Newton’s newest dessert bar serves up a range of sweet treats designed to accomodate people with alternative dietary requirements.

When John Milky and Gaby Saleh opened OVO Gelato, they focussed on two things: having “something for everyone” and “quality over quantity”.

“We’ve always wanted to be not just another gelati or dessert bar,” John says.

“We wanted to have the classic options that people love, and for the people that do love it but can’t have it, we still wanted them to enjoy that same experience.”

Located at the Newton Shopping Centre, OVO Gelato offers a range of gluten-free, sugar-free, vegan, and keto-friendly gelati, as well as other dessert-time goodies.

This “something for everyone” ethos is carried over from OVO’s sister store, Clay & Co, which opened in 2020 just before COVID hit.

“We’ve had heaps of customers who come into our café Clay & Co and are used to being able to get allergy-friendly meals and lunches,” John says.

“So keeping that same ethos has helped us and a lot of people have been excited to come in store with family members who have alternative needs and they can all have something.”

While there are a handful of allergy-friendly spots to get sweets in Adelaide, including Eggless Dessert Café in Goodwood and Just Gluten Free Bakery in Ascot Park, the number remains small, and OVO is a much-needed and welcome addition to the Adelaide dessert scene.

On top of being allergy-friendly, all the gelati is handmade in small batches on the Newton site, and John and Gaby have placed an emphasis on using local, seasonal produce in their products.

“We’ve tried to focus on what’s in season because, even though in Australia you get a wider option of fruits available, anything that’s in season is always going to taste optimum,” John says.

At the moment, the menu shows off the classics (think pistachio, hazelnut, and coffee), but also features some special flavours, like spiced pear, Bacio, and soy chai. John wants to have a couple new flavours rotating weekly while the store settles into its locale.

Aside from gelati, OVO also offers a dessert menu, with their signature dessert being the OVO tart – a mouth-watering concoction of gluten-free and dairy-free caramel, fresh bananas and banana gelato.

There is also a small patisserie display at the counter filled with locally made Danishes, raw vegan slices, and tarts.

As for drinks, customers can choose from a specialty hot chocolate range and coffee from roasters Monastery, which is also owned by John’s family.

The shop’s interior takes inspiration from countryside Tuscany, featuring a lighter colour palette, natural timber, and olive trees at the shopfront.

John and Gaby worked with interior designer Georgie Shepherd (Bar Lune, Aurora) for the fitout. They wanted to support local in creating the space, and so the furniture is custom-made by Adelaide company Remington Matters and the lighting handmade in Stepney by Handmade and Found.

While the business is still in its early days, there’s already talk of a line of OVO gelati cakes, as well as the possibility of alcoholic ice-cream and a cocktail menu later down the track.

John also hints at another sister store to OVO and Clay & Co, but won’t give much away yet. All we know is that it’s keeping with OVO’s Italian theme.

OVO Gelato is located in the Newton Shopping Centre, accessible via Jan Street, Newton, with the frontage facing Newton Road.

The business opens 2pm ‘til 9pm Sunday to Thursday and 2pm ‘til 10pm on Friday and Saturday.

Connect with the business on Instagram.

There are also gluten-free chickens nearby