Cadore Gelato
The dulce de leche masters
It may not look like much, but the skinny storefront that humbly sits within ground zero of Buenos Aires’ theater district on the historic Avenida Corrientes may just serve the best dulce de leche in the world.
Best according to whom? Well, if their accolades in National Geographic and the BBC didn’t convince you, perhaps their prominent listing in the Gold Book of Argentine Ice Creams (authored by porteños, of course) or their frequent hat tip by local taxistas will.
Cadore won its way into the infamously discerning Argentine gelato aficionado’s heart thanks to their strict standards for fresh, natural ingredients and time-tested, artisanal techniques. Using recipes dating back over 130 years to their original location in the village of Cadore in Northern Italy, current owner Gabriel Famá has stayed true to his Uncle Silvestre Olvotti’s methods, who founded the flagship parlour in 1881.
Gelato: an Italian “Slow Food” delicacy
And what do those methods entail for their award-winning dulce de leche? The most Gabriel could tell us was that it involves a daily 14-hour process of slow cooking a vat of fresh, organic milk, saturated with sugar and whole vanilla beans, to evaporate every ounce of water and concentrate the sweet, creamy base that they use to churn out their 5 different varieties, including plain, bombón (chocolate), granizado (sorbet), negro (extra dark), and con nuez (with nuts).
Far from being the only flavors on offer, Cadore also dishes up a mean almendra (almond), chocolate amargo (semi-sweet chocolate), and crema de vainilla (vanilla cream), with new flavors being added every few months. But don’t look for any funky offerings here; Cadore mainly specializes in the classics, with perhaps one or two non-standard selections per day (we spotted crema chai and naranja con genjibre, or orange ginger, during our visit).
Pizza, moscato, fainá… and Cadore
Now the President of the AFADHYA, The Association of Artisanal Ice Cream Manufacturers in Buenos Aires, Gabriel proudly displays a plaque behind the counter that the city bestowed upon him when they declared his gelatería of Cultural Interest in 2014. Not far from it appears his TripAdvisor Certificates of Excellence for the last 4 years running, arranged in a neat little row underneath the main menu.
As in previous years, you can expect to find him front and center during Buenos Aires’ Artisanal Ice Cream week, held annually in late November and featuring open-air vendors offering delicious tastings around the obelisk that spill out onto Corrientes, the street he calls home. His 2017 festival booth was indeed impressive, marking the 60th anniversary of the opening of his shop (established back in 1957).
So, stop by this little ice cream stand with a big reputation after you’ve had your slice of muzza topped with a slab of faina and washed down with some cheap, white moscato wine at Pizzeria Güerrín (just a couple of blocks away). Then head off to take in a show on the Broadway of BA, Avenida Corrientes, and you can forever boast to your friends that you experienced the classic 1950’s-style Buenos Aires evening!
Plan Your Helado Visit
Address: Av. Corrientes 1695
Nearest subway stop: Line B – Uruguay
Phone: +54 9 11 4374 3688,
Website: https://heladeriacadore.com.ar/