In the 1930s, the economic crisis in Italy became more acute and Giovanni De Luca (De Luca Giovanni) [the name thus appears in his own signature on a doc. of 1961, constant in the work of the CML archive], like so many others in his generation, decides to try the American dream. He leaves his Italian Alps for the United States of America, but chooses not to embark in Genoa and instead leave the European continent via Lisbon – which he never leaves.
The “Portuguese dream” perhaps turned out better than the American dream would have turned out, but we will never know that. What is certain is that he sailed through Lisbon with the wind of his choosing and added a previously non-existent possibility to the city. In 1936, one of the first, perhaps the first, ice cream shop in the city opened.

He did so in partnership with his cousin Luigi Sala and his father, Archangel Sala. They were immediately successful and, since then, Veneziana has always been among the best ice cream parlors in the capital. In the early years, sales were carried out using mobile carts, which are still part of the store's decoration and symbol. They opened a factory on Avenida de Berna, where the original ice cream recipes made with 100% natural ingredients continue to exist. These recipes, which come from a family tradition, are still in force today in the shop window. On the other hand, new flavors are constantly being launched. In addition to cup and cone ice cream, Veneziana is famous for its cassata, maraschino ice cream, and cup ice cream. It has always remained in the family, and in the meantime other stores have opened: in the Amoreiras Shopping Centre, in Quinta do Lambert and between Campo Pequeno and Avenida de Roma.

Content: Lojas com História