet with simple, high-quality ingredients. It is a takeaway-first stop with a little outdoor seating, built for a quick scoop rather than a long sit.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome at the outdoor footpath tables out front, leashed and settled while you eat. There is no confirmed water bowl or dog treat on the counter, so bring your own collapsible bowl and check with staff on the day.

The vibe

The gelato is the draw: authentic Italian-style gelato and sorbet with regularly changing flavours, plus coffee and shakes. Raspberry and pistachio are the staples regulars look for, and the shop also does customised flavours for events.

It opens Thursday to Sunday from midday to 8pm and closes Monday to Wednesday, so this is a weekend and late-afternoon stop by design. Summer evenings bring the queue.

Pepsi: pistachio in the cup for you, own bowl of water for the dog, bench seat out the front. Ten good minutes, no fuss.

Getting there and parking

The shop sits on Walker Street in Helensburgh's small town centre, with free street parking out front or on the nearby side streets. It is a short drive from the Stanwell Park coast and an easy detour off the Old Princes Highway.

Close by with the dogs

Proud Park Fenced Dog Park is the local off-lead stop to earn the scoop, and the coastal villages to the south hold more of the same: Uluwatu Blue at Stanwell Park takes dogs on its deck.

More are on the New South Wales cafes guide and the Helensburgh destination page.