Italian bakeries have been a part of daily life in Philadelphia for more than a century and are popular with locals and tourists alike. Serving everything from homemade bread to traditional Italian pastries and sweets, Philly’s Italian bakeries are a great way to get an authentic taste of Italy while you’re in the city.
So whether you’re looking for some delicious sweets, savory pastries or freshly baked bread to take home with you, Philadelphia’s Italian bakeries should always be your first port of call.
Termini Bros Bakery.
First opening its doors to the public in 1921, Termini Bros Bakery is a mainstay in Philadelphia’s Italian cultural landscape and serves a magnificent range of cakes, cookie trays, authentic Italian pastries, cannoli, coffee, chocolates and confections. You can also buy beautiful gift boxes for someone in your life or, if you prefer, you can even treat yourself. They have multiple locations throughout the city including one inside the Reading Terminal Market.
Although Termini Bros Bakery has 5 locations throughout the city, its main store is located on 8th Street. This traditional family-run Italian bakery uses techniques that have been passed down through the generations although they’ve also embraced modern technologies and run an online store where you can buy all their tasty products to have delivered to your home.
Isgro Pastries.
This famous Italian bakery has been serving the citizens of Philly since 1904 when it was founded by Mario Isgro. As a child, Mario grew up in Sicily and managed to get a place at a prestigious cooking school in Vienna where he specialized in pastry making and baking. Following his dream to move to America, taking his Italian cooking skills with him, he established Isgro Pastries which quickly became a favorite bakery in the neighborhood. This bakery is located 1009 Christian Street (Bella Vista neighborhood).
The family-run bakery serves delightful homemade cakes, cannoli, custards, cakes, tarts and a huge range of Italian pastries. Some of the menu highlights include Ricotta cookies, Sfogliatella, Almond macaroons, Pignoli cookies, Rum cake and fruit-filled cookies.
Gran Caffe L’Aquila.
This restaurant, bar and store near Rittenhouse Square Philadelphia is a genuine hub of Italian culture in the heart of the city. Gran Caffe L’Aquila’s Gran Market shop serves lovely coffee as well as luxury chocolates, sweets, traditional snacks, desserts and a whole range of basic Italian groceries such as vegetables and fruits. This bakery/restaurant/bar was designed and built in Italy and shipped to Philadelphia!
The Gran Caffe L’Aquila also has its own gelato stand as well as selling cured meats, wines and coffee. Of course, you can drop by the shop to browse the fresh goods or, if you prefer, you can order online and receive a home delivery. While the selection may not be quite as extensive as some of the city’s other Italian bakeries, the quality of the products is second to none and represents the very best of authentic Italian sweets, delicacies, coffee and groceries.
Bottega Rittenhouse.
With dine-in, delivery and takeaway options, Bottega Rittenhouse is renowned for its superb pastries, pasta, sauces, sweets, cakes and much more besides. Among the most popular savory pastries are the spinach, onion and Feta pastries and the tomato and onion pastry, both of which are handmade in the bakery. If you’d like to try the pasta you can buy fresh Rigatoni or Malloreddus by the pound or pick up some Bolognese or marinara sauce to take home for later.
Naturally, no visit to Bottega Rittenhouse would be complete with sampling some of the sweet pastries and desserts which include glazed donuts, chocolate croissants, blueberry muffins and macaron chocolate among many other finger-licking options. One of the newest items to be added to the menu is the Albanian Truffle Dessert which is getting great reviews from customers.
Di Bruno Bros.
With an amazing reputation that’s been built up over 80 years in Philadelphia, Di Bruno Bros Italian bakery sells top-quality products that are made using traditional techniques and locally sourced ingredients. There’s a lovely selection of gourmet food and delicacies on offer at Di Bruno Bros such as specialty cheeses, sweet pastries and treats as well as cured meats and freshly made breads.
The bakery also runs hugely popular monthly clubs. When you join one of the bakery’s monthly clubs you’ll receive a basket of carefully curated breads, cheeses and meats as well as other items, depending on which offer you sign up for. The monthly club baskets also make a wonderful gift for someone special in your life.
Di Bruno Bros has three locations in Philly with its main store at 1730 Chestnut Street in Rittenhouse Square and two other sites at 375 West Lancaster Avenue and 930 South 9th Street in the famous Italian Market.
Cacia’s Bakery.
Located in the heart of South Philly, Casia’s Bakery is a family-run business that uses a traditional brick oven to make delicious pizza, stromboli, cakes, bread, rolls and pastries. The award-winning bakery has been in operation for more than 60 years and is one of the only places in Philadelphia that still uses an authentic brick oven.
Hugely popular with locals, Casia’s Bakery is super friendly and you’ll always be able to catch up on the latest neighborhood news when you pop in to pick up some fresh bread, pizza for lunch or some pastries to take back to your office with you.
Frangelli Bakery.
Best-loved for its classic Italian sweets, cannoli cakes and ice cream donuts, Frangelli Bakery was founded in 1947 and still uses many of the original techniques that first made it a household name in Philadelphia. There is a wonderful selection of cakes although you can also have the cakes personalized and choose the flavor and ingredients of your cake. All of the donuts are freshly made each morning and to really get your day off to a great start you can also add a coffee to your order at Frangelli Bakery.
Sarcone’s Bakery.
This 5th generation family-run bakery is an iconic landmark in Philly’s Italian Market that serves traditional Italian bread as well as sweet treats, cookies, delicacies and homemade pizzas. The bakery has a friendly atmosphere and is a real community hub in South Philadelphia.
You’ll find everything at Sarcone’s including Italian loaves, seeded bread, dinner rolls, onion rolls, garlic bread with and without cheese and much more. You can also buy delicious Sicilian pies, tomato pies, sausage bread and cannoli. So if you’re in the neighborhood, don’t forget to drop by Sarcone’s Bakery to check out the fantastic bread and sweets they have on offer.
Anthony’s Italian Coffee And Chocolate House.
A lovely traditional Italian coffee house, chocolate shop and bakery in the Italian Market, Anthony’s is a genuine treasure trove of delights with street-side outdoor seating. The coffee house sells a huge selection of specialty beverages, homemade cannoli, freshly baked sfogliatella, pastries, breakfast and lunch paninis, loose tea leaves, coffee and, of course, a magical array of Italian chocolates. There are also gift baskets in the store and branded merchandise such as thermos flasks and espresso makers for your fresh coffee.
Varallo Brothers Bakery.
Founded in 1981, the Varallo Brothers Bakery is well known in the city for its gourmet pastries, cannoli, cookies and fresh homemade bread. Some of the bakery’s specialties include Zuppa Inglese, Zuccotto and Santa Honore but the pies, cakes and breads are fantastic too.
All of the items are made using traditional techniques with locally sourced ingredients and no artificial preservatives. The Varallo Brothers Bakery operates a home delivery service which only takes 24 hours for the items to be baked, packaged and shipped to your door.
Philadelphia Has Great Italian Bakeries.
For anyone living in and around Philadelphia, the city’s Italian bakeries should be your first stop when it comes to picking up fresh bread, grabbing a quick coffee or buying authentic Italian sweets, pastries and other delicacies that you won’t find in the supermarkets. Often family-run, Philly’s Italian bakeries are community hubs where you can catch up on the local gossip and meet up with friends or family for a light lunch.
