Reviews
Where to Find Real Sicilian Cannoli in Little Italy
Where to find real Sicilian cannoli in Little Italy — the pastry shops filling shells to order with proper ricotta.
The best Sicilian cannoli in Little Italy is a shorter list than it should be. Most of what gets sold on Mulberry Street these days is a pre-filled cannoli that’s been sitting in a display case since morning — the shell soggy, the ricotta separated, the whole thing an insult to what a proper cannoli is supposed to be.
What makes a real Sicilian cannoli
A real Sicilian cannoli has three parts that all need to be right. The shell (scorza) is a thin, blistered, fried dough tube — sweet, crisp, with a snap when you bite it. The filling is fresh sheep’s milk ricotta (or high-quality cow’s milk ricotta), sweetened with sugar and often studded with candied fruit or chocolate. And — this is the non-negotiable — the shell gets filled to order, right in front of you, so the ricotta doesn’t have time to make the shell go limp.
If the cannoli is pre-filled, it’s not a real cannoli. It’s a pastry-shaped disappointment.
Ferrara Bakery: the Little Italy anchor
Ferrara on Grand Street has been open since 1892 and it’s the neighborhood standby. The cannoli here is filled to order if you ask — and you should ask — with a ricotta that’s a little sweeter than the traditional Sicilian version but still made from proper ricotta, not a whipped-cream substitute. Add pistachio to the ends. Get an espresso to go with it.
Caffe Palermo: the “cannoli king” claim
Caffe Palermo on Mulberry advertises itself as the cannoli king of Little Italy, and while the claim is aggressive, the cannoli is honestly good. Filled to order, ricotta is bright and lemony, the shell has a proper crunch. The mini cannoli platter is a good move if you’re with a group and want to try a few flavors — pistachio, chocolate chip, plain.
Rocco’s Pastry Shop: the West Village crossover
Rocco’s on Bleecker is technically the West Village, not Little Italy, but it’s the other Manhattan cannoli that Italian-Americans send you to. The shell here is thinner than most and the ricotta filling is closer to the traditional Sicilian sweetness level. If you’re doing a downtown pastry crawl, do Ferrara for one and Rocco’s for the other and compare.
Egidio Pastry Shop: worth the trip to the Bronx
Egidio on 187th in Belmont — the Bronx’s actual Little Italy — makes a cannoli that quietly outperforms most of what’s on Mulberry. Filled to order, ricotta is proper, shell has the right blister. If you’re doing an Arthur Avenue day, Egidio is the dessert stop. Our Arthur Avenue walking tour covers the full route.
Signs a cannoli is going to disappoint you
Pre-filled cannoli in a display case at room temperature — this is a soggy cannoli. Ricotta filling that looks white and fluffy like whipped cream — this is not ricotta, or it’s been over-whipped with a lot of powdered sugar to hide poor ricotta. Powdered sugar dusted on the outside of a soggy shell — this is trying to cover for the softness. A cannoli that’s more than 6 inches long — this is a tourist prop.
Sicilian vs American-style cannoli
The Sicilian original uses sheep’s milk ricotta (rare in New York), traditional candied citron and pistachio on the ends, and a shell that’s shorter and slightly wider. The American version — which is what almost every New York bakery serves — uses cow’s milk ricotta, sometimes adds mini chocolate chips, and uses a longer, more slender shell. Neither is wrong; the Sicilian version is just harder to find and worth ordering when you spot it.
What to drink with a cannoli
Espresso, no sugar. That’s the traditional pairing and it’s the right one — the espresso cuts through the richness of the ricotta. A cappuccino works too but is technically an Italian breakfast drink; ordering one after lunch will get you an amused look at older Italian bakeries, and the amusement is deserved. Never a cappuccino after 11 a.m. in Sicily. In Little Italy, they’ll make it anyway.
Beyond cannoli: other Sicilian pastries to try
Sfogliatelle — the layered shell pastry filled with sweetened ricotta — is the other Sicilian classic and Ferrara does a good one. Cassata is the ricotta-and-candied-fruit cake, hard to find and worth ordering when you see it. Zeppole — fried dough with ricotta cream — shows up around St. Joseph’s Day in March and is worth the seasonal detour.
When to go and how to eat it
Cannoli should be eaten the day it’s filled, and preferably within an hour. Take them home only if you’re eating them in the next few hours. If a bakery lets you pack them, ask for the shells and filling separately and assemble at home. The best time to buy a cannoli in Little Italy is late morning or mid-afternoon, when the shells have been made fresh and the ricotta is at its peak.
For the savory side of a downtown Italian day, our authentic Neapolitan pizza in Brooklyn guide is the natural next stop. Every bakery mentioned above is on the NewYorkEatsguide map.
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