The Cozy Italian Bakery That's Fed NYC Sweet Treats For Over 80 Years

New York City is world-renowned for its pastries and sweet treats, and there's no shortage of top-class bakeries across NYC working on innovative new concepts and interesting flavor combinations. But sometimes, you just want to go to a cozy, classic Italian bakery that evokes nostalgia and old-school charm. That's exactly when you should make your way to Circo's Pastry Shop, a traditional, family-owned storefront that's been serving the Brooklyn community for over 80 years.

Circo's Pastry Shop was founded by Sebastino Circo in 1945. There isn't too much other information available about the original owner, as the bakery is really the legacy of Nino Pierdipino and Michele Vinci, who joined the business in 1968. Pierdipino, who moved to Brooklyn from Sicily in 1966, and Vinci were the best pastry chefs on staff, and they rose up the ranks quickly. Within five years, they partnered up and bought the business, and their family continues to run it today.

Despite its surroundings changing drastically over the years, the Bushwick-based bakery has remained true to its roots. The storefront is still lit up by a decades-old neon sign, and the pastry cases are free of frills. More importantly, the original equipment remains and the recipes haven't changed.

One of the most popular items on the Circo's Pastry Shop menu is the freshly filled cannoli, which is created by following the same recipe Sebastino Circo and his staff used when it first opened in 1945. The pastry shop was actually the first to bring the "giant" 5-pound cannoli to New York City in the '70s, which has since drawn praise from celebrities like Alec Baldwin, TLC's "Cake Boss" star Buddy Valastro, and even ex-U.S. President, Ronald Reagan. There are also classic Italian rainbow cookies available, as well as biscotti, Sicilian fig cookies, and wedding cakes. Everything is made by hand, even the ice cream cakes, and Nino Pierdipino can still be found in the kitchen sharing the vast knowledge he has gathered since he first started working at a Sicilian bakery at the age of 11.

Pierdipino's sons, Salvatore and Anthony, attended the Culinary Institute of America before joining the family business, and they have worked extensively with both French and Italian pastry. They continue to keep everything as old-school as possible in the shop — using the original oven, string buoys, and box designs. While they do cater to requests and offer nationwide shipping, they love to get to know their regulars and serve the generations of families who've been coming since before they were born — which is good, since it seems like Circo's Pastry Shop will be there to serve the next generation of them, too.