The charm of a Café that has made history, Caffè Pedrocchi
Discover the past and present of one of the most famous historical Cafés in Italy
Are you ready to go back in time, and discover a whole range of tales, secrets and little known facts?
It was the beginning of the 19th century when Antonio Pedrocchi, a famous coffee maker from Bergamo, began to dream of a grand café, with symbolic yet functional architecture, located right in the center of Padua. His wish was clear: “it has to be the most beautiful café on Earth”. Having inherited his father’s, Antonio Pedrocchi commissioned the project to the Venetian architect Giuseppe Jappelli to give it a unique and elegant imprint.
As an eminent engineer and architect, Jappelli succeeded in creating what would soon become one of the historical buildings symbolizing the city of Padua, and one of the most famous, perhaps the most beautiful, and certainly the greatest café, of the 19th century.
“Caffè Pedrocchi, a place where ideas were born”
A meeting place for intellectuals and writers, it also came to be the scene of celebrations, dance parties, business negotiations and even Masonic meetings. It was a point of reference not only for Paduans, but also for travelers and businessmen from all over the country who always found themselves welcome in this grand neoclassical building. Caffè Pedrocchi was a place very dear to Stendhal, a profound connoisseur and admirer of Italy, who in his book “La Chartreuse de Parme” (The Charterhouse of Parma) described it as “the best restaurant in Italy”.
« C’est à Padoue que j’ai commencé à voir la vie à la vénitienne, les femmes dans les cafés. L’excellent restaurateur Pedrocchi, le meilleur d’Italie. »
“It was in Padua that I began to see life the Venetian way, with ladies sitting in cafes. The excellent restaurateur Pedrocchi, the best in Italy.”
Stendhal
190 years of a history made of style, art and espresso
Almost 200 years have passed since the grand opening of Caffè Pedrocchi in 1831.
In 1842, on the occasion of the 4th Congress of Italian Scientists, there took place the inauguration of the Piano Nobile, an area entirely dedicated to shows and celebrations, which today houses the Museum of the Risorgimento and Contemporary Age.
In 1891, following the death of Antonio Pedrocchi, Caffè Pedrocchi was left as a gift to the City of Padua and its residents by his adopted son Domenico Cappellato Pedrocchi, who demanded
“the Municipality of Padua to take it upon itself, as a solemn and everlasting commitment, to preserve not only the building, but also its use as it is at present, promoting and working on all the improvements that will be brought about by the progress of the times and eras it will live through, leaving nothing out, so that within its kind, it can maintain its supremacy in Italy”.
From the will of Domenico Cappellato Pedrocchi
The Café today: one of the icons of Padua
Caffè Pedrocchi is one of the symbols of Padua, a unique place for coffee tasting and cuisine. It is recognized as the most exclusive venue in the center for the most important and spectacular events and celebrations.
In January 2014, the Municipality of Padua officially handed over the management of the historical Caffè Pedrocchi to Fedegroup, a leading company in the field of food & beverage and premium catering.
Caffè Pedrocchi: guardian of stories, memories and ancient legends
Rooms upon rooms, labyrinths of doors, gilded mirrors, velvet armchairs, exquisite stuccoes and frescoes, Caffè Pedrocchi has established itself as a guardian of stories, memories and ancient legends, as well as one of the best examples of neoclassical art in the world. But it doesn’t stop there.
Today, Caffè Pedrocchi offers a whole range of new services and initiatives, such as the newly designed Patisserie, the special Pedrocchi Experience, Aperitifs, Exclusive Events and many more cultural and musical events. Caffè Pedrocchi has been, and always will be, a lively point of reference for everyone in