Pasticceria Iginio Massari

Among the Milanese novelties of this spring there is one that has certainly not gone unnoticed by all sweet tooths in town: the patisserie of Iginio Massari. Since the general public knew of him through television, as a guest before, and as the host of a pastry show after, the Maestro has won more and more acclaim that led him to open, after the historic Pasticceria Veneto of Brescia, a second shop in Milan. And, as the great perfectionist that he is, he could only choose an exceptional location: we are in Via Marconi, on the corner with Piazza Diaz and a stone’s throw from the Duomo.

Walking through the streets of the city center you’ll come across its open laboratory, where skilled pastry chefs continuously prepare countless delicacies, from large leavened desserts to mignon pastries: the invitation to enter is clear and difficult to resist. If you go around the corner, you’ll find the entrance and you’ll immediately notice the peculiarity of this place, which shares a wall with the Banca Intesa from which you can directly access the bar and the dessert counter. The queues in the bank will immediately acquire a new appeal!

The offer of the Massari pastry shop focuses on quality rather than variety: it’s possible to find an assortment of classic cannoncini and cream puffs, plus, depending on the day, three or four types of different desserts, from Sacher cake to Tiramisù. Your eyes will be conquered by the beauty and perfection of the pastries, and the possibility of ordering even just one to accompany the coffee allows you to try all the proposals without having to necessarily consider the take-away solution.

To totally absorb our gaze, however, were the single-portion cakes: real pastry masterpieces, so perfect and cared for that almost look fake. The glossy and polished glaze and the gaskets inserted with an almost maniacal attention to detail make the sweets signed by Iginio Massari so beautiful that it is almost a pity to eat them. Be assured that the perfumes and taste will repay your effort, and if you really must remain a sense of guilt it will only be because you ate too many of them!

As the patron points out, the real strength of his patisserie are the great leavened products, from panettone to the Easter Colomba, which are crazily popular and don’t have to be necessarily consumed during the holidays. But also the brioches, perfect for a morning treat before facing a new day of work.

The advice is to visit the patisserie of Iginio Massari during the week, when regular customers prevail over tourists and the climate is more familiar, more intimate. Inside there are no tables, but the reception of the staff and the intoxicating scents will allow you to enjoy your breakfast or your snack in peace.