From Laura’s first experiments at home in St Albans to a growing family of parlours, Darlish has always been about heritage, curiosity and really good ice cream.
“Darlish started with a taste of home: saffron, rose and pistachio. The journey since has been about sharing those flavours, one small batch and one scoop at a time.”
Darlish began with Laura Dawson trying to recreate the saffron, rose and pistachio flavours she remembered from her Indian and Persian heritage. Persian ice cream traditions stretch back thousands of years and Laura wanted to bring that distinctive combination of floral, nutty and aromatic flavours to the British high street. The result was ice cream that felt rooted in tradition, but formulated for a British palate: distinctive, never overpowering.
Learn moreIn 2017, Laura started selling her small-batch ice cream at local markets and pop-ups around St Albans. People kept coming back and what began as an experiment became something much bigger. This gave Darlish its first customers, its first community and the confidence to take the next step.
Learn moreThe market stall git uograded to a brick and morter: the first Darlish parlour in St Albans. It made sense to put Darlish where it all started, giving customers somewhere to return to and creating a place where the full experience could come together. Today, the St Albans parlour remains closely connected to Darlish’s beginnings - and to the city that helped the idea grow.
Learn moreAs Darlish grew, so did the menu. The signature saffron, rose and pistachio flavour sits alongside familiar favourites such as Belgian chocolate, while more adventurous combinations have joined the range: tahini caramel, orange blossom and pistachio, cinnamon and date molasses, Turkish coffee and more. Then came the Baklava Ice Cream Sandwich - flaky, honey-sweet baklava wrapped around Darlish ice cream and now one of the brand’s best-loved creations.
Learn moreDarlish has grown from its original St Albans home into a growing footprint across London and Hertfordshire. Today, customers can find Darlish in locations including Spitalfields, Bloomsbury, St Albans and Hatfield House, with take-home tub delivery available around London locations. The setting changes, but the approach remains the same: small batches, carefully chosen ingredients and plenty of flavour.
While a single scoop of our ice cream is a memory in itself, there is a special joy in building something new.
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Darlish's new autumn/winter menu brings build-your-own Hot Sundaes, rose and pistachio hot chocolates and a saffron and honey hot milk. From 2nd October in Spitalfields, Bloomsbury, St Albans and Hatfield House.
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How a childhood craving for saffron, rose and pistachio ice cream grew from a Hertfordshire kitchen into Darlish, the UK's first Persian ice cream parlour - now a family business with six parlours. Read Laura's story.
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