Morelli’s supposedly serves the city’s best ice cream, so we set out for south Atlanta. This is an ice cream parlor on the fringes, residing in a low-traffic strip mall. Order at the window and sit on the outdoor patio, just like you would at a Dairy Queen. Thankfully, the ice cream was decidedly more regal due to Brazilian-born artisan Clarissa Morelli.

Flavors change seasonally. During our visit, Morelli’s offered 14 options, available in a cone, cup or waffle cone. They also have shakes and sundaes with names like Dirt n’ Worms.

It took serious restraint to limit myself to a “single” waffle cone ($3.89), which still allowed for two flavors. My sweet sample of Georgia peach was tempting, but not didn’t hold as much sway as coconut-jalapeño or sweet potato pie. Morelli’s coconut-jalapeño ice cream really brought the heat, with a sweet shredded coconut body, followed by a fiery finish from the jalapeño flecks. For my second scoop, it really was like eating sweet potato pie, with an earthy tuber sweetness. As for the texture, there was no mistaking Morelli’s ice cream for gelato; this was rich and comforting cream.

Fresh waffle cones rest near the ordering window and certainly warrant attention. Their micro-thin rims are dipped in chocolate and studded with ingredients like rainbow sprinkles, crushed peanuts, shredded coconut and my choice, pulverized Graham cracker.

Morelli’s wasn’t quite as inventive as ice cream parlors Scoops or Humphry Slocombe, and they get one demerit for limiting their interactions to a sliding window, but it’s still a must-visit stop on any Atlanta eating tour.