{"id":44295,"date":"2025-07-31T14:48:59","date_gmt":"2025-07-31T12:48:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mallorcacaprice.com\/?p=44295"},"modified":"2025-07-31T14:48:59","modified_gmt":"2025-07-31T12:48:59","slug":"interview-riccardo-falcone-rivareno-mallorca","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mallorcacaprice.com\/en\/interview-riccardo-falcone-rivareno-mallorca\/","title":{"rendered":"Interview with Riccardo Falcone, from Rivareno: “If you have quality ingredients and don\u2019t skimp, people will notice”"},"content":{"rendered":"

In 2025, it will be ten years since Riccardo Falcone opened his first Rivareno gelateria in Palma, in Pla\u00e7a de la Llotja, where long queues of residents and tourists eager to taste the creamy texture that defines his gelato have become a common sight. That creaminess has placed Rivareno among the island\u2019s favorites. Mallorca Caprice interviews Falcone as part of the feature on ice cream in Mallorca included in the Mallorca Caprice guide<\/strong><\/a> 2025\u20132026.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"ricardo<\/p>\n

– How did you end up in Mallorca?<\/b> <\/b> – I spent 17 or 18 years coming here on vacation because I loved the island and the sea. I was living in Milan and thought: “Why not move here?” I already had gelaterias in Italy, even though I was working in political communication and election campaigns.<\/span><\/p>\n

– Where does the name Rivareno come from?<\/b> <\/b> – Everything started in the city of Bologna, Italy. Although there, it had a different name: La Funivia (the funicular), because it opened in an old warehouse where the funicular to the Colle di San Luca used to operate. That\u2019s where it all began, in what became one of Bologna\u2019s most famous gelaterias. But using that same name outside the city wouldn\u2019t have made sense. Still, the new name is very much tied to Bologna. Rivareno comes from the Reno River, which runs through the city, and from <\/span>Via Riva di Reno<\/span><\/i>, one of its busiest streets. That\u2019s why all Italians who see the name ask: \u201cIs it from Bologna?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

– Have you noticed any changes in consumer habits over this decade?<\/b> <\/b> – A lot, especially from local residents. At first, it was more difficult \u2014 we worked well with tourists, but locals didn\u2019t come by La Llotja so often. They thought it was an expensive area with low quality. Gradually, they got to know us, and now we work a lot with residents too.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"rivareno<\/p>\n

– Is there a big difference between summer and winter?<\/b> <\/b> – It\u2019s like night and day. In winter, we sell just 5% to 10% of what we do in summer. If the weather is nice, we sell a bit more, but some days we could stay closed and nothing would happen.<\/span><\/p>\n

– Cup or cone?<\/b> <\/b> – Always fifty-fifty, there\u2019s no clear preference.<\/span><\/p>\n

– What is Rivareno\u2019s best-selling flavor?<\/b> <\/b> – This store makes between 60 and 70 kilos of pistachio gelato every summer day. It\u2019s our top seller. People walk in and say, \u201cPistachio, pistachio, pistachio\u2026\u201d It\u2019s a very popular flavor, but what sets us apart is how much pistachio we use. Instead of 5% and coloring, we use three to four times more raw material and avoid any coloring. Pistachio is the main ingredient \u2014 it gives the gelato its flavor. There are no tricks in gelato: if you use quality ingredients and don\u2019t cut corners, it shows. We make fresh gelato daily, never sell leftovers from the day before, and we put it back through the machine. Plus, we store it at a temperature that rarely drops below -10 \u00b0C. Other places keep it at -16 or -18 \u00b0C, but you can\u2019t taste anything at that temperature. We want our customers to really enjoy it. Gelato must be cold, yes, but not *that* cold. And we always aim for creaminess.<\/span><\/p>\n

– What are the most surprising flavors?<\/b> <\/b> – One of our specialties, <\/span>Cremino Rivareno<\/span><\/i>, has been a big hit. It\u2019s similar to <\/span>Kinder Bueno<\/span><\/i>. We also have Nutella, <\/span>Contessa<\/span><\/i>, which includes lots of <\/span>amaretto<\/span><\/i> cookie\u2026 we have so many.<\/span><\/p>\n

– Any flavors inspired by Mallorca?<\/b> <\/b> – We work a lot with seasonal and local fruit. In summer, we use Mallorca\u2019s fig, which is exquisite. Also strawberries from Vilafranca or Manacor \u2014 when they\u2019re at their peak, they\u2019re amazing.<\/span><\/p>\n

