Giovanni Dell’Agnese

Giovanni’s son Luca has now taken over the reins of the Dell’Agnese family patisserie, opened in 1950 and one of the finest expressions of Turinese confectionery. Its number one speciality continues to be its Villar Focchiardo marrons glacés, among the few in Turin still candied using a candissoire. Great care is devoted to ingredients, from PGI tonda gentile Piemonte hazelnuts to single origin criollo and trinitario chocolate.

The panettoni, available in different varieties – classic, Pinerolo style, Turin-style with gianduja and cocoa paste, and also a Sacher version – are a real must. At Easter too the colomba comes in a number of versions. A speciality is the meringata, which varies according to the season: hence “sweet smell of summer” with berry fruits and, in winter, Maxima with cocoa and sweet chestnuts, zabaglione and chantilly cream. There is also an impressive range of petite patisserie and savoury bites, not to mention a savoury panettone dedicated to a different local cheese every year.

Adjacent to the shop, the Gelateria Dok, opened in 2014 and run today by Giovanni, the father, offers confectionery flavours, stracciatella with 85% chocolate granitas and fruit sorbets, of which the best loved being the cherry, the raspberry and the elderberry.

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