Scaturchio
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Scaturchio's historic pastry shop is on Piazza San Domenico Maggiore, at number 19, on Spaccanapoli, close to the Cappella Sansevero. The family business dates from 1905, and Giovanni Scaturchio opened this shop around 1919 or 1920, adding Austrian recipes from his wife, Caterina, to the Neapolitan ones. Its famous product is the Ministeriale, a registered trademark: a medallion of dark chocolate around a liqueur cream, already patented by 1923.
When Dissapore reviewed it in 2023, breakfast pastries cost €3, larger pastries €3.50 to €5.50 and a coffee €2.50. A Naples food-tour guide updated in 2026 gives €2.50 to €5 a pastry. It is open every day.
At a glance
- Address
- Piazza San Domenico Maggiore 19, the historic shop. Branches at Piazza Amedeo, Via Luca Giordano (Vomero), Via Benedetto Croce, Napoli Centrale station, the Certosa di San Martino and Castel Sant'Elmo.
- Price
- In Dissapore's 2023 review: €3 for breakfast pastries, €3.50 to €5.50 for larger pastries, €2.50 for a coffee. A 2026 guide gives €2.50 to €5 a pastry. The shop publishes no prices.
- Hours
- Every day; Dissapore listed 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., later on two evenings. A 2026 guide says 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- How to order
- Decide first, pay at the cassa, then take the receipt (scontrino) to the counter.
- Ownership
- No longer in the founding family's hands since the 2010 bankruptcy and auction; the brand and recipes continue.
In this guide
What to order
- The Ministeriale: the reason to come. Dissapore recommends the mini size; buy a box to take home.
- Babà: the rum-soaked classic. The giant Babà Vesuvio, made to share, was created for the 1994 G7 summit in Naples and patented in 1995.
- Sfogliatella frolla, the soft shortcrust version, which Dissapore rated among the must-haves.
Dissapore was less keen on the brioches and breakfast pastries. Pair the Ministeriale with a plain espresso; the chocolate is sweet enough.
Why it is called the Ministeriale
The family story, told by Dissapore: Francesco Scaturchio, of the same family, created the chocolate and tried to get the title of Supplier to the Royal Household for it. The paperwork dragged on so long that he exclaimed that it was "an affare ministeriale", a matter for the ministries, and the name stuck. The company site tells a different origin, linked to a singer's stage show. Either way, it is still made to the old recipe.
The cassa system and the counter
Scaturchio works on the cassa system, like many historic Naples bars. Decide what you want, pay at the till, receive a scontrino, then take it to the pastry counter or the coffee bar. Pointing without a receipt gets you nowhere. Dissapore found the counter service at the historic shop "cool, if not rude" and the entrance small and not accessible, and thought the branches were in better shape.
San Domenico Maggiore is a stop on our decumani walk, and the station counter at Napoli Centrale is handy for a box of Ministeriali before a train.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Ministeriale?
Scaturchio's trademarked chocolate: a dark chocolate medallion with a liqueur-cream filling, patented by 1923.
How much are pastries at Scaturchio?
€3 to €5.50 in a 2023 review, with coffee at €2.50. The shop does not publish a price list.
Is Scaturchio still run by the Scaturchio family?
No. The original company went bankrupt in 2009 and was auctioned in 2010; the name, the shop and the recipes carried on under new owners.
How do I order at Scaturchio?
Pay at the till first, then take your receipt to the counter to collect your pastry or coffee.
Further reading
Official sources
- Scaturchio (official) – Historic shop Piazza San Domenico Maggiore 19 and all branch addresses; Ministeriale® trademark and the company's origin story; checked September 30, 2026
- Dissapore - Scaturchio review (August 2023) – Prices €3, €1.80 minis, €3.50-€5.50, coffee €2.50; cool counter service; family no longer owners; Ministeriale, babà and frolla recommended
- Dissapore - Pasticceria Giovanni Scaturchio listing (August 2023) – Open daily from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., to 11 p.m. on two evenings; Austrian specialties; Ministeriale described
- Dissapore - beyond the bankruptcy, the true story of Scaturchio (April 2010) – San Domenico opened 1919 or 1920; Ministeriale name story, patented by 1923; Babà Vesuvio for the 1994 G7, patented 1995; bankruptcy and May 2010 auction
- Dissapore - Scaturchio closes for debts (April 2010) – Pasticceria founded 1905; auction set for May 7, 2010
- Do Eat Better - sfogliatella and babà guide (May 2026, updated August 2026) – Food-tour operator's guide: cassa system; €2.50-€5 a pastry; daily 7:30 a.m.-9 p.m.; secondary
