Twenty seats in grandmother's old wool shop on Mumbles Road, the cabinet of sixteen, the bay out of the window and a bench outside
The parlour
The parlour on Mumbles Road: a cabinet of sixteen flavours, twenty seats at the window and the counter, a bench outside facing the bay, and the back room behind the glass where the ice cream is made. One scoop £3.20, two £4.80, three £6.20; dogs welcome with a free dog scoop; open every day in summer.
The parlour is the front half of the building that was Nain's wool shop for forty years: the same shelves along the left wall, now with the cones and the tubs on them, the same bay window, now with a bench in it, and the back room behind a glass wall where Ffion makes the ice cream so you can watch her do it.
The cabinet holds sixteen flavours, which is what fits, and the sixteen change every day by a rotation through the thirty-two we make so that every flavour has its days. The flavours page on this website shows today's sixteen with what is in them and whether they are vegan, gluten-free or nut-free, and it is the same list as the chalkboard over the counter. Ask for a taste of anything on a little spoon; ask for two tastes and Mali will ask you which you are leaning towards.
There are twenty seats: the window bench, four small tables and the counter stools, and the bench outside facing the bay is ours too. Dogs are welcome inside and get a free scoop of dog ice cream (banana and peanut, nut-free on request). The toilet is through the back and step-free; a changing table is in it. On a sunny Saturday the queue is out of the door from two and moves in about ten minutes, and tubs ordered ahead on the order page are collected from the end of the counter without queuing.
What is included
- Sixteen flavours from a rotation of thirty-two
- Tastes on a spoon, as many as you need
- Twenty seats and a bench facing the bay
- Dogs welcome, with a free dog scoop
- The back room behind glass
- Step-free, with a changing table
What it costs
One scoop £3.20, two £4.80, three £6.20, in a cup or a cone; a waffle cone 80p more; a dog scoop free. Sundaes from £7.50 and waffles from £8.50 at the table. The flavours page has today's sixteen with the vegan, gluten-free and nut-free ones marked; the cart page says whether your date is free.
Questions about the parlour
Why are only sixteen flavours on?
Because sixteen is what the cabinet holds and what the back room can make fresh every morning. The other sixteen are on the rotation and none is away for more than four days; the flavours page says when each is next in.
Can I bring the dog in?
Yes, and the dog gets a free scoop of the dog ice cream, which is banana and peanut (nut-free on request). Water bowl by the door.
Sixteen in the window today, and a tub ready in two hours.
The flavours page shows today's sixteen from the thirty-two with the vegan, gluten-free and nut-free ones marked. Order a tub to collect without queuing, book the striped cart for a wedding, or a place at the Saturday school, on one form.