Bartolomei Patisserie and Café

In the 1930s, many Italian families moved to Bolzano following the
Italianisation policy implemented by the fascist regime in South
Tyrol. The immigration wave was also a result of the attempt to
industrialise the city and so, like many others, Bembo Bartolomei
moved with his family from the province of Lucca to the Alps. Bembo
founded the Bartolomei café and, while today the Bartolomeis
no longer run the establishment, it was left in good hands to another
immigrant. Hired as a young waiter, Roberto Fontana was born
in Valdastico, and he owes his staying in Bolzano to the family-run
café. It didn’t take him long to meet his business partner while out
and about pursuing his passion – paragliding. Peter Zingerle, pâtissier-
cum-paraglider, was a household name in Bolzano until he passed
away in 2017. He delighted everyone with his sweet temptations in
his patisserie – a Bolzano institution – in Via Druso. One fine day he
convinced Roberto to take over the long-established Italian cafe together
– and to sell Zingerle sweets there, of course. An endeavour
which became reality in 1995. The rest, as they say, is history.