The Panarello family invented the biscuit “Lagaccio”: crunchy, thick, with strong personality, obliquely cut and ship-shaped for the hot water of tea. The curator, Francesco, started as a pastry chef where he used to add sugar and butter to the dough, unknown to the owner, in order to make the sweets softer and sweeter. The trick was a success and when he took over his first pastry store in Genoa over a century ago he probably didn’t know that his name would go on to become a label in Italian confectionery.

This shop is one on the several Panarello owned establishments in Italy and it’s always crowded. With a hot espresso or cappuccino, customers can taste heavenly pastries such as “kranz”, a slice of “Panarello cake” with almonds and, perhaps best of all, the “cannoncino”, a puff pastry roll filled with creamy confectioner’s custard.