By ANNA USHER

Free gelato is coming to North Sydney this Saturday.

Anita Gelato has opened its first North Sydney store in the Victoria Cross precinct, and the first 500 customers on Saturday, 27 June will get a scoop on the house.

The store sits at 155 Miller Street, in the VicX laneways that have opened above North Sydney’s new Metro station.

It is the brand’s first shop in North Sydney. It joins a growing Sydney lineup that runs from Barangaroo to Bondi to Manly.

The free scoops start at 10am on Saturday and run until the first 500 are gone. After that, the store trades seven days a week from 10am until late.

Anita Gelato began as a family kitchen in Tel Aviv in 2002. It now has stores across Australia, New Zealand, Europe and North America, and is known to fans as La Mamma Del Gelato.

The pull is choice. The North Sydney store rotates more than 150 flavours, all handcrafted in store, plus frozen yoghurt with unlimited toppings, dessert cups and a big range of vegan, dairy-free and no-added-sugar options.

The opening is another win for Victoria Cross, the Lendlease precinct that has turned the old North Sydney commuter corner into a day-to-night food strip.

Anita joins a Miller Street lineup that already includes Mary’s, Sushi Hub, DOPA, Marrickville Pork Roll and McDonald’s.

“Anita is such a beloved brand, and having them open on Miller Street is a real indication of where this precinct is headed,” said Monique de Cseuz, Lendlease’s director of retail and place.

“We’re building something really special here and we can’t wait for North Sydney to have their very own Anita.”

Anita Gelato marketing manager Gisele Dussault said North Sydney was “evolving rapidly into a destination in its own right.”

“The community is vibrant, food-curious and always looking for quality experiences, and we believe Anita is a perfect fit for the precinct,” she said.

Get in early. When the first 500 scoops are gone, they’re gone.

The details

• What: Anita Gelato, now open
• Where: 155 Miller Street, Victoria Cross (VicX), North Sydney
• Free scoops: first 500 customers from 10am, Saturday 27 June
• Hours: seven days, 10am until late
• On offer: 150+ rotating flavours, frozen yoghurt with unlimited toppings, dessert cups, vegan, dairy-free and no-added-sugar options