This North Carolina Italian Bakery Makes Cannoli That Could Give Sicily A Run For Its Money

In Sicily, you do not mess around with cannoli.

There are rules, even when nobody writes them down.

So finding a little bakery near Seven Lakes, North Carolina, doing them properly is enough to make you look twice. Maybe three times.

At first, you think you will take one for the road. That plan lasts about thirty seconds.

Good cannoli have a way of making people suddenly very quiet.

Nobody wants conversation when dessert has become this serious.

And if the box feels a little lighter before you get home, well, some things are better left between you and the pastry.

Start With The Cannoli That Put This Italian Bakery On Your Radar

Cannoli are the reason most first-timers make the drive out to Seven Lakes.

Crisp shells, sweet ricotta-style filling, and a dusting of sugar add up to a dessert that feels like it came straight from an Italian neighborhood in New York.

The shop lists cannoli as a must-try, and chocolate cannoli show up in the case too. Cannoli cream is also offered as a premium filling choice for custom cakes, which tells you how much confidence the bakers have in it.

DeLucia’s Bake Shop describes its style as European flavor with a New York attitude, and the cannoli capture that idea better than anything else on the shelf.

Rainbow bars add another Italian bakery classic, made with almond sponge, raspberry jam, and dark chocolate.

One helpful tip: eat your cannoli the same day you buy it.

The shell stays crispiest within a few hours, so plan your visit when you can enjoy it soon after. Order two if you are sharing.

Splitting one rarely ends well.

Find the shop at 4245 Seven Lakes Plaza B, West End, NC 27376.

Pick A Pastry Before The Display Case Makes The Decision Harder

Standing in front of the case here can feel a little overwhelming, and that is part of the fun.

The current pastry lineup includes sfogliatelle, lobster tails, pasticciotti, maritozzi, eclairs, Napoleons, and seasonal macarons. Raspberry swirl cookies, raspberry and apricot thumbprints, and rugelach cover the cookie cravings.

Breakfast-leaning choices include fruit and cheese danishes, apple turnovers, sticky buns, cinnamon rolls, and apple fritters.

Around St. Joseph’s Day, zeppole make an appearance, and cupcakes are usually around for anyone who wants something simple.

Gluten-free options include almond horns, muffins, brownies, breads, cakes, and flourless torte de nona, although the bakery states that these are not intended for celiac requirements.

Since availability changes, calling ahead is the safest option when you have a specific pastry in mind.

Then pick one unfamiliar pastry alongside your favorite.

That is how people end up with new favorites.

Try A Slice Of Cake Made With Classic Italian Bakery Flair

Cake is serious business at this shop, and wedding parties around Moore County have figured that out.

Custom cakes can be paired with fillings such as lemon, blueberry, raspberry, fresh fruit, pastry cream, tiramisu, and cannoli cream. Everyday cake options currently include carrot, raspberry torte, cannoli, Black Forest, chocolate or vanilla fudge, and tres leches.

New York cheesecakes come in plain, raspberry, cookies and cream, or marble, while the Italian cheesecake is made with ricotta.

Gluten-free birthday cakes can be special ordered, with filling and customization options discussed directly with the bakery.

Tastings are available for wedding and special-event cakes, with customization handled directly through the bakery.

If you are planning an event, reach out well ahead of your date. Small bakeries book up, especially in spring and early summer wedding season.

Otherwise, a single slice makes a perfectly good excuse to stop by.

Grab Fresh Bread Or Bagels If You Want Something Less Sweet

Sugar is not the whole story here.

The bagel case has built a following of its own, and more than a dozen reviewers mention bagels by name. Traditional options run through plain, everything, sesame, poppy, salt, garlic, onion, egg, egg everything, and pumpernickel.

Sweet versions include chocolate chip, cinnamon raisin, and French toast, while savory picks cover sundried tomato, jalapeno, and multi-grain.

Bread lovers get an even longer list.

Italian, focaccia, white, cheese, French, Cuban, baguette, cinnamon raisin, challah, ciabatta, rosemary, cranberry walnut sourdough, mountain, rye, pumpernickel, honey wheat, and marble rye all appear, along with rolls and croissants.

