The history of taste: the 125 years of Gelateria Belvedere in Pizzo and its truffles

In Pizzo, talking about ice cream means talking about families, tradition, artisan work and collective memory. The Gelateria Belvedere occupies a special place in this city heritage, celebrating its 125th anniversary as one of the most representative historical activities of the area. Founded in 1901 by Antonio Belvedere, the business was initially born with the name of Caffè del Commercio. At that time, milk ice cream was not yet widespread in the form in which we know it today: sorbets and granitas were mainly prepared in bars, also using preserved snow from the Serre and Sila mountains. It was in this context that the Belvedere family laid the foundations of an entrepreneurial history destined to last over a century.

As the years passed, the place increasingly specialized in the production of artisanal ice cream and confectionery products, becoming a point of reference for the local community. A decisive role in this evolution was played by Domenico Belvedere, a central figure in the growth of the family business. According to the memories handed down, before the 1910s he was able to intuit new production possibilities starting from a plant used until then for the ice trade, also used for the conservation of fish intended for sailors. When the first cold rooms arrived, which began to make that activity less central, the idea of ​​preparing the first ice cream prototypes was born from that system, anticipating by years the moment in which the uselessness of the ice trade would take over.

From that intuition the first flavors took shape, such as chocolate, cream and coffee, and a new phase began for the Belvedere laboratory. Around 1910, thanks to the experience gained by Antonio Belvedere and his sons, including Domenico, production was enriched with artisanal pastry products and increasingly refined specialties. The link with the Sicilian tradition was crucial, through specialization experiences that Domenico carried out in Messina in the historic Irrera pastry laboratory, which contributed to introducing ingredients and preparations such as cream, ricotta, creams, cassatine and semifreddos into the manufacturing process.

In the historical journey of the Gelateria Belvedere, a very important chapter also concerns the tradition of the ice cream truffle, destined to become one of the best-known symbols of Pizzo. In fact, family testimonies tell of an ancient presence, in the laboratory and in the Belvedere menu, of products linked to this confectionery tradition, confirming the family’s role in the development of the local ice cream art. The Belvedere family was in fact among the historical protagonists of the evolution of the ice cream truffle in Pizzo, contributing with their creations to consolidate a tradition destined to become a symbol of the city.
In 1952, the Messina pastry chef Giuseppe De Maria, known as “Don Pippo”, created what is today the Truffle of Pizzo, due to an operational necessity, having finished the metal molds for forming ice cream; he shaped the ice cream with his hands and enclosed it in sheets of paper instead of the usual molds. At the time the Belvedere family offered a very similar product, created through the use of metal moulds, of the same type as those used by Don Pippo De Maria in his laboratory: the delicacy was composed of chocolate ice cream filled with gianduia semifreddo and almond brittle. As evidence of the historical veracity, today the Belvederes propose those flavors to their customers, working that ancient product with the truffle technique, presenting it as the 1950s Truffle. A detail that testifies to the creative vivacity and historical contribution of the Belvedere family to the consolidation of a tradition that would make Pizzo famous throughout the world. To date, the Belvedere menu indicates as the Black Truffle the version that history crowns as the PGI Pizzo Truffle, with chocolate ice cream, hazelnut ice cream and a soft dark chocolate centre.

The contribution of the Belvederes did not stop there: seeing the exceptional success that the paper processing (typical of the Truffle) had on customers, Domenico reworked another of his preparations and brought the first variant of the Truffle to the market, the White Truffle was born. For decades the Truffles had only these two variants, until 1990, when Domenico, Angelo’s son, offered his customers an original and distinctive creation, born with the name “pistachio sphere”, becoming over the years what is now known as the Pistachio Truffle.
Alongside the Truffle, Gelateria Belvedere has also linked its name to other distinctive creations, including the famous Belvedere Cake, which has won awards and recognition over the years and continues to represent one of the company’s most identifying products, celebrating the centenary of its birth in 2026. The quality of the raw materials, the craftsmanship in the workmanship and the loyalty to tradition have accompanied every phase of this long history.
The path of Gelateria Belvedere is also marked by the succession of family generations. After Antonio Belvedere (1901-1919), the leadership passed to Domenico Belvedere (1920-1982), protagonist of the development and innovation phase. Subsequently, from the 1980s until 2000, the reins of the business were entrusted to Angelo Belvedere, son of Domenico, known by many as Don Angelo or Angelo ‘U Gattu, the city’s historic ice cream master. From 2001 to today, the tradition has been carried on by Domenico and Fabio Belvedere, custodians of a family legacy built over over a century of work.

Today the Gelateria Belvedere faces the fifth generation of the family, maintaining its historical heritage value in the heart of Pizzo, in Piazza della Repubblica 43-44. In this symbolic place, history continues every day, renewing a deep bond with the city and with those who, over time, have made this place an unmissable stop. Celebrating 125 years of Gelateria Belvedere therefore means celebrating not only a historic commercial activity, but an authentic heritage of knowledge, tastes and memory. A story that began in 1901 and has reached today thanks to the passion, ingenuity and continuity of a family that has been able to transform its name into a symbol of excellence.