Those who travel to Milan simply must visit a little pasticceria-gelateria on Via Cesare Cantù. Passerini was founded in 1919 – and everything about it spells bella vita. Imagine walking by, restless traveler, feeling a bit under the weather, and looking for a treat to sweeten your day, not really knowing which treat, or where to stop. You window shop.
Then here it is, the famous Italian gelato, the distant relative of modern ice cream, a creamy temptation displayed under the crystal-clear glass of a refrigerator. You look, enjoy the colors, yet cannot decide to go in.
Because Paserini is not in any travel guide, and no, they don't even have a website.
You don’t know the venue, there are no tourist reviews on your iPhone, you can only trust what you see. Inside old, elegant ladies enjoying fruit desserts. Families with children, smiling happily.
And while you are still at the door, looking at the colorful display of creams, a waiter comes along, asking, 'Would you like a gelato? Or perhaps, you just want to rest for a while?'
That’s what you want. Your legs tell you, after exploring the center of the town, the magnificent Duomo, the gallerias the the shops: you just want to rest. So you enter, you sit at a table, and the waiter brings you a bottle of aqua minerale con gas. Cold. Fresh. Just what you needed. Then you want a gelato. Because you feel at home, you feel like you belong.
If you already had gelato elsewhere in Milan, you know: the city knows ice cream. It’s always good, creamy, delicious – a sweet delight, that lifts up your spirit every time. Just when you thought it cannot get any better, Passerini offers the ultimate taste, accompanied by flawless service. Your maitre d’, Robi Schurk, combines the best flavors in a coppa: pure gelato, no cream, just as you wanted.
Argophilia's own Phil Butler is enjoying his first Passerini gelato.
After the first taste, you are sold. You know this is your favorite gelateria in Milan. You know you will come back, with your family, bring your children along, and try everything on the menu if you get the chance.
Your children will enjoy it as much as you, perhaps even more when signore Schurk will bring along a baby-pizza - a special treat to go with a freshly squeezed orange juice.
And to top the creamy gelato, Passerini's pastries are second to none. Cherry filled chocolates, mini strawberry tarts, small choux à la crème and other gourmet creations will definitely satisfy your long for bella vita.
The price? 6.50 EUROS for a mixed coppa – a bit more expensive than other gelaterias, but you really get what you pay for. Passerini is a gourmet ice cream and pastry shop, with a tradition that spans almost 100 years. The gelatos are still made as they were in 1919. Other recipes have changed, but the taste remained incomparable.