Bars, cafés and pastry shops in Taurianova: breakfast and sweets of the Piana

Taurianova lies inland in the Piana di Gioia Tauro, on the slopes of the Aspromonte, and was formed in 1928 from the union of Radicena, Jatrinoli and Terranova Sappo Minulio: even today the centre reads as the seam between two towns, with Piazza Italia in the middle. It is a place with a solid tradition of confectionery, something you notice in the pastry-shop windows and on the bakery counters. This page gathers the bars, cafés, pastry shops and gelaterie of the centre and of the roads leading towards Cittanova, Polistena and Rizziconi.

The selection is drawn from the listings published on the portal: new places may appear, while opening hours, management and offerings change over time. The text therefore stays thematic and helps you choose by area and by time of day, from breakfast to the aperitivo. For real opening hours, contacts, outdoor seating and accessibility, always open the individual listing.

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Breakfast at the bar between Piazza Italia and the centre

The day in Taurianova begins at the counter: an espresso, a cornetto or a pastry, standing up and in a few minutes. The first round belongs to those heading to work and taking their children to school; the second comes mid-morning, when offices and shops in the centre take their break and Piazza Italia becomes the natural meeting point.

From May onwards the cappuccino gives way to granita served with a brioche — coffee, almond, lemon, mulberry — which here, where summer is the dry inland kind, works as both breakfast and afternoon snack. In the late afternoon the same counter changes role again: aperitivo, spritz, sharing boards and a turn of the evening stroll before dinner.

The confectionery tradition: pastry shops, bakeries and feast-day sweets

Confectionery is one of the things taken seriously in Taurianova, and the calendar sets the rhythm: at Easter the cuzzupe, shortcrust sweets with a whole egg set into them, which every family orders or bakes at home; at Christmas the petrali filled with dried figs, walnuts and cooked must, alongside nacatole and spiced susumelle. The rest of the year the counter classics remain: cannoli, almond pastries, choux and cakes made to order for birthdays, communions and christenings.

Alongside the pastry shops work the bakeries, which cover the everyday side of sweet baking — dunking biscuits, ring cakes, breakfast pastries — and in Calabria are never missing on feast days. Then there is the Sunday tray of pastries, a deeply rooted habit: you stop by before lunch and choose at the counter, one piece at a time.

The Infiorata: the days when the centre does not sleep

The Infiorata is the event that made Taurianova known beyond the Piana: in the streets of the centre large carpets of flowers are laid out, among the most extensive of their kind in Italy, and for a few days the town fills with visitors from across the province and beyond.

For the bars and pastry shops these are the most intense days of the year. Hours stretch, counters work from early morning until night, and anyone wanting a table on the streets where the carpets run does well to arrive early. On those same days the pastry shops take more orders than usual: if you need a tray or a cake, book it a few days ahead.

Inland summer: granita, ice cream and the cooler hours

In Taurianova there is no sea to soften the heat, and inland summer has a rhythm of its own: people are out early in the morning and from the late afternoon onwards, while the middle hours are spent in the shade. The bars follow those hours, and granita with brioche or an ice cream becomes the most natural afternoon stop.

From the evening the centre fills up again: the stroll, the outdoor tables, ice cream after dinner, evenings that carry on late when there are events or village feasts. This is when the places in the centre work hardest, and when Piazza Italia becomes once more the reference point for anyone arranging to meet.

Savoury at the bar, hot counter and quick breaks

In Calabrian bars the savoury side counts as much as the sweet. Behind the counter glass you find arancini, panzerotti, small pizzas, rustici, filled pitte and sandwiches with local cured meats and cheeses: this is the quick lunch formula, for people working in the centre, for anyone with a single hour between commitments, or for those passing through Taurianova on their way elsewhere in the Piana.

It is also the most practical way to take something home without cooking, and on feast days the savoury counter works as hard as the sweet one. Turnover is fastest between midday and two: if you want to choose without rushing, come earlier.

Families, groups, coeliacs and food intolerances

A bar is also chosen according to who is going. With children, what counts is the outdoor space, being close to Piazza Italia or somewhere they can move about, and having a place to sit; a group needs tables and a counter that moves fast; people at work want reliable hours and somewhere to stop for a few minutes. In the milder seasons the outdoor tables in the centre are the handiest option.

For coeliacs, the lactose intolerant, vegetarians and vegans this guide is not enough on its own: the availability of gluten-free or lactose-free products varies from place to place 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 or a tray for an occasion.

Frequently asked questions

Where are the bars and pastry shops in Taurianova?

The greatest concentration is around Piazza Italia and along the central axis linking the old villages of Radicena and Jatrinoli, where bars sit alongside shops and offices. Other places line the roads leaving town towards Cittanova, Polistena and Rizziconi, handy for anyone moving around the Piana.

What is the Infiorata of Taurianova?

It is the event that every year fills the streets of the centre with large carpets of flowers, among the most extensive of their kind in Italy. For a few days the town welcomes visitors from across the province and beyond, and the bars and pastry shops in the centre stretch their hours into the night to cope with the crowds.

Which sweet should you try in Taurianova?

Here it is worth following the calendar, because the town’s confectionery tradition is tied to the feast days: cuzzupe of shortcrust pastry with an egg at Easter, petrali with dried figs and walnuts, nacatole and susumelle at Christmas. All year round the almond pastries and cannoli on the counter remain, and in summer the granita with brioche.

When should you order cakes and pastry trays ahead in Taurianova?

During the feast periods — Easter, Christmas, communions and christenings — and during the days of the Infiorata, when the crowds in the centre grow and the pastry shops work to order. A few days ahead is usually enough; for Easter cuzzupe and Christmas sweets, made in limited quantities, it is better to move earlier.

Verified on 8/17/2026 · curated by Francesco De Giorgio