Carouge’s Dolce Vita

Pastel façades; almost secret inner courtyards adorned with palms recalling Ticino; the cheerful murmur of the terraces on the market square… Founded by the Kingdom of Sardinia in the 18th century and attached to Switzerland by the Treaty of Turin in 1816 (then a stronghold of Italian immigrants), the district of Carouge has preserved a unique charm, like an enchanting interlude…

Behind the arched doors of its old baroque buildings, with their beautiful period shutters, lie precious locales that are run by passionate artisans. These caretakers, through their craftsmanship, help perpetuate Carouge’s southern atmosphere.

Carouge’s famous ice-cream makers
Here, the name Manu Gelato is an institution. Upon leaving the market, one quickly comes upon this small shop and its unmissable queue of food lovers. Behind the window, refreshing sorbets are on display with Mediterranean flavours like lemon, mango, or the signature pineapple-basil, along with ice cream flavours boasting deep tasting notes like nocciola, Sicilian pistachio, or fig-ricotta… Of Italian origin, its founder, Emanuele Zanchi, sought to recreate the flavours of his childhood summers spent by the sea. When he left the world of stock trading in 2011 to don his maestro gelatiere apron, he had no idea of the success story that would follow — a success that’s, in part, rooted in the tenderness and nostalgia contained in his tubs.

A few steps away, a second crowd of sweet-toothed customers await in the shade of an Italian awning… On Rue Saint-Joseph, Gelatomania has been delighting Geneva residents for nearly twenty years with its original creations. Take, for example, the cup of peach and stracciatella. Or the bricelet topped with a generous scoop of grapefruit sorbet. The brand, founded in 1997 by Paolo Sottile (then taken over by three Swiss partners in 2020), regularly offers new flavours inspired by a broad Mediterranean palette. An ice cream with Middle Eastern labneh-honey notes, for instance, joined their range last summer… What surprise will they have in store this year?

Chocolaterie Rohr, an emblem of Genevan confectionery for more than 70 years, awaits us—quite literally—at the corner of Rue Vautier and Rue Roi-Victor-Amé. In addition to its famous Poubelles de Genève (“Genevan rubbish bins”, filled with creamy ganache), the shop also offers delicious frozen specialities in the form of artisan batons, ice-cream cookies or even cocktail-flavoured ice cups like mojito, doused with rum using a straw!

A village within the city
Southern-flavoured delights certainly do not stop at ice cream in this district of a thousand charms… A Spritz or delightful fresh pasta at Al Mercato will transport you elsewhere (without you ever having to leave!), while the pinze and arancini at Mizzica will remind you that true happiness lies in the simple pleasures of life. Enjoy brunch in the pretty, hidden courtyard of Cactus Café (“spicy, but not too much”) on Rue Ancienne for other sun-filled dishes in a lovely, calm setting.

Also, every Wednesday and Saturday morning, the famous Carouge market — the true soul of the district — envelops all within its scents of olives and flowers. On Thursdays, a street-food market unfolds at dusk, bringing together hipsters, foodies and aperitif lovers amongst the stalls offering oysters, wines and other mezzes… It’s all the ingredients one needs for a wonderfully gentle summer.