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Best Cannoli????

Where can I find the best Cannoli in Manhattan..... downtown please, but will travel if it is amazing!!!

    42 Replies so Far

    1. Veniero's. No question. On the corner of 1st and 11th in the east village.

        1. re: Laura

          The cannoli at Rocco's on Bleecker Street are pretty good too.

            1. re: Mark

              Scroll below. There is a great thread on this subject.

              • re: Laura

                I've had a cannoli from Veniero's about 10 times and they always have soggy shells and overly lemony filling. Yuck! Ferrera's cannolis are better, the best I've had in NYC, but they are still a poor substitute for the cannoli from Mike's Pastry in Boston's North End.

                  1. re: Avery

                    Yeah, Veniero's is good for their fruity tarts, pies and so forth. Their cannolis are pretty much a joke.

                      1. re: Avery

                        Ferrera's is possibly the worst cannoli with the most hype. Soggy shells, poorly flavored and textured filling, just awful. In Brooklyn please head to Mona Lisa on 86 St, or Tastry Pastry on 13th Ave. In Staten Island head to Luigi's Dolceria on Hylan Blvd.

                      2. The key to great cannolis is filling them fresh,
                        while-u-wait, so that the pastry doesn't get soggy. Had some from Bruno Bakery in the Village a few weeks ago that were sublime.

                          1. re: LisaM

                            where is bruno?

                            • Tratoria Mulino....5th Ave. in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Better than Viniero's, and even better than New Haven.

                                1. I have yet to find a decent cannoli in Manhattan. I figured they got priced off the island like everything else. The best I've had in NYC are at Egidio in the Arthur Avenue section of The Bronx...but those are still a far cry from Vaccaro's in Baltimore's Little Italy.

                                    1. re: Jonny Pops

                                      Check out yesterday's AM NY. There was a whole article of suggestions.

                                        1. re: Jonny Pops

                                          Egidio's are not my favorite on Arthur Ave. - at least, not any more. Madonia Bros. fills theirs on the spot and they're very good, but I prefer the pre-filled ones at Morrone's - the shells stay crisp and the filling is excellent. As for "best", it's a misleading question as usual: some folks like their filling a bit more cheesy, some more sweet; some like it firmer, some like it "squishier", etc., etc.

                                          A description of what the OP means by "best" would be useful.

                                            1. re: Striver

                                              Has anybody been to Circo's on Knickerbocker ave B'klyn they never moved from the old neighborhood and I've heard they worth the trip in from eastern L.I

                                                1. re: scunge

                                                  La Bella Ferrara on Mott or Mulberry. NOT Ferrara's. GREAT pastries!

                                              • Fortunatos Bros. in GreenPoint, Brooklyn makes the best, hands down the best Italian Pastry Shop in NY.

                                                  1. re: lwong74

                                                    Definitely Fortunatos! They are so good! However, I must clarify, it's in Williamsburg off the Lorimer St. stop, not Greenpoint.

                                                      1. re: lwong74

                                                        I agree, Iwong, I have eaten cannolis from all over the five boroughs including, Ferrera and Venieros and Fotunatos Bros in Greenpoint Brooklyn is my all time favorite:)
                                                        Do yourself a favor and try one.

                                                        • The best cannoli is to be found in Bklyn at Ferdinando's on Union Street.

                                                            1. re: brooklyn1966

                                                              Second that! So is their cappuccino. Manhattan ... Veniero's, Rocco's and Cafe Roma on Broome Street. Ferrara's was great about 30 years ago.

                                                                1. re: Ferdinando212

                                                                  I liked Ferrara a lot about 35 years ago, and Veniero's was very good about 20 years ago, not now. I've had too many dry or/and tasteless things from them (including cannoli) to go back. I do like Rocco's - for Manhattan.

                                                                2. I definitely second Rocco's on Bleecker. They fill to order so the shells remain crisp, and the filling is the best that I've had.

                                                                    1. Agree that the key to sublime cannoli is filling them fresh. Have had the ones from Veniero's, Ferrara's, and Mike's in Boston, and of the three Veniero's were the soggiest (especially late at night when they've been sitting for a while -- stay away). Ferrara's is reliably good, but there's a little bakery right down the block from there that I forget the name of, which was amazing. Still, for fresh filling, make the trek to La Contessa in Boston's Davis Square - an old school family run place that reminds me of the places I grew up near. My family is so addicted, we do drive-by's through Davis just to pick them up, sending one person inside to get them while the others await hungrily in the car. Needless to say, the cannoli never make it home.

