Gelsomina

It was all that was missing. This is what I thought to myself the first time I entered Gelsomina, a lovely pastry shop in a side street of Viale Tunisia, between Repubblica and Porta Venezia. Gelsomina distinguishes itself from the other shops in Milan by its name: simple, not pretentious yet evocative. It makes us understand the choice to bring the flavors of southern Italy to the city, reinventing them in a modern way.

Even the interior design is very different from that of bakeries and street food to which we are accustomed. The furniture is carefully detailed and the environment is extremely sophisticated, while remaining very welcoming. The rooms are spacious and airy, helping our minds to travel, projecting us into a terrace overlooking the sea, accompanied by the rough floors alternating with hand-painted majolica tiles and vases with flowers, cacti and prickly pears. tiles and vases with flowers, cacti and prickly pears.

The artisan chairs are wrought iron and the tables are clear, including the large one in the centre of the room, the “friendship table”, designed to be shared. The dishes are all very particular and different from each other, the result of purchases from markets or vintage shops. Everything contributes to making customers feel as guests of a Southern home. Where among other things, we eat very well.

A wonderful scent pervades the spaces of Gelsomina thanks to the sweets counter, which is also a real enchantment for the eyes. You will see cannoli, cassatine, brioches of various flavours (do not miss the pistachio!), Maritozzi and sfogliatelle. All strictly artisanal, signed by pastry chef Marco Spera who, in addition to the more traditional tastes, offers combinations such as tartelletta with custard, mulberry blackberry jam and raspberries or ginger cannoli.

The breakfast menu is completed with yogurt, served with cereals or berries, and with toast prepared with the bread tumminia of the Davide Longoni bakery. The southern tradition is also reflected in the lunch, which alternates a small selection of first and second courses based on seasonal ingredients. The orecchiette we tried are exquisite! We recommend you to treat yourself to one of these delicacies, choosing from arancini, panelle with avocado cream and lemon, panzanella or burratina.

Is your mouth watering yet? Gelsomina awaits you for a long breakfast suspended in time, for a chic snack, or at any time when you want to pamper yourself and enjoy the flavours of the South feeling at home.