Gardenia, bar a Palermo in Sicilia, è una salumeria molto famosa. Ha aperto nel 1979. Gardenia non è conosciuta solo per i suoi panini ma anche per i suoi pasticcini. Il suo gelato all'anguria attira non solo i turisti ma anche la gente del posto. Questo gelato si mangia anche come sandwich al centro di un cornetto o dentro una crostata. Il bar offre altri gusti di gelato e vende anche torte cassate preparate quotidianamente. Se un giorno vi trovate a Palermo, vi consigliamo di fermarvi a mangiare a Gardenia.

Gardenia is a bar, pastry shop and delicatessen that for almost 40 years has been producing Sicilian specialties known throughout the world, such as pastries, ice cream, coffee and especially Sicilian artisanal gastronomy. Inaugurated in 1979, the pastry shop represents the most authentic Sicily. Its flavors make it the spokesperson of a courteous and kind people with a great sense of hospitality. Over the years, the pastry shop has expanded its business, also offering pizza exclusively cooked in a refractory stone oven for an even more fragrant and appetizing flavor.

Our Palermo visits always include stops at Gardenia for caffe’ and delicious Pasticceria. A summer attraction for many in Sicily is the gelo di anguria, a chilled watermelon pudding. At Bar Gardenia, the gelo di anguria may be enjoyed on its own or in tarts filled with its gelo. Gelo di anguria also fills many a crostata (fruit tart), and tops small cakes covered with powdered sugar.

Rows of colorful trance di cassata (slices of cassata) line the shelves. Composed of a round sponge cake moistened with fruit juice, layered with ricotta and candied fruit, and bordered with marizpan, la cassata is a specialita’ sicliana – and a colorful one! The bar even has a maiolica creation of the cassata of nearby ceramicist Nino Parrucca.

All the cakes at Bar Gardenia are chromatic showplaces. The torte di gelato (ice cream cake) are works of culinary art that entice many. Mini-ice cream cones are near le torte di gelato. A mini hazelnut-gelato cone even joined my caffe’ espresso for a late morning pause. 

Later in the day, patrons purchase bigger cones or cups of gelato. In Sicily, gelato-filled bigne are also a favorite and the soft rolls always perch atop the gelato displays at Gardenia.

In summertime, anguria (watermelon) will always join the other flavors and deep purple gelsi (mulberries) will too. I dreamt of those gelati during the steamy summer days in Assisi.