                                                                        1. re: maharani

                                                                          +1 for Madonia Brothers on Arthur Ave

                                                                          filled while u wait

                                                                          • well this is an old post, but I really liked the cannolis I've had from Pizza Italia. downtown on Stone St. Great pizza. the cannoli's are freshly prepared and homemade. A crispy shell bursting with delicious filling. really good.

                                                                              1. Make that +2 for Madonia Brothers. I've bought a bag of the filling and made a cake with it, I love it so much. The ultimate cannoli filling, imho.

                                                                                  1. At Ballato restaurant.

                                                                                      1. re: sushiman

                                                                                        NYC- Agree Veniero's.
                                                                                        Arthur Avenue- Delillo's
                                                                                        Best in Boston- Modern Bakery on Hanover-- nothing else close.

                                                                                        Enjoy!

                                                                                          1. re: thefoodbully

                                                                                            You have not experienced a cannoli until you try Vilabate on 18th Ave and 70th St. in Bensonhurst. The shell is thin and crispy and the filling is made from ricotta from Sicily. Check out the website vilabate.net. The Italian cheesecake is awesome, moist and creamy with a hint of orange and please ask for the BaBa Rum Pastry they fill them to order with cannoli cream or custard whichever you like. The custard goes better with the rum and it soaked with much rum and not over sweetened like most other bakeries produce them. I have tried pastries from Boston, Philly, Baltimore, Montreal, Bronx and more but nothing can compare to Vilabate they bake other pastries you would need to go to Sicily to find. The owners are from Sicily and have brought authentic recipies with them. The CASSATA AL FORNO is also a must try. They have maraschino cherries inside, sponge cake and cannoli cream and after your first slice you will be soon cutting another!

                                                                                              1. re: gourmetfoodcritic

                                                                                                www.villabate.net

                                                                                                • re: thefoodbully

                                                                                                  Honestly, Veniero's cannoli are a joke. They would probably even tell you that. The place specializes in fruit pastries, and those are good. The cannoli are a waste of time.

                                                                                                  Delillo's on Arthur Ave are nothing special either. Egidio's are better, though not great.

                                                                                                    1. re: Jonny Pops

                                                                                                      Rimini on BayParkway in Bensonhurst. I've moved out of that area but they used to fill them when you ordered them. They were crispy and the filling was delish!

                                                                                                        1. re: BonnieB.

                                                                                                          I love that place! They also make excellent baba au rhum, millefoglie, etc.

                                                                                                            1. re: Pan

                                                                                                              yup, and they make a nice icecream cake too.

                                                                                                                1. re: BonnieB.

                                                                                                                  By the way, has anyone tasted the cannoli at Royal Crown, I know they're known for their brick oven bread, but the cannoli are truly excellent. Very crisp shell and you know the filling was made with ricotta, it has a nice not too sweet cheesy kind of flavor. Almost like cheesecake in a cannoli shell.

                                                                                                        2. Fortunatos Bros in williamsburg brooklyn

                                                                                                            1. re: Asumnuthin

                                                                                                              A classic cannoli can be found at DeRobertis on First Ave. Some say it's "the best"...

                                                                                                                1. re: drosstogold

                                                                                                                  Who says that? Have you tried any of the recommended places in Brooklyn?

                                                                                                                    1. re: Pan

                                                                                                                      Talking Manhattan here.

                                                                                                                        1. re: drosstogold

                                                                                                                          Glad you clarified that, because this board covers more than just Manhattan.

                                                                                                                          For the record, I like neither Veniero's nor DiRoberti's. I continue to consider Rocco's the best in Manhattan, but far inferior to a place like Villabate in Bensonhurst, or several other places in Brooklyn.

                                                                                                                            1. re: Pan

                                                                                                                              Rocco's still have excellent cheese cake? I haven't been down there for ages.

                                                                                                                                1. re: drosstogold

                                                                                                                                  I think Rocco's is the best pasticceria in Manhattan, but in a way, that's really not saying that much.

                                                                                                                              • re: Pan

                                                                                                                                Phil Rizzuto Ok it wasn't yesterday, however DiRoberti's is across the street from the overated Venieros (I can say so because my folks have been ordering baked goods from them for over 30 years- everything is too sweet in my opinion) gotta root for the underdog anywhere. I agree the boros often have better authentic foods...

                                                                                                                                • Veniero's
                                                                                                                                  342 E 11th St, New York, NY 10003
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