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The ice creams on offer at Covent Garden's Cool Down Festival

Edwina Langley

With temperatures predicted to heat up for the August Bank Holiday, Londoners will no doubt be looking for ways to cool down. What better way to do so than by dropping into an ice cream festival? (Yes, really.)

‘Cool Down’ at Covent Garden is a five-day foodie extravaganza set to take place on the West End piazza from Thursday August 22 through to Monday August 26.

Offering over 50 flavours of ice cream – from Aperol Spritz to Chocolate and Avocado – the festival brings together some of the area’s best-loved restaurants, all of which will serve up their finest cream creations.

If this chilled festival sounds right up your s-treat, find out what you need to know, below.

Morelli's Gelato

Founded in 1907, the first Morelli’s ice cream parlour to arrive in the UK opened its doors in Kent in 1932.

Today, they have 12 shops worldwide, one of which is in London’s Covent Garden. Dishing out not just their multi-flavoured gelato and sorbets, they also offer signature sundaes, their own-blend of Kilimanjaro coffee and Venetian Prosecco.

(Morelli's)
(Morelli's)

But for the festival, Morelli’s are creating six bespoke new ice cream flavours, in homage to Covent Garden’s roots as a fruit and vegetable market.

It’s all pretty top secret at the moment, but what has been revealed is that new flavours will be launched during the festival as well, and these include: Praline, Chocolate Velvet Banoffee Pie and Aperol Spritz.

Avobar

Avocado lovers get ready: London’s avocado restaurant will be selling scoops of its signature frozen delight.

Avo Soft Serve is a dairy ice cream containing – yes, you guessed it – avocado. Two mouth-watering flavours will be available to try, Avocado and Matcha and Chocolate and Avocado. For something a little different, be adventurous...

Ladurée​

How does an ice cream sandwich sound to you – one with macarons in place of bread?

The Macaron Glacé – ice cream and macaron in one – is being brought to the festival by its famed creator, the French luxury tearoom Ladurée. A sweet ice cream hugged between two macarons, the Parisian creation is not only aesthetically stunning but taste-wise, well, why not try one and see for yourself?

(Ladurée)
(Ladurée)

Also on offer will be the tearoom’s signature ice creams and sorbets, all served from a beautiful cart.

Buns & Buns

Buns & Buns sell bread – many, many types of bread. From pork belly buns to lobster brioche rolls, rib eye steak sandwiches and carbonara pizza – and let’s not forget, focaccia on the side – to say they know a bit about bread is somewhat of an understatement.

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However, for the Covent Garden foodie festival, Buns & Buns will be dishing up ice cream – as sticks.

Intriguing to say the least.

Petersham Nurseries

What is afternoon tea without one of Britain’s best-loved fruits, the strawberry?

If you’re planning to head down to the festival for an afternoon bite, head to Petersham Nurseries.

There you will find the most delicious strawberry ice cream, made from organic fruit grown at Haye Farm in East Devon. It’s a taste of British summertime – literally.

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