Bagels are made fresh daily, and baker’s-dozen orders are available when arranged in advance.

For a specific flavor or a larger bagel order, the bakery recommends calling ahead rather than relying on the day’s remaining selection.

Rosemary is one of more than a dozen breads currently listed alongside Italian, focaccia, challah, sourdough, rye, and other loaves.

Come Early For The Best Selection Of The Day

Baking here starts at 4:00 AM.

That predawn schedule is how such a small kitchen manages to fill its cases with cannoli, cookies, breads, and bagels by opening time. Doors open at 7:00 AM Tuesday through Friday, 8:00 AM on Saturday, and 8:00 AM on Sunday with an earlier 1:00 PM close.

Mondays are closed, so plan around that if you are driving in from out of town.

Daily selection can vary, so advance orders are encouraged when a particular bread, bagel, or pastry matters to your visit.

Weekend mornings draw the biggest crowds, especially Sunday when churchgoers stop in afterward for Italian cookies.

Tuesday through Friday service continues until 3 PM, as does Saturday, while Sunday closes earlier at 1 PM.

Bring a cooler if you have a long drive home.

Cheesecake and cream-filled pastries travel much better that way during warm North Carolina months.

See Why This Small Bakery Has Become A Local Favorite

Twenty-three years in the U.S. Army came before the flour and frosting.

Dena DeLucia went to culinary school after her military service, and she now co-owns the shop with Chelsea Huggins, who has worked in bakeries since 2006.

Their grand opening happened in July 2024, though DeLucia had already been baking locally out of HomeGrown Restaurant in Vass beforehand.

Word spread fast around Moore County.

Walk inside and you get what the owners call an old school New York vibe, with military flags on the wall and a cheerful Shalom, Y’all sign that sums up the whole mix of traditions.

A few tables are available, though the shop mainly works as a grab-and-go counter. Community matters to them.

Leftovers go to a church food bank, and the shop hosts events for neighbors throughout the year.

A year after its July 2024 opening, the bakery was still expanding its selection while Dena DeLucia and Chelsea Huggins continued running the West End shop together.

Bring Home A Box Because One Cannoli Probably Won’t Be Enough

Plenty of visitors arrive planning to buy one thing and leave carrying a box. It happens so often that it has become something of a running theme in the reviews.

Packaged cookie trays are available and make easy gifts or party contributions, according to a customer who brings them to house gatherings.

Italian wedding cookies and rainbow cookies get singled out repeatedly.

Catering and custom cake services mean larger orders are routine here, and the team has delivered to weddings even when the venue sat a fair distance away.

Guests at one daughter’s wedding raved about the pastry spread. Variety is intentional.

The owners work to keep the selection changing so customers have a reason to return and something new to try each time.

Mixing a box is the smart play for a group.

Grab a couple of cannoli, a sfogliatella, a lobster tail, and a few cookies, and everyone finds something they like.

Keep cream-filled items refrigerated once you get home, and eat the crisp pastries first.

Cookies hold up longest, so save those for later in the week.

Know What To Order Before Your First Visit

A little planning goes a long way at a shop with a menu this deep.

First-timers who walk in without a plan often end up ordering half the case, which is fun but expensive. Cannoli belong on any first order, plain or chocolate.

Add a bagel or two, a slice of cheesecake, and one cookie you have never tried before.

Seasonal and limited items are worth knowing about as well.

Cronuts are planned for the last Sunday of each month, gelato and sorbet are now offered, and St. Joseph zeppole are currently listed as a daily pastry.

Custom cakes and catering require advance ordering, so call or message ahead rather than hoping for a same-day miracle. Tastings help if you are choosing flavors for a big event.

Some custom-cake and cheesecake prices are posted online, while other bakery items may require checking the current in-store price.

Find it at 4245 Seven Lakes Plaza B in West End, closed Mondays, and go hungry.

Editor’s note: Menu items, seasonal pastries, prices, hours, and availability can change without notice. Details in this article reflect information available at the time of publication.

Some specialties may sell out, appear only on certain days, or require advance ordering.

Readers planning a visit should contact DeLucia’s Bake Shop directly for the latest offerings, hours, and ordering information before traveling.