When we go out to eat in Little Italy or Chinatown, we often skip dessert at the restaurant and walk over to Cannoli King instead. Cannoli King is an Italian dessert café right in the heart of Little Italy. Yes, it’s touristy, but we don’t really care, because their cannoli are genuinely good. They’re big, the shells are crisp, and the filling is rich and creamy without being too sweet. You can also get mini cannoli in different flavors, but I always go for the full sized ones. The ratio of shell to filling is just better.
Over the years, we’ve tried several of their other pastries as well, and everything has been consistently fresh and really well made. I suspect the high turnover helps. Nothing has time to sit around for long before it’s eaten.
The service has always been great too, even when the place is packed. There’s one woman working there who seems to be there every time we stop by, and she’s always friendly and patient, no matter how busy it gets.
Cannoli King isn’t exactly a hidden gem, but if you’re craving something sweet in Little Italy, it’s absolutely worth a visit. And if you don’t feel like cannoli, their pistachio profiteroles are excellent, as is their sfogliatella, a classic Italian pastry made with flaky dough and a soft, creamy filling.
Cannoli King, 152 Mulberry St, New York, NY 10013
