Our story

It all began in the late 1980’s when Danny’s father, Robert, started up Badde Manors Cafe in Glebe, Sydney. He purchased an old Italian Carpigiani batch freezer and began experimenting with making gelato (it seemed like a natural extension of his love of Italian coffee and old Italian coffee machines). The results were at first encouraging and then spectacular.

So, many years and many tons of gelato later, Robert opened the Bellingen Gelato Bar. Since then the cafe has become an essential and happy part of the Bellingen community. Its success has been due in no small part to the dedication and care of Bruce Smith (and later Lee Formica) who moved to Bellingen to become the gelato man.

In 2012, Bellingen Gelato won the Grand Champion prize at the Royal Queensland Food and Wine Show, for its stewed plum sorbet. The winning flavour had been manufactured by Robert’s son Danny.

This success convinced Danny to dive in, and in January 2014 he joined Robert in opening Bellingen Gelato in Rozelle, Sydney. The new shop was a joint venture and so the baton was passed from father to son….

Sadly, Covid hit hard, and Danny had to make a choice between the two shops. His heart won out, and he finally made the move to Bellingen, marrying a local and bringing his new flavours and passion for gelato to this special, sleepy town.