Ice Creamery Cafe

Ice Creamery Cafe is a casual stop within Penny Royal, near the mouth of the Cataract Gorge and just on the edge of Launceston’s CBD. It serves takeaway ice creams, toasted sandwiches, espresso coffee and cold drinks, with a small eat-in area featuring benches and stools under shelter. The cafe also stocks a broad range of Penny Royal souvenirs, making it useful for a quick break while exploring the wider attraction.

Ice cream is the main draw. The cafe offers more than 15 flavours of ice cream and sorbets, including mix-ins built around raspberry, blackberry and strawberry combinations. The Valhalla ice cream range is made with fresh Tasmanian cream and local fruit, with the site describing a rich, smooth style that reflects its Tasmanian ingredients. For something savoury, the toasted sandwich selection includes cheese, ham and cheese, and chicken and cheese. Coffee choices include flat whites, cappuccinos and lattes.

The setting is closely tied to Penny Royal’s unusual mix of food, drink and adventure. The complex sits beside an illuminated rock wall, cliff walk and waterfall, while the broader site includes activities such as zip lines, rock climbing, a cliff jump, gold panning, gemstone fossicking and barge and boat experiences. That makes the cafe a practical place to pause before or after an activity, or to sit down with an ice cream while taking in the surrounds. Entry into the complex itself is free, although the cafe is part of a larger paid-attraction environment.

The ice cream offering has a longer history than the current Penny Royal complex, with the site noting that it has been crafting ice cream since 1989. Penny Royal itself has roots reaching back to its original opening in 1979, followed by a major redevelopment led by JAC Group after its 2014 purchase and a reopening in 2016. Today, Ice Creamery Cafe suits families and visitors spending time at Penny Royal, as well as anyone after a straightforward coffee, toastie or Tasmanian ice cream in a distinctive Launceston location. The sheltered bench seating also gives solo visitors and small groups somewhere to take a short break.