After-Eight, Mascarpone & Co.: How Ice Cream Is Celebrated in Palma Now

More than just scoops: Palma serves ice cream with a concept

Eating ice cream in Palma is no longer just a quick stop. Between Lonja and Avinguda de l’Argentina, scoops are now artfully composed—sometimes with a surprising, almost "grown-up" note.

Creations that linger

Some shops work like small studios: notes on the wall, glasses with ingredients, a server who explains the origin. I stood last week at 5:30 PM in one of these queues and tasted first an After-Eight ice cream—a blend of dark chocolate with a minty kick that instantly recalled old TV commercials. Not kitschy. But almost respectfully faithful to the original.

Across the street there was a mascarpone-fig combination that surprised: velvety, slightly tart, with a hint of honey. A scoop of that doesn’t need sauce; it tells its own story.

From minimalist to extravagant

A few streets further Mango was simply called Mango. Period. No experiments, but neatly executed. And then there are the creations with cookie pieces, nut crumbs and purées that go plop at the first bite: textures that fit together, not just to catch attention, but to truly deliver flavor.

What stands out: much is deliberately labeled—lactose-free, no artificial dyes, organic. Whether you need it or not, the transparency is nice. Prices vary; between the simple cup and the small deluxe cup there is a difference of two to three euros. Not a scandal, but indeed a choice.

A bit of Palma everyday life

I like that there are still one or two small gelaterias that stay with classic stracciatella—nothing wrong with that. At the end of the day, it’s about ice cream that works: on a warm evening on a bench in front of the cathedral, with a conversation partner and the soft hum of mopeds in the background.

Conclusion: Ice cream in Palma has become versatile. There is the experimental, the traditional, and everything in between. If you're curious, take your time to walk a few streets and let yourself be surprised.