Where to Find Philly’s Best Cannoli
From old-school classics to out-of-the-box flavors here are the best spots to grab cannoli in the city — all filled to order, of course.
Cannoli from Termini Brothers Bakery / Photograph by J. Varney for Visit Philadelphia
A great cannoli is transportive — all textural contrast and creamy filling — while a bad cannoli can be incredibly disappointing. For a city full of Italian restaurants, the list of exceptional cannoli is surprisingly slim, probably because they’re so labor intensive. They require the dough to be rolled out and cut by hand, then fried, cooled, and filled with creamy ricotta filling – preferably to order to keep the shell nice and crispy. Here are the places that do it best.
Termini Brothers Bakery, multiple locations
Termini’s cannoli are a little smaller than Isgro’s, with a thinner shell and a more citrus-forward filling. In this town, most people who love cannoli have a loyalty to either Isgro or Termini, but the truth is that they’re both excellent.
Isgro Pastries, Bella Vista
Isgro’s cannoli are their most popular item — they sell more than 60,000 of them every year. The shell is the star, with a super crisp texture that is helped by their policy of filling cannoli to order. And their classic ricotta filling is nicely balanced with a little orange zest and a smattering of chocolate chips. If you prefer mascarpone, they’ve got that too. 1009 Christian Street.
Varallo Brothers Bakery, East Passyunk
Another in the category of old-school cannoli, Varallo Bros. offering is sweeter than the others. They do a chocolate, vanilla, and ricotta filling, plus a specialized version with liqueur for a boozy option. If you want the ultimate sugar hit, this is the cannoli for you. 1639 South 10th Street.
Gran Caffe L’Aquila, Center City
Gran Caffe L’Aquila is the Center City spot for cannoli. Go for a nice espresso and their cannolo, which is crispy and crunchy, filled with Sicilian sheep’s milk ricotta and candied fruit filling. 1716 Chestnut Street.
Isgro’s cannoli / Photograph by Dominic Episcopo
Sarcone’s, Bella Vista
Sarcone’s is best known for their exemplary tomato pie, but they also do very good cannoli in a tightly folded, thin shell, stuffed with chocolate-chip-stuffed filling. Go here when the line at Isgro’s is too long, or when you need tomato pie to go with your sweets. 758 South 9th Street.
Little Nonna’s, Center City
Most of the great cannoli in Philadelphia are classic spots, but Little Nonna’s does a new school version with a hazelnut-infused filling, a crispy chocolate-dipped shell, and more crushed hazelnuts on either end to top it all off. 1234 Locust Street.
Cacia’s Bakery, multiple locations
Another classic Philly bakery that’s better known for something else, in this case, their pizzazz pizza. But Cacia’s also does respectable cannoli. The ricotta filling has plenty of citrus, and the shells have a note of cinnamon that you don’t get anywhere else.
A strawberry and rhubarb cannoli from Gass & Main / Photograph by Kae Lani Palmisano
Gass & Main, Haddonfield
Leave it to Dane Demarco, a chef who’s not afraid to play with their food, to gift us fun-loving, seasonal takes on the beloved cannoli. Whether it’s a strawberry rhubarb cannoli in the spring or a pumpkin pie version in the fall, know that whatever treat you order is going to be delicious. Bonus: If it’s your birthday, the Gass & Main team will stick a sparkler in it! 7 Kings Court.
Zeppoli, Collingswood
If you end a meal at Zeppoli without getting the cannoli classico, did you even go to Zeppoli? They’re irresistibly creamy and sweet with a little kick of citrus, and they’re small enough to go alongside their other desserts, so you can have your torta and eat your cannoli, too. 618 Collings Avenue.
Holy Cannoli, multiple locations
With an ever-changing menu of flavors like tiramisu, cookie butter, and white chocolate raspberry, and a seemingly endless list of toppings, there’s always something new to try at Holy Cannoli. In addition to flavors that change monthly, this cannoli-centric cafe offers up other dessert innovations like cannoli bowls, cannoli sandwiches (think cookie sandwiches, but with cannoli filling and shells instead), and dannoli — a doughnut filled with the flavor of your choice.
