Bars and cafés in Rizziconi: the piazza, the Affruntata and pastry shops of the Piana

Rizziconi lies at the heart of the Piana di Gioia Tauro, among the farming towns of Reggio Calabria’s inland, a few kilometres from the Tyrrhenian coast: the landscape here is made of citrus and kiwi orchards rather than seafront, and the town’s rhythm follows the seasons of the countryside before those of tourism. The centre gathers around the main square, the heart of civic life: the territory of Rizziconi was held as a feud by the Grimaldi, princes of Gerace, from 1574 until the abolition of feudal rule, and the same square hosts the Affruntata every Easter, the meeting between the statues of the Risen Christ and the Madonna, the moment when the black mourning cloak falls before the whole community.

This page gathers the bars, cafés, pastry shops and gelaterie of Rizziconi, from the old town to hamlets such as Drosi and Cannavà. The selection is drawn from the listings published on the portal: new places may appear, while opening hours and offerings change over the year more with the calendar of feast days — starting with Easter and with 9 November, the feast of the patron Saint Theodore the Martyr — than with a tourist season that does not really exist here. For real opening hours, contacts and accessibility, always open the individual listing.

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Breakfast at the bar before the fields

In Rizziconi the day at the bar starts early, with coffee at the counter before heading out to the citrus and kiwi orchards that surround the town: those who work the land stop for a few minutes, often standing, for an espresso and a cornetto before the sun is already high over the Piana. It is a different ritual from that of the seaside towns of the Costa Viola: here the bar is a stop between home and the smallholding, not somewhere to linger in the morning.

The second round of coffee comes later, when the offices and shops around the square open in the centre: this is when the bar becomes a meeting point for those who are not heading to the fields, between one errand and another. On feast days, and above all during the week of the Affruntata, the counters stay busy longer, with the square acting as a natural extension of the venue.

Pastry shops and Easter sweets

The pastry shops of Rizziconi work a great deal around the Easter calendar, the time when the town gathers around the square for the Affruntata: the counters fill with cuzzupe, shortcrust sweets with a hard-boiled egg set into them that every Calabrian family bakes or buys for Holy Week, often given as gifts to godchildren and grandchildren according to a custom found across the Piana di Gioia Tauro.

For the rest of the year the counter classics remain: almond pastries, cannoli, choux and cakes for birthdays, communions and christenings. The Sunday tray of pastries, chosen piece by piece before lunch, is a habit that in Rizziconi, as in the rest of Calabria, has never gone out of fashion, and around 9 November, for the feast of Saint Theodore the Martyr, the pastry shops again work to order for families and the community.

The square: the Grimaldi feud and the Affruntata

The heart of public life in Rizziconi is the square of the old town: the town’s territory was held as a feud by the Grimaldi, princes of Gerace, who ruled it from 1574 until the abolition of feudal rule. It is the space around which the town has always rebuilt after the earthquakes that struck the area, and which today is home to the parish church dedicated to Saint Theodore the Martyr, the town’s patron saint.

It is in this square that the Affruntata takes place every Easter, handed down over generations and organised by the Archconfraternity of the Holy Rosary together with the feast committee: the community gathers to watch the meeting between the statues of the Risen Christ and the Madonna, the moment when the black mourning cloak falls to the ground and gives way to Easter joy. During the feast days the bars on the square remain the reference point for visitors from outside and for families who meet before and after the ceremony.

Among the citrus and kiwi orchards of the Piana: coffee in the countryside

Outside the centre, the countryside of Rizziconi opens onto the citrus and kiwi orchards that, together with the olive groves, made the Piana di Gioia Tauro one of Calabria’s most important farming areas. In the rural districts and hamlets such as Cannavà, which grew up in the eighteenth century around the residences of Neapolitan noble families and their farming estates, the country bars follow the hours of those who work the land rather than those of the centre.

Harvest marks autumn and winter for citrus, late summer for kiwi: these are the months when the venues closest to the fields see farm workers and landowners pass through in the early hours of the morning, before the heat or the work in the fields grows heavier. This is what sets Rizziconi apart from the nearby coastal towns: here the bar keeps pace with farm work, not with a beach season.

Savoury at the bar: rosticceria and quick breaks

As throughout Calabria, in the bars of Rizziconi savoury food matters as much as sweet. Behind the counter glass you find arancini, panzerotti, small pizzas and sandwiches filled with local cured meats and cheeses: the formula for those working in the centre, in the offices around the square, or stopping between one task and another on a day shaped by farm hours rather than office hours.

It is also the practical solution for those working in the countryside who cannot go home for lunch: many bars prepare sandwiches and hot dishes already by late morning, to be eaten quickly before returning to the fields. On days of greater turnout on the square, such as during the week of the Affruntata, demand rises and it pays to stop by a little early to still find a choice.

Families, groups, coeliacs and food intolerances

In Rizziconi too, choosing a bar depends on who is going. With children, what matters is somewhere to sit and closeness to the square, where you can stay longer; a group needs tables and fast service; those at work look instead for reliable hours and a place to stop for a few minutes between one task and another, in the centre or before heading out to the fields.

For coeliacs, the lactose intolerant, vegetarians and vegans, the text of this guide is not enough on its own: the availability of gluten-free or lactose-free products varies from venue to venue and over time. Open the listing of the bar or pastry shop, read the specialities indicated and call ahead, especially if you need to order a cake for an occasion or for Easter week.

Frequently asked questions

Verified on 9/4/2026 · curated by Francesco De Giorgio