The geography of sweets in Italy in the Gambero Rosso Guide: almost seven hundred great pastry shops but the number one is Dalmasso in Avigliana

Behind him are Biasetto in Padua, Besuschio in Abbiategrasso (MI), Maison Manilia in Montesano sulla Marcellana (SA), Pasticceria Agricola Cilentana Pietro Macellaro in Piaggine (SA). The Emerging Pastry Chef Award goes to Arianna Valente and Raffaele Gant of Libera in Asti; the Novelty of the Year is Delia in Lecce. The list of the 33 best pastry shops in Italy and the best Pastry Chefs

There are almost seven hundred that can be defined as the great pastry shops in Italy, 33 excellent ones that can boast the Three Cakes but above all Dalmasso excels in Avigliana in the province of Turin, led by Allessando Dalmasso, member of the prestigious Accademia Maestri Pasticceri Italiani, Silver Medal at La Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie. Gold Medal at the World Pastry Championship in Lyon as captain of the team that beat France for the first time, already classified in 2021 and 2022 as the best pastry shop in Italy by the Gambero Rosso Guide.

Crowned by Gambero Rosso's Pasticceri & Pasticcerie 2025 Guide with 96 points at the top of the category, Dalmasso confirms himself as the absolute champion again this year. Behind him are placed Biasetto in Padua, with 95 points, Besuschio in Abbiategrasso (MI), with 94 points, Maison Manilia in Montesano sulla Marcellana (SA), with 94 points, Pasticceria Agricola Cilentana Pietro Macellaro in Piaggine (SA), with 94 points.

Obviously, as is customary, the list does not include: Iginio Massari, Master of Masters in Italyand in the world with Pasticceria Veneto of Brescia which was awarded the Three Golden Cakes Out of Ranking.

Italian pastry making – comments Marina Savoia, curator of the Guide – is experiencing a moment of great vitality “playing with ingredients or taking inspiration from the territory. This is what we appreciate in the work of the great masters, “engineers” and artists of the sweet, gifted with an unmistakable style. A leading role also for the themes of sustainability, the valorisation of local productions and traditional specialities, of which our country, more than any other, boasts a precious biodiversity. Representative of the culture of the places, they retain a place of honor in our memory and in our habits”.

The Guide has also awarded some special prizes Special Prizes that represent the absolute novelties of the year. The prize Emerging Pastry Chef went to Arianna Valente and Raffaele Gant of Libera in Asti; The New this year is Delia in Lecce; the Best Savoury Pastry is Dalmasso in Avigliana (TO), Sebastiano Caridi in Faenza (RA); the Best Chocolate Dessert: Ernst K Knam in Milan, with its Africa Cake. The Sustainability award was given to Caffè Sicilia in Noto (RG). Finally the The Enhancement of Territorial Production award was given to Copello in Chiavari (GE), Freni in Messina, Roberto Murgia – Dolci in corso in Alghero.

Lombardy is the clear winner in terms of quality, with 9 pastry shops with full points, followed by Campania. It is worth noting the entry of two new addresses that are joining the Olympus of excellence awarded with the three cakes: in Veneto, the Denis Dianin pastry shop in Selvazzano Dentro (PD) and in Basilicata, Tiri Bakery & Caffè in Potenza. The spotlight is also on restaurant pastry making, which is experiencing a golden moment, as demonstrated by the section dedicated to the best pastry chefs, which this year has 25 winners compared to the 16 of the last edition, and for the first time opens up to the world of pizzerias.

The ranking of the Three Cakes with the vote in hundredths:

Dalmasso in Avigliana (TO), with 96 points

Biasetto in Padua, with 95 points

Besuschio in Abbiategrasso (MI), with 94 points

Maison Manilia in Montesano sulla Marcellana (SA), with 94 points

Pasticceria Agricola Cilentana Pietro Macellaro in Piaggine (SA), with 94 points

Sal De Riso Amalfi Coast in Minori (SA), with 93 points

Caffè Sicilia in Noto (SR), with 93 points

Acherer Patisserie.Blumen in Brunico/Bruneck (BZ), with 92 points

Gino Fabbri Pastry Chef in Bologna, with 92 points

Fabrizio Galla in San Sebastiano Da Po (TO), with 92 points

Gruè in Rome, with 92 points

Ernst K Knam in Milan, with 92 points

Pasquale Marigliano in Nola (NA), with 92 points

New World in Prato, with 92 points

Champagne in Palermo, with 92 points

Walter Musco in Rome, with 92 points

Belle Hélène in Tarquinia (VT), with 91 points

Caffè Cavour 1880 in Bergamo, with 91 points

Cortinovis in Ranica (BG), with 91 points

Fusto Milano in Milan, with 91 points

Pasticceria Marisa in San Giorgio delle Pertiche (PD), with 91 points

Martesana in Milan, with 91 points

Rinaldini in Rimini, with 91 points

Pasticceria Roberto in Erbusco (BS), with 91 points

Alessandro Servida in Milan, with 91 points

The White Art in Parabita (LE), with 90 points

Denis Dianin in Selvazzano Dentro (PD), with 90 points

Dolce Reale in Montichiari (BS), with 90 points

Dolciarte in Avellino, with 90 points

Luca Mannori in Prato, with 90 points

Small Pastry Shop in Casale Monferrato (AL), with 90 points

Pepe Mastro Dolciere in Sant'Egidio del Monte Albino (SA), with 90 points

Tiri Bakery & Caffè in Potenza, with 90 points

The best Pastry Chefs

A world sui generis, restaurant pastry has peculiar characteristics that distinguish it from laboratory pastry. Express preparations, low sugar content, lightness, increasingly “non-sweet sweets” come into play, in a game of synergies with the kitchen. The dessert at the end of the meal is in fact the final piece of a tasting journey, the last memory that the customer takes with him of the experience, and the task of the pastry chef is to make it memorable. The section dedicated to the Best pastry chefs is a mini-guide to the most interesting talents in the sector who work in large Italian restaurants and pizzerias.