Dropped in here twice on a recent visit to Parma. Not much to say except it's a lovely spot for a…read morecoffee and croissant (cornetto) that can be enjoyed while sitting outside the old theatre across the road.

So many pastry shops, so little time. This was a morning stop in Parma for what was our breakfasts…read morein Italy--stops at pastry shops. One of our group would normally get several items and we would then share the selections. In this case, I got a lemon tart and a nice cappuccino and quietly enjoyed my breakfast. The abundance of good pastry shops in Italy is amazing. We don't value them like the Italians. A pastry and a shot of espresso and then it's off to work.

Items Selected: Sugar Brioche…read moreRice Cake Cassis Cornetto Pan Dulce Cream Horn Baba au Rhum Raspberry Sfogliatta Cassis Puff Pastry Spending a day in Parma before progressing onward to Milan it was with a late night past that the group filed into Pasticceria Torino at Strada Giuseppe Garibaldi 61, the small shop quiet despite the early hour of 08h30 as the shelves sat packed with nearly fifty styles of Cakes, Pastries and Bread. One of the most affordable Pasticceria visited in Italy, the prices closer to those in Mirano than the aforementioned fashion capitol or Venice, it was with limited English that clerks provided service after extensive perusal of the options, a total of eight selections totaling just €10,80 plated and delivered to a small table. In many ways similar to other bakeries, but also offering some novelties featuring housemade Fruit Compote, tastes of the Sugar Brioche as well as the laminated Butter Baton each proved mild yet pleasant in the face of more interesting options, the citrus-scented Rice Cake moist with Ricotta while the tender Baba found itself rich with Rum. Baking the typical Cornetto more crispy than many, its smooth filling rife with Vanilla notes, even better bites were found amidst two laminated pastries packed with Black Currant Jelly, a rounded item labeled as "Sfogliatta" not dissimilar to a Kouign Amann in texture with a center of Raspberries.

We discovered this shop on a trip to Parma, and it was a very welcome surprise! I am not usually a…read morewaffle person, but the photos of the chocolate waffle topped with strawberries and whipped cream looked wonderful so I took a chance. It was every bit as good as it looked, and my daughter felt the same way about the vanilla waffle topped with mixed berries, chocolate drizzle and whipped cream. My son ate three donuts, and would have eaten more if there had been any! The cakes looked delicious as well, and we had a very nice chat with the owner and her family.

We couldn't be in Italy and not stop in Parma. And we stumbled upon the festival of San Giuseppe…read more And what better way to celebrate than with the sweet deliciousness of a Zeppole. This place made an amazing Zeppole. Not too sweet. But creamy and amazing. So good