Varallo Brothers Bakery

Espresso made by the hands of a woman who has been making it longer than all the baristas at my favorite new-wave coffee shop combined. Experience and wisdom in a cup. Someone who genuinely cares that you enjoy your dessert with a proper coffee—or that your morning begins calm and well taken care of. The décor is authentic and unpretentious. No thrills, no forced sameness of the third-wave cafés. Just simple tables, real Italian coffee, and truly delicious desserts. The cannoli are excellent. The Italian cream pie is phenomenal. The cookies are beautiful, the gelato scrumptious. And I absolutely love their sfogliatella— I feel I am back in Italy. There’s a wonderful, non-ironic 90s neighborhood vibe and a great cast of characters. Nothing but warmth, tradition, and plenty of sugar.

While in South Philly, I made a point to stop at Varallo Brothers Bakery, the sibling bakery to one of my favorite restaurants, Pesto. I had been told their pastries were exceptional, and the moment I walked in, that promise felt real. The space immediately transported me back to the Italian bakeries of Boston’s North End, the kind that make you feel like a kid again just by standing at the counter. The cookie case alone was impressive. Everything looked carefully made and thoughtfully displayed. I asked for what I grew up calling macaroons, the soft, chewy almond cookies. Karen knew exactly what I meant. While they differed slightly in texture and flavor from what I remember, which makes sense given family traditions and regional differences, they delivered that same sense of nostalgia a

The service was outstanding. The VARALLO special cannoli delicious. VARALLO's bakery cases were loaded with wonderful cakes and pies. Gelato was MMMgood.

My partner and I stumbled into Varallo’s on a chilly night right before the holidays, and it has become our go-to spot for sweet treats. Lovely service, everything is so good, and I am literally never disappointed (especially for the price point which is beyond reasonable). Their amaretto cake is not only beautiful but so so yummy, and I love their lobster tail with cannoli cream. Best bakery in South Philly!

This bakery makes the absolute BEST Italian Cream Cake I've ever had. Everything we've had from here is amazing. I'm so thankful that we found Varallo Bros. Bakery in Philly instead of having to drive to NY.