– Are your gelatos artisanal?<\/b> <\/b> – \u201cArtisanal\u201d is a word I don\u2019t like using. Many claim to be \u201cartisanal,\u201d but it\u2019s subjective. You could say we make artisanal gelato, yes. Others do too, but they use chemicals, hydrogenated fats, triglycerides, artificial coloring\u2026 and still call it \u201cartisanal.\u201d Or they say \u201cnatural ice cream.\u201d Why? Because they use milk and fruit? Same logic: if you\u2019re adding fat, chemicals, coloring\u2026 what\u2019s natural about it? We\u2019re very clear: we use no artificial coloring or hydrogenated fats. That\u2019s essential to us.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"helado<\/p>\n

– Is it true that gelato should be covered?<\/b> <\/b> – Yes, it must be covered. First, for hygiene. Second, because it\u2019s the oldest and most efficient system in gelato-making \u2014 it helps maintain the right temperature. We\u2019re used to seeing \u201cmountains\u201d of gelato, especially in tourist spots. I don\u2019t even want to know what\u2019s inside those\u2026 Covered means quality and hygiene.<\/span><\/p>\n

– Do you have options for new dietary needs?<\/b> <\/b> – We make many vegan and lactose-free products. In the Italian gelato school, every gelato maker learns how to make creams and sorbets. Many people confuse sorbet with something watery, but no \u2014 it\u2019s simply gelato made with water instead of milk. The texture is so similar that customers don\u2019t believe it when they try it. And those who are lactose intolerant or vegan can enjoy our pistachio and chocolate in vegan versions. Plus, sorbets have a more intense flavor. That said, gelato is creamier in texture.<\/span><\/p>\n

– Are they healthy? Do you offer sugar-free gelato?<\/b> <\/b>– In the last 2\u20133 years, I\u2019ve been asked a lot about sugar-free gelato. And I usually hand them an ice cube \u2014 just kidding \u2014 because sugar is almost a defining ingredient in gelato. People have tried using stevia, but for me, it\u2019s not comparable. Maybe someday it will work, but for now, you can\u2019t make good gelato without sugar. Another interesting aspect is air. All gelato contains air. Some shops use hydrogenated fats and <\/span>overrun<\/span><\/i> machines that inject even more air \u2014 like McDonald\u2019s ice cream, which is mostly chemicals and air, with very little actual ingredients. Our gelato contains lots of milk and quality ingredients \u2014 it\u2019s intense. We sell by weight, not volume. A liter filled with air looks big but has little substance. We weigh our gelato like ham, cheese, or meat. Many people don\u2019t realize the difference \u2014 it can be up to 25%. The most curious test you can do is let your gelato melt. Ours melts quickly because it has no chemicals. It\u2019s a natural process. If another one doesn\u2019t melt\u2026 you have to ask: Why? Because of hydrogenated fats and chemicals.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"rivareno<\/p>\n

– Do you have any new flavors in mind?<\/b> <\/b>– We\u2019re always developing something. Right now, for example, we\u2019re working on <\/span>Rafael<\/span><\/i> and <\/span>Cheesecake<\/span><\/i>, which we just launched. We keep a close eye on seasonal fruits, and we always offer the classic flavors too.<\/span><\/p>\n

– What\u2019s your creation process like?<\/b> <\/b>– We use the winter months to experiment. In January, Rimini hosts the world\u2019s biggest gelato fair. You can try new products there and get ideas. We are a gelateria, and I\u2019ve always liked gelato as a dessert, something sweet. I\u2019m not into experimenting with savory flavors. A restaurant might do that to accompany a dish, sure, but not us. When it\u2019s sweet, we can do anything.<\/span><\/p>\n

– How would you describe the taste of Rivareno in one spoonful?<\/b> <\/b>– Intense. I think when you try it, you\u2019ll see \u2014 if you order pistachio, it tastes like pistachio. In fruit sorbets, we always use more than 50% fruit. Our granita contains over 50% of strawberry, mango, or lemon. And that makes a difference. Sometimes you try a gelato and only get cold and sugar. With that much cold, you can\u2019t enjoy the flavor \u2014 it\u2019s numbing. We serve at a warmer temperature than the competition. And I\u2019m now in love with our new preservation system. Each flavor has its own ideal temperature. That used to be a problem \u2014 and still is for many gelaterias that only have one temperature bar. Being able to adjust the temperature for each flavor based on its sugar or milk fat percentage is essential. We no longer have that issue, and I\u2019m very happy about it.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In 2025, it will be ten years since Riccardo Falcone […]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":44283,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[136],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-44295","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog-en"],"yoast_head":"\nInterview with Riccardo Falcone, from Rivareno ice cream Mallorca - Mallorca Caprice<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Riccardo Falcone, owner of Rivareno in Mallorca, says: "If you have quality ingredients and don't skimp, people will notice".\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/mallorcacaprice.com\/en\/interview-riccardo-falcone-rivareno-mallorca\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Interview with Riccardo Falcone, from Rivareno ice cream Mallorca - 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