The Sweet Life: Welcome to Dolce Italy
When the sun shines a little longer, and the air feels a smidge closer, we can’t help but dream of the coast. And as much as we love the Lowcountry, the coast of our dreams is thousands of miles away, with the Mediterranean lapping on the rocky beach and the salty air coating our skin and tickling our nostrils.
That idyllic Italian summer may be out of reach for most of us, but what isn’t is the next best thing: a charming pastry shop with authentic Italian espresso, pastries, gelato, and savory Sicilian specialties. Thanks to the DiGrazio family, you can transport yourself to Italy every weekend via their sweet bakery and café, Dolce Italy, tucked into a strip center on Pelham Road.
Their goal? ”We’re here for you to try and experience Italian culture. We’re also a place for Italians to meet and gather.”
Words and images by: Team OTGG
La Famiglia
It’s all in the family at Dolce Italy. Originally from Genoa, Italy and Sicily, the DiGrazios opened the doors of their shop in summer 2022, ready to welcome Greenville into their culture and family. Their lineage includes a long line of bakers and pastry chefs, and their family pride and expertise shows in the quality of their work.
Here’s who you might meet in the shop when you venture in:
🔘 Francesco, originally from Catania, Sicily
🔘 His wife, Susan, from Peru but moved to Italy at 15 years old (pictured)
🔘 Their daughter, Francesca, who was born in Genoa, Italy
🔘Their son Luigi (Luis), also born in Genoa, Italy (pictured)
The family previously sold wholesale pastries in Los Angeles and then made their way to Rochester, New York, where the first version of Dolce Italy opened in 2020. A nature-loving family, they quickly grew tired of the cold and eyed Greenville as their next home because of the all-season weather, mountain access, and projected city growth.
Sweet escape
In musical terminology, dolce means “soft and smooth,” so it makes sense to have another musical symbol—a treble clef—engraved in chocolate sauce in your frothed milk.
After ordering your favorite café, ensconce yourself in a quiet little corner to sip and nosh on a cornetto (croissant’s eggy, sweet Italian sister loaded with hazelnut spread) and dream about your past, future, or present Italian vacation.
To appease those at home, we recommend picking up a variety of pastries, made fresh daily, to enjoy later.
Buon appetito
There’s not a bad sip or bite in the shop, but there are certainly family favorites.
Francesco’s favorite item is espresso, which he and Luis share with their “No. 1 customer” Paulo Leonardo (pictured, right), who visits the shop every day at 3pm for a shot.
Unsurprisingly, the most popular espresso drink is a cappuccino. Still, the menu also includes mochas, lattes, Americanos, and a marocchino, which is espresso and milk froth sandwiched between two dustings of cocoa powder.
“Dad wants folks to experience an authentic Italian cafe.” And most importantly, to help them understand what true Italian coffee tastes like, Luis translates.
Community & Culture
Francesca, 23, (pictured) left Italy when she was 15, and loves introducing her family’s culture to others. Her favorite pastry is the strawberry eclair because of the combination of the creamy whipped cream with the crunchy texture. We’re sold.
She also loves to be in the shop and meet new people, which is a major reason the DiGrazio family opened the shop.
“We are here to help people to understand what Italian pastries and coffee culture are. We are not only a caffé shop and pastry shop—we are also a meeting point for many Italians and Europeans.”
A little bit of Italy
The signature savory items and handmade pastry magic horns, for instance, draw folks from quite a distance.
Susan says she wants people to know that everything made in the shop is exactly as they would make for themselves.
People who haven’t traveled to Italy may have a preconceived notion about what Italian food and pastries are, but if you’ve been there, you’ll know the second you open the door to Dolce Italy that you’ve entered into Greenville’s own Little Italy.
The Greenville/Italy connection isn’t a coincidence. After all, Greenville’s sister city in the foothills of the Alps is Bergamo, Italy (which, incidentally, is about the same driving distance to coastal Genoa as Greenville to Charleston—we love a parallel ;)).
Susan says she will continue creating a variety of authentic pastries, with quality always being the most important factor, and appreciates advance orders for customers’ favorites.
We heart gelato
Every which way, we love gelato, but especially when drowned in a shot of hot, perfectly pulled espresso. Hence, we have to agree with Dolce Italy’s prediction that their Affogatto will become a popular order this summer.
Take note of other standalone gelato flavors—stracciatella, vanilla, pistachio—and some vegan options, too (lemon, passionfruit, strawberry, wild berry, pineapple, coconut).
Anyone else ready for summer?
Dolce Italy
115 Pelham Road, Unit 7, Greenville
Hours of operation:
Friday, 11am - 8pm
Saturday, 10am - 8pm
Sunday, 2pm - 8pm