Photo by Brian Kachejian
Today, my wife and I visited one of the oldest bakeries in New York City, Ferrara Bakery & Cafe, located at 195 Grand Street in Little Italy. The bakery was founded in 1892 by Antonio Ferrara, an opera impresario who originally envisioned the space as a social club where Italian immigrants could gather to play cards and drink espresso. It was the first establishment in the United States to serve authentic Italian espresso, and it quickly became a cultural anchor for Little Italy, famously frequented by tenor Enrico Caruso. Now, I am no Caruso, but I know a good cannoli when I taste one.
Whenever I visit a bakery, I look for something special, while also making sure to try the classics like cheesecake, cannolis, and rainbow cookies. At Ferrara, I ordered one of each, along with one of their legendary specialties, the lobster tail, which some people mistakenly call a lobster roll.
The Cheesecake
We started with the cheesecake, a simple New York style slice topped with strawberries. If you watch the video below, you can see our honest reactions as we tasted everything. The cheesecake was sensational, incredibly fresh, creamy, and a perfect example of the classic New York style. What made it even more memorable was my wife’s reaction in the video, where she said it was the best cheesecake she had ever tasted.
The Cannoli
Comparing cannolis from different bakeries is not always easy. At their core, they follow the same formula, so the difference comes down to freshness, the crispness of the shell, the creaminess and sweetness of the filling, and the quality of the ingredients. Do they taste premium or ordinary? Ferrara’s cannoli was excellent, extremely fresh, flavorful, and well-balanced. I graded it very highly, and my wife loved it as well.
Lobster Tail
The lobster tail has become one of the most talked-about bakery desserts in recent years, showing up on television programs and in reviews everywhere. It is a large pastry made with a crisp, flaky shell similar to a croissant, filled with Bavarian cream. These pastries are often shipped across the country at a high price. Is it worth paying that much for shipping. If you are never coming to New York City, maybe that is your only option. But walking in and buying one fresh is far more affordable. It was outstanding, the cream was rich and smooth, the shell crisp and buttery. In my video, I accidentally called it a lobster roll because that was how it was described at the counter, but most people refer to it as a lobster tail.
Rainbow Cookies
Ferrara sells their rainbow cookies in packs of six. I am very particular about rainbow cookies because they can taste dramatically different depending on where you buy them. Every bakery seems to have its own recipe. The jelly layer plays a major role, as does the chocolate coating and even the serving temperature. This was the only item that slightly disappointed me. They were still good, and many people might consider them the best they have ever had, but I have tasted better versions. Even so, they are solid and would satisfy most customers.
While my video review focused on four items, there is far more to explore at Ferrara. The bakery also offers a range of savory dishes, especially during brunch, which typically runs until 3:00 PM. The menu includes Italian-inspired breakfast dishes such as panettone French toast, omelets served with zucchini fries, thin-crust pizzas, and paninis made with imported meats and cheeses. Traditional appetizers like fried calamari and rice balls are also available, making the cafe suitable for lunch and dinner, not just dessert.
The heart of Ferrara remains its pastry cases, which is where I spent most of my time. They stock more than 200 rotating items, including Italian butter cookies, pignoli cookies, cheesecakes, specialty cakes, and more. The bakery also features a full gelato and sorbet bar with flavors such as amarena cherry and stracciatella, along with a lemon granita based on a family recipe that dates back over a century.
If you live in New York City or are planning a visit, Ferrara is worth the trip. And once you have experienced it, you may also want to visit Veniero’s Pasticceria & Caffe, another historic Italian bakery that opened in 1894 and carries a similar old-world tradition.
