The History of Milan's Most Famous Pastry Shop - Marchesi 1824
In the center of Milan, in the Vittorio Emanuele II gallery, right above the Prada boutique, is one of the Marchesi family's confectioneries. There are four of them in the world. Three of them are located in Milan. How the history of the famous pastry shop developed and how it became part of the Prada Group tells the interior designer and founder of the studio 725.design Kateryna Kovalenko, who together with Marchesi 1824 raised the archives and remembered how it all began, especially for L'Officiel Monaco.
Marchesi 1824 has always combined tradition and creativity, creating a small world of perfect desserts in an elegant 18th-century building with an Art Deco interior in 1824. Pasticheria is located in the heart of Milan, on Via Santa Maria alla Porta 11 / a, and became the first and most important place in Marchesi's history.
The owner, Angelo Marchesi, had already started serving coffee, drinks, and cocktails during the aperitif before the early 20th century, as well as freshly baked desserts, cakes, cookies, and sweets. Pasticceria Marchesi was a high-quality pastry shop and a charming café that was becoming one of the most memorable places in Milan.
Ever since that time, Pasticceria Marchesi has kept its charm intact. The interior still features original furniture from the early twentieth century, coffered ceilings, antique mirrors, and Art Deco lamps.
In 2014, the Prada Group acquired control of Pasticceria Marchesi, which, almost 200 years after opening in Via Santa Maria alla Porta, still operates at the same address and with the same passion for excellence.
After the purchase of the confectionery, intensive work began on the opening of new places. So there are even more desserts of excellent quality. Pasticceria Marchesi has opened two new branches in Milan, in very exclusive locations: Via Monte Napoleone 9 (2015) and Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II (2017), as well as a branch in the heart of London, on the famous Mount Street, in the prestigious Mayfair area (2019).
In each Marchesi pasta, you can find a corporate style that has swept through the whole two centuries. The new locations were developed by the architect Roberto Baciocchi together with Marconi. The decor in the interior looks stylish, luxurious, and modern. Velvet fabrics on the armchairs, silk wallpaper with ornaments, and an unforgettable shade of pistachio color give the interior freshness and idleness. Perfect for a place like this!
No trip to Milan is complete without a visit to Café Marchesi. It is perfect for your morning coffee, an aperitif after a long shopping trip, or meeting friends or family over desserts. A great place to enjoy the beauty of this life.
Photos courtesy of Prada Group
Collage: Katerina Kovalenko
Author:
Katerina Kovalenko
interior designer and founder of 725.design studio
