There’s never a wrong time to indulge in ice cream in Bahrain.

Even in the cooler months, temperatures hover in the 70s and 80s. While it’s easy to gravitate toward familiar names like Baskin Robbins or Marble Slab Creamery for a taste of home, the newly opened Scoop Creamery boutique gelateria in the Markets of Saar offers a far more memorable adventure.

It steps away from predictable flavors and serves inventive creations like an umami-packed sea salt chocolate interwoven with Bahraini za’atar and ribbons of Jordanian olive oil.

The sea salt vanilla bean gelato will surprise those seeking something classic yet elevated. There’s nothing safe or boring about vanilla here. It was generously salty yet sweet enough to strike a perfect balance. I’d never tasted a salted vanilla base like this before.

It felt brave and sophisticated — and I could not stop shoveling spoonfuls into my mouth, knowing I had five more flavors waiting.

Alya Al-Ammari is the visionary behind this gelato shop. She used to work as an analytical chemist for a major energy company in the Persian Gulf.

Armed with a chemistry degree and a specialized education in gelato-making from the renowned Carpigiani Gelato University in Bologna, Italy, she seamlessly combines her scientific background with her passion for gelato.

It brought to mind the idea of kismet, how each choice we make, even those seemingly unrelated at the time, guides us to where we’re meant to be. Wearing a lab coat was part of the journey. Dessert, in its own way, is a form of science, a delicate balance of precision and creativity.

What began in 2023 as a hobby in Al-Ammari’s kitchen, where she crafted ice cream for friends and family, quickly turned into a full-fledged business venture.

Without major investors or prior experience in running a small business, Al-Ammari relied on her network of friends, many of whom have backgrounds in engineering and architecture. Over six weeks, they transformed a vacant lot into her dream shop in a genuine DIY effort.

Because of its slow churning process, gelato has a smoother, denser texture than ice cream. But if the treat’s texture alone isn’t enough to tempt you to visit Scoop, the bespoke flavors likely will.

The lineup rotates weekly and is announced on Scoop’s Instagram page. As an example, one set of flavors recently included toasted milk, buttered croissant, Laban and date, grapefruit and raspberry sorbet and cinnamon roll.

During one visit, the shop also served a caprese gelato. It had a burrata base along with a balsamic-macerated cherry tomatoes and a bright green basil drizzle.

Even with that variability in varieties, though, some flavors are mainstays. These include the aforementioned sea salt chocolate and zaatar as well as tiramisu.

I was invited to sample each flavor with a small spoon before choosing six mini scoops, similar to a tasting flight or kid-sized portions.

The stars were the cardamom creme brulee and the mandarin and mint. A fresh batch of the creme brulee was just pulled from the freezer, its surface perfectly torched to create a caramelized shell. Shards of burnt caramel were folded into the gelato, with a few extra pieces carefully placed on top.

Every bite had a satisfying crunch, balancing the custard and the caramelization. The cardamom added depth. I highly recommend it if it ever returns to the menu.

I concluded with the mandarin and mint, which acted as both a palate cleanser and a refreshing contrast to the more decadent, denser flavors I had. It reminded me of a mojito, yet far more interesting; each bite contained mandarin chunks.

I appreciated that the fruit wasn’t pureed to the point where its texture disappeared. If you enjoy pulp in your orange juice, you’ll love this sorbet.

The menu often features sorbets with distinctive combinations like pomegranate and orange blossom, watermelon, peach and basil, and a refreshing lime and ginger infused with a bright green chili for a hint of heat.

Scoop offers pints via online ordering and delivery, but I recommend visiting in person like I did so you can experience its gelato creations without having to worry that they’ll melt on the way to you.

Though I wish Scoop were closer, the distance could very well be a blessing in disguise. Otherwise, I’d likely be there every week sampling the new flavors.

Ice cream isn’t exactly daily health food, but a little extra happiness in life doesn’t hurt. With that in mind, I’ll continue to scream for ice cream but sing for gelato, faithful to Scoop until I depart this island.

Scoop Creamery

Address: Avenue 57 Block 481, Shop 11 Bldg. 34, Shakhurah, Bahrain

Hours: Monday through Thursday, 1-9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday,12-9 p.m.; closed Sunday

Cost: Flight of six flavors, 9BD ($23).

Information: Online: scoop-creamery.com; scoopcreamery.myshopify.com; @scoop_creamery