If you're currently in Budapest, we don't need to tell you that the city is in the midst of a brutal heat wave. But here are two hőhullám (and food) related items you might not have heard. One is that the animals in the Budapest Zoo are apparently doing fine, in part because the zookeepers are feeding them delicious-looking popsicles and other cooling nibbles (above; you can see a full gallery here). The other is that what was widely considered to be Budapest's best genuine Italian gelateria has shut down, probably for good.

If you never made it to Spaghetti Ice, which occupied a large storefront on Andrássy út near the state opera, you really missed it. At least in our opinion, the gelato and other icy goodies on offer were far and away the best in town, thanks to the monomaniacal efforts of the Italian owner who could often be seen plodding around the place in apron and kitchen clogs. Rumor had it that of Lorenzo (last name unknown) had been growing cold on the business for a while - even though business was apparently good - and realized that the ballooning rents on that stretch of Andrássy út meant that he could do better just selling the space. So he sold out, and a few weeks ago the windows were covered with the obligatory brown paper.

Our sources say that it is not certain that the new owners will turn the space into another one of the luxury goods shops popping up on the avenue, or if they plan to pick up where Lorenzo left off. Naturally, we hope they do the latter - and quick.