You don’t need to head to Italy or the United States for world-class ice cream. One of the best gelatos on the planet can be found in Puerto de la Cruz, where master ice cream maker Alfredo Marrero has been making a name for himself at Menester.
His signature flavour, Origen Cacao, recently earned a place among the world’s top 12 gelatos at the Gelato Festival World Masters 2026 in Las Vegas. Not bad for a creation coming out of Tenerife.
Chocolate, taken rather seriously
Origen Cacao isn’t simply chocolate ice cream with a fancy name. Marrero has built it around a bean-to-bar approach, paying attention to the entire process, from selecting the cocoa beans to producing the finished gelato.
There’s plenty going on in the texture department, too. The recipe includes a crispy rice flour streusel, chocolate cake and a cacao nib tuile. Even the skin of the cocoa pod gets involved, being used during freezing to bring out more of the aroma.
It’s a fairly involved process for something most of us would happily eat straight from the tub. But clearly, it works.
The recognition in Las Vegas puts Menester firmly on the international gelato map, with the quality of its ingredients and its distinctive approach to chocolate helping set it apart.
More than just chocolate
There’s plenty to choose from at Menester beyond its award-winning flavour. The menu includes milhojas, timba, pistachio, mango and vanilla, alongside changing flavours that make use of local ingredients.
One worth trying is banana and gofio, which brings together two familiar Canarian favourites. It’s a reminder that good gelato doesn’t always need imported ingredients or Italian inspiration. Sometimes the best ideas are sitting right on the doorstep.
Menester also serves ice lollies that can be dipped into a selection of chocolates, as well as the usual tubs and cones. The gelatos are gluten-free, too.
Where to find Menester
Menester is in Puerto de la Cruz and opens daily from 11:30am until 11pm.
If you’re in the north of Tenerife and fancy something a little better than the usual holiday ice cream, it sounds well worth a visit. And if Origen Cacao is still available, that would seem a sensible place to start.