Villa Genoese Zerbi is the most iconic residence in the city of Reggio Calabria. It is located in Corso Vittorio Emanuele III in the area where, before 1860, there was the ancient Baroque style villa of the Marchesi Genoese family, an ancient family of the Reggio patriciate who at the end of the 19th century added that of Zerbi to their surname, hence the current name Genoese Zerbi. Destroyed by the 1908 earthquake, the villa was rebuilt with a project drawn up by the engineers Zerbi, Pertini and Marzat in 1915.

Over the years the Villa has acted as a cultural hub, hosting important artistic exhibitions and events, including those of the Venice Biennale in Southern Italy and today it is coming back to life thanks to the project of Vincenzo Pennestrì, an established master ice cream maker and pastry chef who opened an innovative venue inside that symbolizes an intriguing fusion between historical heritage and culinary innovation, enhancing the historical and cultural significance of the Villa.