Pasticceria Zoccola

Pasticceria Zoccola on Corso Lamarmora 61 can proudly take the name of bottega storica (historic shop) thanks to origins dating back to 1820 according to documents found in the historical archives of the parish church of Cassine. The founders of this dynasty of bakers and later of pastry chefs are Luigi and Maddalena Zoccola. In more than 190 years of uninterrupted business more than seven generations have succeeded each other continuing the work of their forefathers becoming a great symbol of pastry shop in the province and further afield. From the marriage of the two founders comes Alessandro who continues the business with his son Simone. The first two sons of Simone, Teresio and Carlo, continue their father’s business. Competition enters the Zoccola family and to avoid unpleasant events and family feuds the two brothers decide to move from Cassine to Alessandria, in via Verona, where the historic bakery still stands. In 1912, Teresio Zoccola marries Maria Gotta and their only son Cesare is born in 1918. In 1915 Teresio is called to arms at the start of World War I. His ability to work and skill as a baker will help him to survive hardship and hunger in the Austrian prison camp. He returns from the front and loses his wife to Spanish fever. He does not lose heart and follows his vocation and aspiration to become a skilled pastry chef. He opens his first pastry shop in via Plana and later a large pastry shop bar in the premises on via Mazzini corner of via Savonarola. The first son Cesare continues the business with his father. He marries Valizia Bruna in 1942 and has two children: Teresio in 1942 and Massimo in 1947. In 1961 the new premises is opened on Corso Lamarmora 61. Massimo continues his father’s business remaining faithful to the traditions of the family and preserving the recipes handed down by his ancestors. In the early 1980s, he increases the production capacity of the pastry shop, taking the number of employees from 3 to 15 and the variety of sweets, maintaining high quality. In 2004, the spaces of the workshop on Corso Lamarmora increase to organize the confectionery production and the Catering & Banqueting service, always more and more established.