Smoov’s special treats see them soar on TripAdvisor
Who doesn’t love cool, creamy gelato? While, of course, doughnuts are to die for. Well how about combining both in what must surely rank as Edinburgh’s tastiest treat?
Smoov, near the bottom of the Royal Mile, has been receiving rave reviews on TripAdvisor for its delicious gelato-stuffed doughnuts, gluten-free waffles and inventive gelato flavours.
Family-run Smoov specialises in delicious gelato, made using creamy milk from Mossgiel Organic Farm in Ayrshire, right in front of customers’ eyes using their ‘special magic machine’.
Because the owners learned how to make gelato the Italian way and insist on using carefully sourced ingredients for their cocktail of fantastic flavours, Smoov’s gelato is a particularly smooth and creamy top quality treat.
Stuffed inside a crispy doughnut, it’s a match made in heaven.
You could just opt for traditional vanilla, chocolate, strawberry or salted caramel gelato, but that would mean missing out on some of Smoov’s adventurous flavours: how does a doughnut stuffed with whisky cream sound?
Smoov’s specially made gluten-free waffles are also a definite ‘must try’ – topped with Nutella gelato, cream and strawberries, it could be your next favourite treat whether you’re gluten-free or not.
The beauty of Smoov is that the owners Gabriel and Aleksandra Chanas like to mix it up, so there’s a different combination of gelato and sorbet on offer every day.
It means you could be nipping in one day for a delicious Raspberry Pavlova gelato gluten-free waffle or satisfying your sweet cravings with scoops of blueberry cheesecake, salted caramel, raspberry brownie - or good old vanilla gelato - the next.
If you’ve just conquered Arthur’s Seat or enjoyed a stroll around Holyrood Park - both are a stone’s throw away – there’s also an inventive savoury menu to choose from.
Try Italian stromboli – bread dough wraps packed with tasty fillings like jerk chicken or tomato and mozzarella – hot paninis, stuffed croissants, pancakes stacked tall with bacon, banana and maple syrup, and classic breakfast bagels.
Wash it down with one of the best coffees you’ll find in the city from Artisan Roast Coffee Roasters, made using top quality beans and brewed on the funky Lamarzocco Linea Classic machine. Or just chill out with a fruity smoothie or gelato shake.
Smoov is a home-made success story, dreamed up by Aleksandra and Gabriel to satisfy their own love of creamy gelato, ice cream, coffee and good quality food.
Aleksandra, who has an engineering background, and Gabriel met in Dublin where they were working in the building sector. When recession hit, the couple moved to Edinburgh in 2008 where they fell in love with the city.
They ran a sandwich shop and then a bistro while juggling two babies before opening Smoov two years ago.
Now Nadia, aged eight, and five-year-old Wiktor are a little older, they are the perfect gelato and ice cream testers who ensure every flavour hits the spot.
Aleksandra said: “Gabriel is very practical and I am quite artistic. We both love to experiment with flavours and we really like gelato. We put all those ingredients together and came up with the idea for Smoov.
“Smoov Gelato Coffee was invented, designed, established and built by us. We also designed the menu and are constantly working on variations, new flavours and dishes.”
The flavours they dream up are mouth-watering. For fruit lovers, there’s chocolate orange, peanut butter banana, apple with cloves and ginger, and apple pie.
If you have a sweet tooth, there’s Oreo latte, Ferrero Rocher, Amaretto, Bailey’s cheesecake meringue, gingerbread, Kinder Bueno and spicy dark chocolate.
For something different, tuck into white chocolate and cardamom, pumpkin spice latte, raspberry pavlova or traditional Scottish cranachan.
Or cool down with a refreshing sorbet in mango, orange and pineapple flavour, creamy avocado, Mojito or cucumber and mint.
Aleksandra added: “We love sharing our flavours with the local community and think we have come up with something unique in Scotland.
“We listen to our customers and find out what they like and what flavours they want us to make.
“And now the children are older, they help us out by tasting the flavours to make sure they are perfect!”.
Smoov is currently sitting at number one on TripAdvisor’s list of Edinburgh desserts, with top marks for the quality of the food, service and value, and comments like “yummy doughnuts”, “best gelato outside Italy” and simply “WOW!”
Find out what the fuss is about at Smoov, 244 Canongate, Edinburgh.