Founded by Chelsea football legend Gianfranco Zola and with its roots in Bologna, the Italian capital of gelato, Unico Gelato & Caffè has become a firm favourite amongst London foodies since its opening last summer.

Following a successful launch in November 2015 which saw crowds of gelato lovers and football fans alike gathering in front of the store’s windows, this cosy parlour has brought something unique to the South London food scene.

History

Unico began life in Bologna, renowned for its cuisine and the city of authentic Italian gelato. By combining the finest Italian ingredients with locally sourced milk and fruit, Unico brings a new concept to London and is changing the way people enjoy this classic Italian dessert.

Made in store every day by expert chefs, Unico’s gelato is prepared without any preservatives or additives. Unico chefs personally select the ripest fruit from local producers to ensure the right level of sweetness without adding large amounts of sugar. Milk, cream, eggs and sugar are also locally sourced, meaning that Unico’s frozen creations are always fresh in addition to being a more natural alternative to mass-produced ice cream.

But enough talking, let’s see what Gianfranco Zola has to say about this lovely parlour and his love for ice cream.

Interview

A football icon and one of the best Italian footballers ever, why did you choose to open an Ice Cream parlour?

‘When I was at the highest point of my career, I was offered many times to open restaurants or other businesses here in London. I always declined these offers because I was not interested in opening a business, but rather something that I was really passionate about, and that is ice cream. With the help of my business partner, who is a great connoisseur of ice cream, we decided to create the best and most delicious flavours in London.’

Why in Bromley and not Central London?

‘Me and my business partner both live in Bromley, so we thought that it would be too difficult for us to keep traveling to Central London to eat some good ice cream. Also, Bromley has been voted as one of the happiest boroughs in London and has been in constant development in the past few years, so we are confident that more and more people will come here to try our “gelato”.’

Which are your favourite flavours and why?

I am a big cream lover, and my favourite flavours have always been fiordilatte and chocolate. But since we have opened Unico, I have become a big fan of Pistachio, Cremino and of the Magic Box flavor, a cream made of Pine nuts.

Magic Box is the nickname you were given while playing at Chelsea, your fans will be happy you named your favourite ice cream flavour this way.

‘I’m sure they are, and they should definitely come to Unico to try it. If I tell you what I did back in the day when I once run out of magic box, you wouldn’t believe me.’

Now I’m sure that all your fans are dying to know!

‘Me and my business partner have a house in Olbia, Sardinia, and one day during the summer we ran out of ice cream. We were really desperate, so we decided to fly with one of our friend’s helicopter to Bologna and back to buy 35kg of magic box ice cream. It was a 6-hour trip, and it was totally worth it!’

Why does Unico have the best ice cream in London?

‘Our ice cream is very appreciated because it’s made with the best fresh products on the market and we have a very high attention to detail. It is made everyday in our shop and therefore is always fresh and creamy. Also, the service is always spot on and our customers always come back as they know they will be treated in a special way at Unico.’

Unico claims that they have the best espresso coffee in London, what makes it so special?

‘The espresso is really nice as we receive our coffee from Terzi, a company based in Bologna that obtains its coffee from small handcrafted businesses around the world, and only chooses the best. Our amazing waiters have received a special training in order to make the most delicious coffee in London. The cappuccino is really creamy and people from all around London have started to appreciate its quality.’

What are Unico’s plans for the future?

‘In our Bromley store we are working hard to create the perfect ice cream for our customers. Moving to Central London is a big challenge and when we feel that we are ready, we will certainly think about expanding.’

Thank you very much Gianfranco for all this insight on Unico. Now we have some questions from our readers for you.

What is your favourite area of London and why?

‘Back when I played for Chelsea, I used to live in Lowndes Square in Knightsbridge. I was totally in love with Hyde Park, it is where I used to bring my children when they were little.’

What is your favourite Italian restaurant in London and why?

‘This is a really difficult question, but my favourite ones have to be Zafferano, Sartori – a pizzeria in Great Portland Street – and San Lorenzo, to which I am really attached.’

What is your ideal day in London?

‘My ideal day today is very simple. I would get the train from Bromley to Victoria station, and then I would walk to Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square with my wife and grab a bite to eat at Sartori. After lunch we would go for a long walk in Hyde Park before my wife decides to spend all our money in Old Bond Street and Oxford Street!’