Classic Italian Bakeries To Try Across New Jersey
New Jersey’s Italian bakery scene is a treasure trove of old-world recipes and family traditions passed down through generations.
From flaky sfogliatelle to creamy cannoli and crusty bread that rivals anything you’d find in Naples, these bakeries serve up authentic slices of Italy right in the Garden State.
Whether you’re craving something sweet or savory, these legendary spots will transport your taste buds straight to the Mediterranean without the airfare.
1. Calandra’s Bakery, Newark
Holy mother of carbs! This Newark institution has been slinging dough since 1962, and they’re not messing around. Calandra’s serves bread that makes you question every other loaf you’ve ever eaten.
The Italian bread here has a crackling crust that shatters like glass when you tear into it, revealing a pillowy interior that’s downright ethereal.
Their cookies? Little buttery masterpieces that somehow taste exactly like your Italian grandmother would make, even if you don’t have an Italian grandmother.
2. Nicolo’s Bakery, Montclair
Where heaven meets earth in pastry form. Nicolo’s isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel, they’re just perfecting it one cannoli at a time in their cozy Montclair shop.
The cannoli shells maintain that magical balance between crisp and tender, while the filling is so fresh it practically moos at you.
Grab their rainbow cookies, too. Those colorful little stacks of almond-paste joy that are somehow both dense and light. Family-owned since forever, they still use recipes that would make their ancestors proud.
3. Gencarelli’s Bakery, Bloomfield
This place is the stuff of legend. Gencarelli’s has been around longer than some countries, and their tomato pie will make you slap your mama (don’t actually do this).
The focaccia here deserves its own ZIP code, airy yet substantial, with that perfect olive oil-soaked bottom that makes you question your life choices.
Their Italian cookies could start a riot if they ever stopped making them. Locals have been known to buy bread by the armful here, and after one bite, you’ll understand why this Bloomfield institution has survived while empires have fallen.
4. Palazzone 1960, Wayne
Are you sitting down? Because Palazzone 1960 isn’t just a bakery, it’s a religious experience with flour. The moment you walk in, your nose gets assaulted by the kind of aromas that make you want to move in permanently.
Their tiramisu is so authentic that it has its own Italian passport. The espresso here could wake the dead, paired perfectly with pastries that would make actual Romans weep with joy.
Though newer than some other spots on this list, they’ve nailed the old-world craftsmanship while somehow making it feel current.
5. Del Ponte’s Bakery, Bradley Beach
When bread talks, Del Ponte’s loaves scream in Italian. This Bradley Beach institution has been feeding the Jersey Shore crowd carbs that are worth every single calorie since before your grandparents were born.
The semolina bread here has a golden crust that practically glows in the dark. Their pignoli cookies…those little pine nut-studded clouds of almond magic, will haunt your dreams in the best possible way.
You haven’t lived until you’ve had their Easter bread, a sweet, anise-scented masterpiece that puts all other holiday treats to shame.
6. Anthony’s Cheesecake & Restaurant, Bloomfield
Did someone say cheesecake? Anthony’s doesn’t just make cheesecake, they’ve elevated it to an art form that would make the Renaissance masters jealous.
Their ricotta cheesecake is lighter than air yet somehow rich enough to make you question reality. The cannoli cheesecake fusion should be illegal in at least 12 states.
Though they’re also a full restaurant (and a darn good one), the bakery section alone is worth battling Route 3 traffic for. Every slice comes with a side of ‘where has this been all my life’ realization.
7. Cerrato’s Bakery, West Paterson
This place is smaller than your first apartment but packs more flavor per square inch than should be physically possible. Cerrato’s has been flying under the radar while making pastries that would make an Italian grandmother weep with joy.
The sfogliatelle here, those seashell-shaped, ricotta-filled pastries, have layers so thin you could read through them. Their cream puffs defy the laws of physics with how light they are.
Family-run and fiercely traditional, they’ve resisted every trend and shortcut, and your taste buds will thank them for their stubborn dedication to doing things the old way.
8. Madonia Brothers Bakery, Hoboken
Though Hoboken might claim Carlo’s as its famous bakery, locals know Madonia Brothers is where the real magic happens. This old-school spot has been quietly turning out spectacular bread while avoiding reality TV cameras.
The prosciutto bread here is a revelation, savory, studded with bits of cured meat, and perfect for sandwiches or just tearing off hunks like a barbarian. Their lard bread (don’t knock it till you’ve tried it) is the stuff of legend.
These loaves have more personality than most people you’ll meet today, with a crust that sings when it comes out of the oven.
9. La Sicilia Bakery, Belleville
When you want pastry that’s unapologetically, aggressively Sicilian, this Belleville gem delivers with both barrels. La Sicilia doesn’t care about your diet plans or your Instagram aesthetic.
The cassata cake here is a monument to excess, sponge cake soaked in liqueur, layered with sweetened ricotta, covered in marzipan, and decorated like it’s heading to carnival.
Their almond cookies shatter with such satisfying crumbs that you’ll be finding evidence of your indulgence for days. Small, family-run, and absolutely no-nonsense, they bake like everyone’s watching but price like nobody is.
10. DiCosmo’s Italian Ice, Elizabeth
How dare I include Italian ice on a bakery list? Just try telling the DiCosmo family their century-old frozen treat isn’t worthy. This Elizabeth institution has been cooling down Jersey folks since 1915 with recipes straight from the old country.
The lemon ice here contains actual sunshine, I’m convinced of it. Impossibly smooth yet with real fruit pieces that remind you this isn’t some mass-produced nonsense.
Their chocolate flavor somehow tastes like frozen brownie batter in the best possible way. Served from a tiny storefront that hasn’t changed much in decades, it’s summer in a paper cup.
11. Rispoli Pastry Shop, Ridgefield
This place is where butter goes to fulfill its destiny. Rispoli’s has been around since 1937, and their pastries taste like they’ve spent every one of those years perfecting each recipe.
The lobster tail pastry here, that magical horn-shaped shell filled with French cream, is so good it should come with a warning label. Their rum baba is soaked so thoroughly you might need a designated driver after dessert.
Everything is made with the kind of attention to detail that’s nearly extinct these days, in a space that feels like time stopped somewhere around 1950.
12. La Bella Italia Bakery, Somerville
However good you think Italian cookies can be, La Bella Italia will reset your expectations entirely. This Somerville standout isn’t trying to be fancy or reinvent anything, they’re just doing everything exactly right.
The rainbow cookies here have such perfect layers that engineers should study them. Their pignoli cookies have the ideal ratio of chewy interior to crunchy pine nut exterior.
Though the shop itself is modest, what comes out of their ovens is anything but. Each bite tastes like it was made by someone who learned the recipe from someone who learned it from someone who brought it over on a boat from the old country.
