
Varallo Brothers Bakery, nestled in the heart of Philadelphia, stands as a testament to timeless culinary traditions and the rich flavors of Italy. As one of the oldest Italian bakeries in the city, it has been serving the community with its exquisite range of authentic Italian baked goods for generations. From the irresistible aroma of freshly baked bread to the delicate sweetness of traditional pastries and desserts, each creation is a work of art, lovingly crafted using time-honored recipes. A visit to Varallo Brothers Bakery is not just a treat for the taste buds, but a journey into a cherished cultural heritage that continues to thrive in the vibrant streets of Philadelphia.
Old-school bakery known for making traditional Italian pastries, cookies, cannoli & bread.
Address and Contact Information
Address: 1639 S 10th St, Philadelphia, PA 19148
Phone: (215) 952-0367
Order and Reservations
Order: Order online
Photo Gallery
Related Web Results
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Reviews
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.
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 and joy. I plan to return and explore the cookies more intentionally next time.
My primary reason for stopping in was the lobster tails. Basil and Honey began during a search for the best lobster tail, so expectations tend to run high. Unfortunately, these did not quite land for me. The shells were soft and likely not fresh, which happens, and I would want to try one straight from a freshly made batch before forming a final opinion. The ricotta filled lobster tail was new to me. While interesting, I would personally choose a cannoli over that version.
Varallo Brothers offers multiple styles of lobster tails. I ordered a variety, and in doing so, I may have missed what I believe is their vanilla cream option. That said, Crema Diplomatica continues to stand out as the best tasting filling overall. Its balance, richness, and texture consistently deliver the most satisfying bite, and it remains my personal benchmark when judging lobster tails.
None of this takes away from the experience as a whole. Everything I tried was well made. The service was excellent, the bakery was clean, and the space felt warm and welcoming. A very positive first visit.
Now back to the cannoli. Coming from the North End, where cannoli are taken seriously, the bar is high. The classic ricotta filled cannoli here was excellent. The filling was smooth, rich, and well balanced. A genuinely strong cannoli. I also tried a chocolate dipped version with a mixed cream filling, which did not quite work for me, but the traditional ricotta version absolutely delivered.
In the end, the standout for me was the cookies. I will be back, without question, and next time it will be for a deeper cookie dive, a ricotta pie, and fresh bread before the holidays.
The VARALLO special cannoli delicious.
VARALLO’s bakery cases were loaded with wonderful cakes and pies.
Gelato was MMMgood.