Doppo, an artisanal ice cream shop that has quickly become one of the most iconic spots in downtown Coimbra, is preparing to open a new store in the Norton de Matos neighbourhood, marking an important step in its growth and establishment.
Founded in June 2022, Doppo has revolutionised the way ice cream is perceived in Cuiabá. With a selection that prioritises fresh, raw ingredients, Doppo’s artisanal ice cream is produced with technologically advanced equipment, ensuring maximum quality and flavour preservation. Master ice cream maker and founder Fernando Castelo Branco, with decades of experience in engineering and university teaching, focused on a clear vision: to create signature ice cream, where inspiration and seasonality are key.
Doppo’s menu features traditional flavours like Vanilla, Chocolate Fondant, Tiramisu, Cheesecake, and Salted Caramel, alongside seasonal creations that reflect the best of seasonal fruits and Fernando’s creativity. Doppo offers not only ice cream in cups or cones, but also ice cream on sticks (popsicles), ice cream cakes, pavlovas, and even ice cream served in Sicilian-style brioche buns.
Besides ice cream, Doppo is already a reference point for true coffee lovers. After three years of operation, Doppo decided to purchase green coffee and roast it on-site, carefully selecting it to ensure high-quality speciality coffee and maintaining an extensive coffee beverage menu. For tea lovers, the partnership with Companhia Portuguesa do Chá ensures a varied and high-quality offering.
After the consolidated success in Praça do Comércio, where Doppo helped revive downtown Coimbra, a new challenge and opportunity now arises.
Doppo in the Norton de Matos neighbourhood, which we will now call Doppo do Bairro, is a space born from the close collaboration between Fernando Castelo Branco and architect and interior designer Jacek Jan Jaskola.
The concept of the new store is inspired by the lightness and beauty of the Italian lifestyle—the famous la dolce vita—but with strong roots in Portuguese materials, in a perfect fusion of the two cultures. The space restores a beautiful original terrazzo floor and highlights elegant metal structures on the windows and doors, which were the starting point for a design focused on detail.
An original Murano chandelier came from Italy, discovered in an antique shop in Bologna, the city where Fernando learned to make artisanal ice cream, and the ice cream counter was chosen directly from the international ice cream fair in Rimini. Furniture and finishes showcase the best of Portugal, with countertops and shelves made of pink marble from Vila Viçosa and a counter covered in custom-made, handcrafted tiles, lending authenticity and elegance to the space. Polish artist Katarzyna Wójtowicz also created a vibrant, colourful illustration for the ceiling, a true explosion of summer and joy.
What also distinguishes this new Doppo is the expansion of its offerings. Artisanal ice cream remains the focus, with the same care taken in production and flavour selection, accompanied by the speciality coffee that has won so many followers. But what’s new is the introduction of a selection of Italian aperitifs, which will open up new opportunities for socialising in the neighbourhood.
Among the available options will be timeless classics such as the Campari Spritz and the Negroni. These aperitifs represent the natural extension of the Doppo concept, an invitation to share and socialise, celebrating life with the refinement and simplicity of Italian culture.
“Doppo has always been a space designed to celebrate life—a place where pleasure, sharing, and quality can be found. Now, in the Norton de Matos neighbourhood, we’re adding a new dimension to this experience, with appetisers that invite relaxed moments with friends, in an environment that combines the best of Italian and Portuguese culture,” says Fernando Castelo Branco.
“More than an ice cream shop, Doppo do Bairro aims to be a meeting point for the community, a place where design, ice cream, and socialising intersect in a celebration of la dolce vita. We want people to come here for ice cream, coffee, an appetiser, or simply to spend a pleasant moment in a meticulously designed environment with a strong cultural and aesthetic identity,” he continues.
With this new store, Doppo reinforces its commitment to Coimbra, its hometown, and to the quality that characterises the entire project. It’s also an invitation to discover a lighter, more beautiful, and more shared lifestyle — because Doppo is, above all, a space where life is celebrated, with a Portuguese touch and an Italian soul.
The new Doppo do Bairro opened on July 11th and is ready to welcome all those looking for a place where ice cream, coffee and now snacks are a true experience.
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