AiFOKATO at The Exchange TRX
If you’re on the food side of Instagram, you’ve likely scrolled your way into reels of that viral Vivoli Affogato in Italy that even non-coffee drinkers are curious about. The one where warm espresso sits in a diamond-shaped hole carved with creamy vanilla gelato.
Singapore’s gelato and coffee chain, AiFOKATO, has brewed up a branch in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, bringing a piece of this Italian-loved affogato to The Exchange TRX.
Here’s a first look at what it has to offer, with an opening date set for 15th October 2026:
What is AiFOKATO?
There’s no hiding what AiFOKATO is all about. With its name a play on the words affogato and gelato, the Korean-inspired dessert shop from Singapore brings us affogato – that out-of-this-world pairing of coffee and gelato that just makes sense.
Going beyond just coffee and vanilla gelato, AiFOKATO offers DIY affogato (RM20). With four gelato flavours and three hot pour options, there are 12 possible combinations to try in case you get bored of the same old flavours.
Mix and match coffee, chocolate, or matcha with Madagascar vanilla, dark chocolate, Korean matcha, or pistachio gelato. A crumbly pistachio topping is offered as a free topping.
Baristas whip up the coffee dessert on the spot, so stand prepped with your cameras for IG-worthy shots of gelato being scooped and carved, and that final pour of warm liquid.
The affogato combinations at AiFOKATO in Malaysia
Madagascar Vanilla with Espresso
If you can only try one affogato combination from AiFOKATO, go for the Madagascar Vanilla with Espresso. The ratio of gelato to espresso sits at around 60% gelato to 40% espresso, with the fragrant and sweet vanilla gelato acting as a nice canvas for the bitter espresso to creep up on your taste buds.
Rating: 5/5
Chrystal, coffee fiend: “A classic combo you can’t go wrong with. 5/5.”
Mituna, coffee lover but allergic: “The espresso and vanilla mix gives a kind of chocolatey taste, which is nice and an appropriate amount of sweetness.”
Brooklyn, former barista: “You can’t go wrong with the original.”
Pistachio with Espresso
Pistachio is a favourite companion in desserts. But the combination of Pistachio and Espresso left more to be desired. While the espresso was nicely bitter, the pistachio gelato was cloyingly sweet and extremely rich – dessert lovers who are loyal to their not-too-sweet desserts might want to avoid this gelato flavour.
Rating: 3/5
Chrystal: “It’s nuts! Super sweet and buttery even through the bitter espresso.”
Mituna: “The espresso and pistachio mix gives a kind of chocolatey taste, which is nice and carries an appropriate amount of sweetness.”
Brooklyn: “Way too sweet for my Asian palate.”
Korean Matcha with Chocolate
Matcha and chocolate sounds like it would make a superb pairing. Two tastefully rich and full-bodied ingredients finally meeting their match should have no wrongs. But the Korean Matcha and Chocolate presented a curious tug-of-war of flavours.
The matcha gelato had earthy and bitter notes, with the viscous hot chocolate leaning heavily on the bitter side too. The result was like a pairing of two dancers with zero chemistry – a battle between who wants to get the flavour spotlight, with no clear winner.
Rating: 2/5
Chrystal: “I taste the earth and the dirt, but I’m here for it.”
Mituna: “The chocolate in this one tasted good because it was sweet and not too decadent.”
Brooklyn: “Doing too much and nothing all at once.”
Dark Chocolate with Matcha
Image credit: AiFOKATO
If you’re wondering whether a flavour swap in the hot pour and gelato would drastically alter the taste of the affogato at AiFOKATO, our answer would be not really.
The Dark Chocolate with Matcha was just as decadent – perhaps just a tad more tea-forward – with the chocolate gelato providing a sweet and bitter base, and the hot matcha pour bringing more bitter notes to the mix. The texture in this drink might not be for everyone, too. Once cooled down, the drink seems to melt into something that resembles concrete paste.
Rating: 2/5
Chrystal: “Super decadent. A chocolate-heavy flavour that pairs well with the earthy matcha taste.”
Mituna: “Super heavy chocolate and matcha taste. The viscosity of the gelato is too thick for the flavours to complement each other.”
Brooklyn: “Flavours don’t make any sense, way too thick texturally.”
Viral diamond-shaped affogato lands in Malaysia
While the affogato at AiFOKATO can be a pricey affair for some, the artisanal quality of the gelato and coffee stands out. Patrons can also build their own custom affogato combinations, which makes the new dessert shop in town a spot where even non-coffee people can find an affogato to their liking.
Address: C.56.0, Level Concourse, Persiaran TRX, Tun Razak Exchange, 55188 Kuala Lumpur
Opening hours: 10am-10pm, Daily
Contact: AiFOKATO Instagram
Also read: i’m donut?: Pillowy Doughnuts From Japan Now In Malaysia At The Exchange TRX
Cover image adapted from: TheSmartLocal Malaysia
Photography by Brooklyn.
The post AiFOKATO: DIY Affogato With 12 Combinations Now At The Exchange TRX appeared first on TheSmartLocal Malaysia – Travel, Lifestyle, Culture & Language Guide.