Pasticceria Scaturchio

Pasticceria Scaturchio is a historic pastry shop and cafe at Piazza San Domenico Maggiore 19 in the Spaccanapoli quarter of Naples, Campania, Italy. It has been open since 1903 and stands on one of the old town's best-known squares, in front of the church of San Domenico Maggiore and close to the university and the Cappella Sansevero, which houses the Veiled Christ. The shop is a traditional Neapolitan pasticceria, and its position makes it a natural stop in the middle of a walk along Spaccanapoli. The cuisine is Neapolitan pastry, and the specialty is the Ministeriale, a small chocolate cake or pastry with a soft chocolate filling and a rich glaze that is the shop's best-known creation. The Ministeriale is generally described as originating here. Other signature items include the baba, the rum-soaked yeast cake that is another icon of Neapolitan baking, and the sfogliatella, the layered pastry filled with ricotta and semolina. The display counter also carries other regional sweets and seasonal specialities, and the shop serves coffee, so visitors can pair a pastry with an espresso. The room is classic, with glass cases of pastries, a lively counter and a mix of locals, students and tourists; noise is moderate and there is no dress code. Prices are mid range, rated at two dollar signs, which reflects the central square location and the heritage of the shop. Reservations are not applicable, and walk-ins are the norm, though tables outside may be busy in good weather. The shop is open daily from morning to evening, but visitors should confirm hours locally. Pastries are also sold for takeaway, and boxed assortments make a typical gift to take home. Because the shop is on the square itself, it pairs easily with visits to San Domenico Maggiore, the Sansevero chapel and the nearby Via San Gregorio Armeno, famous for its nativity-scene workshops.