A sweetness that has lasted for eight generations

The history of Romanengo is a story spanning three centuries. It all began in 1780, when Antonio Maria Romanengo, originally from Voltaggio, decided to challenge fate by opening a spice and colonial shop in Genoa, then a vibrant port of trade with the East.

In 1814, his son Stefano opened the historic headquarters on Via Soziglia in Genoa, a rosewood and marble salon that became a hub for European high society. Under the leadership of his son Pietro, the company enjoyed its 19th-century “golden age”: Romanengo’s famous sugared almonds and candied fruit found their way onto the tables of the Doria and Savoy families—Umberto I chose them for his wedding to Queen Margherita—and even into the dressing room of Giuseppe Verdi, a great admirer of the house’s syrups.

Ecstasy is a cup of tea and a sugar cake in your mouth.

(Aleksandr Sergeevic Pushkin)

Tradition and an international vision

Through two world wars and the economic boom, the family has successfully preserved secret recipes and historic machinery to the present day, preserving the “magic of sugar” that continues to enchant us today.

To ensure the brand’s growth, in 2019 the family, now in its seventh and eighth generations, brought Jean-Sébastien Decaux into the company. He is a French entrepreneur with a love for Italy and Liguria, and has chosen to invest in Romanengo as a “cultural asset” to be carried into the future.

Uniqueness: a “Timeless” Workshop

Romanengo’s secret lies in his workshop on Viale Mojon in Genoa, where the work is divided into five specialized workshops, just like in the 19th-century French “Confiseurs” manuals:
– Fourneau: the realm of slow candying, where flowers and fruits are immersed in sugar for days.
– Chocolat: where pure chocolate is created, free of soy lecithin, and processed with vintage machinery.
– Dragées: for “naked” or “dressed” nuts in the finest sugar.
– Office: the art of manipulating sugar to create ginevrines and fondants.
– Four: where almond paste meets the mastery of sweet baking.

Milan’s Addresses: Charming “Salons de Thé”

Among arches, wood panelling, and custom-made dark wood bookcases reminiscent of ancient workshops, Romanengo 1780 boasts two locations in Milan.

1. La Corte Manzoni – Via Manzoni, 5
Opened in April 2026, this is the maison’s latest gem. Located just steps from La Scala, it’s a tea room that reinterprets the 19th-century drawing room with a contemporary twist.

A perfect address from dawn to dusk: from breakfast to lunch (and weekend brunch), right up to the tea ritual and pre-La Scala aperitif with aromatic spice-inspired cocktails.
In addition to the famous sweet specialties, don’t miss the Romanengo tramezzini, available in a variety of variations, such as the Classico with cooked ham and rosebud mayonnaise. Lunch options include seasonal quiches, avocado toast, Cantabrian anchovies with Normandy butter and bread made with flour from Cascina Romanengo, and hot dishes such as saffron-sautéed risotto or braised veal cheek.

2. La Corte Caminadella – Via Caminadella, 23
A “secret” address hidden in a courtyard between historic buildings behind Via Cesare Correnti, divided into a Bottega delle Spezie (for tea and rare infusion connoisseurs), the classic Confetteria, and La Corte, a café perfect for truly relaxing breaks.

The Secret

Adjacent to the historic 1814 workshop, La Corte on Via Soziglia in Genoa houses a café with an old-world charm, once the private salon of the Romanengo family, who welcomed illustrious guests such as Giuseppe Verdi, the Duchess of Aosta, and the actress Ira von Fürstenberg.

La Corte Via Manzoni

La Corte Caminadella

Useful Info

Confetteria Romanengo

La Corte Manzoni
Via Manzoni 5
20121 Milano
Tel. +39 02 99979385

La Corte Caminadella
Via Caminadella 23
20123 Milano
Tel. +39 02 72021136