Italian heritage brings iconic coffee dish to Melbourne – BeanScene

Square affogato has been a social media sensation for years. Typically, it’s been limited to the streets of Florence, but now three iconic brands have joined forces to bring it to Melbourne.

The Italian influence on Australia’s coffee culture can be seen everywhere, whether that’s in the style of coffee, heritage equipment brands, the vibe of a café, or any manner of other small but noticeable things.

Now, a dish made famous by an iconic Italian business is set to make its long-awaited debut in Melbourne thanks to an exciting collaboration between three brands that hold their roots in Italy.

Square affogato has been a staple on the menu of Florence gelateria Vivoli for decades, and it has become world famous in the modern social media age. Finally, you won’t need to be walking the streets of Firenze to try it.

La Pavoni has partnered with Australian gelateria Piccolina and Melbourne coffee roaster ST. ALi to bring the dessert Down Under for the first time. The famously squared off edges of ice cream and hot espresso shot poured into the centre of a pre-chilled dish will be available in all eight of Piccolina’s locations and ST ALi’s South Melbourne café during August.

Head of La Pavoni Australia Leon Wolf says the historic Italian manufacturer’s lever coffee machines are perfectly placed to craft a top-tier affogato experience.

“For an affogato, the espresso must be bold, rich, and smooth – not overpowering, but full of character,” says Leon. “The manual lever system allows the barista to control pressure and flow with precision, extracting a beautifully balanced shot that pairs perfectly with artisan gelato.

“There’s something timeless about a La Pavoni lever machine – the ritual, the control, the craftsmanship. Hand-built in Milan, these iconic machines bring Italian flair not just to their design but also in the espresso they produce.”

The limited-edition La Pavoni Cellini Mini in matte white will feature in Piccolina stores for the duration of the partnership, with the staff using the machines to craft the dessert.

Leon says the Cellini Mini perfects the balance between the craftsmanship of La Pavoni and the ease of use required to produce quality espresso for the square affogato at scale.

“The Cellini Mini is a single-boiler machine built for those who appreciate both design and performance. It delivers consistent, full-bodied espresso with a velvety crema, which is ideal for the perfect affogato,” he says.

While La Pavoni’s machines have been handmade in Italy for well over 100 years, partnered brands Piccolina and ST. ALi don’t have to go back so far to trace their roots there.

Piccolina was started by Sandra Foti, who named the brand after the nickname given to her by her grandmother – meaning ‘little one’. Now, it has grown to eight locations where it sells its traditional, Italian-style gelato in a range of flavours.

ST. ALi was founded in a South Melbourne warehouse in 2005 before Salvatore Malatesta took the reins in 2008. Having cut his teeth in his family’s pizza and pasta shop as a child, then opening his first café at Melbourne University in the late 1990s, Sal was an early leader in what would become Melbourne’s specialty coffee boom.

ST. ALi CEO Lachlan Ward says the use of the roaster’s Italo Disco beans further aligns the Italian heritage of the partnership to provide a more authentic experience for the customer.

“The Italian-style espresso made by Italo Disco creates a perfect contrast and melts into the sweetness of gelato. It brings balance and is the obvious fit,” says Lachlan.

“What excites me about this is the chance to bring something so iconic into a new context. Not to change it, but to celebrate it.

“There’s heritage at the heart of this collaboration. Doing it alongside Piccolina and La Pavoni, who both understand the craft and the culture, just made it feel right.”

Sandra experienced the legendary Vivoli affogato firsthand while visiting Florence earlier this year, and was immediately inspired to bring its magic back to Australia.

“This is Vivoli’s story. We’re simply paying homage to something brilliant that moved us. We fell in love with it, and we wanted to recreate the experience, with the same care, respect, and joy for gelato and coffee lovers here in Melbourne,” says Sandra.

“We love what ST. ALi brings to this collaboration. Their dedication to coffee craftsmanship mirrors our passion for authentic gelato, and together we’re creating something truly special for Melbourne.

“This is not a reinvention, it’s not a remix. It’s a tribute from us from one corner of the world to another.”

Leon says the ability for La Pavoni to partner with other innately Italian brands on meaningful projects such as this contributes to its desire to continue building on its unique heritage.

“By aligning with other Italian icons, whether that’s in coffee, food, fashion, or design, La Pavoni reinforces its place within a broader heritage of excellence,” says Leon.

“These partnerships celebrate a shared commitment to artisanship, authenticity, and quality without compromise.

“Every partnership becomes an opportunity to showcase Italian culture. La Pavoni, as the original espresso machine, is proud to stand at the centre of it. Together we’re not just creating an affogato, we’re creating an experience. One that blends the old world and the new, Italian heritage and Australian innovation.”

Lachlan says the alignment of the three brands on the creation of a high-quality product will be obvious to the customers who are lucky enough to try square affogato in August.

“This collaboration came about so organically because it’s three brands that genuinely care about the details and the experience. There’s real Italian heritage running through all three, and that comes through in the execution,” he says.

Melbourne has typically been lauded as the coffee capital of Australia. Although, that title is now being challenged by Sydney while other cities and towns around the country are expanding their own café cultures.

Lachlan believes Melbourne is the ideal setting to launch square affogato because of the alignment of all three brands.

“Melbourne just gets it,” says Lachlan. “We appreciate the good stuff and have a hunger to try new things. People know when something is done properly and call it out when it’s not.

“This collaboration works because each brand shares a deep respect for quality, authentic ingredients, and the joy of sharing something beautiful in the way Italians do best. It’s more than a product: it’s passion, provenance, and a perfectly balanced affogato.”

For Leon, Melbourne perfectly blends coffee’s heritage with the innovation needed to bring a dessert such as the square affogato to its streets.

“Launching the square affogato in Melbourne makes perfect sense – it’s a city that embraces innovation but demands authenticity,” he says.

“It’s where modern coffee roasting, Italian espresso tradition, and artisanal gelato can come together in a way that feels natural, elevated, and exciting.”

Square affogato will be available in Piccolina’s eight locations during August, as well as ST. ALi’s South Melbourne café from 4 to 10 August. Any available flavour of ice cream will be able to be paired with the espresso shot made on the La Pavoni Cellini Mini with ST. ALi’s Italo Disco beans. 

For more information, visit au.lapavoni.com

This article appears in the August 2025 edition of BeanScene. Subscribe HERE.