The Taste Bud

Lo and behold, the ice cream kings of Namibia!

Established in 2017 by co-founders Silas Bronkhorst and Luan Badenhorst, The Taste Bud is a local artisan confectionery bar specialising in fried ice cream rolls. You might remember the tantalising flavours and entertaining preparation from their first location in Grove Mall. But if you haven’t yet spotted their ice cream truck at weekend markets or their weekday location at Cycledelic, run, don’t walk!

Trained under the guidance of YouTube tutorials, the Taste Bud team has perfected their self-taught art. Customers pick a base flavour (chocolate or vanilla) and a mix from the wide selection of Oreo, strawberry, brownie or Raffaello, to name a few. The ice cream custard is drizzled onto a sub-zero stainlesssteel plate and chopped, scraped and swirled at a rapid pace while incorporating the decadent mix. Once the ice cream mixture is sufficiently stirred and you are properly mesmerised, they spread it out flat on the plate, giving the confectionery a last blast chill. With a scraping tool the ice cream is chiselled from the plate in long gradual rolls and placed upright in a cup. As if it couldn’t get any better, you can top the whole shebang with sprinkles and sauces to your liking.

Working to include popsicles and gelato in their offering, The Taste Bud is constantly coming up with new ways to bring the joy of ice cream to the Namibian masses. They’ve recently begun offering whey protein as a mix so you can get your gains while delighting in the decadence. During winter months Taste Bud serves waffles with their signature ice cream rolls, and you can even add a shot of booze like Kahlua and Malibu to spruce up the already delicious treat.

Temperatures are bound to soar this summer, reaching their peak in December. Look no further – The Taste Bud will be your retreat from the heat. They’ve secured a spot at the Food Lover’s Market in Swakopmund, so your holiday at the coast simply must include a (daily) stop at the ice cream truck.

Next time you’re planning an event, no matter the size of the crowd, The Taste Bud can rock up with their sleek black mobile and cater the confectionery for your esteemed guests.

Find The Taste Bud on Instagram @thetastebudnam, at their weekday location in front of Cycledelic, 20 Andimba Toivo-ya-Toivo Street, or by contacting Silas at 0817725677.

Charene Labuschagne