Vaccaro's Italian Pastry Shop
- Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
29 Reviews for Vaccaro's Italian Pastry Shop
I went here for the first time this weekend (Saturday 7pm) with a friend that swears up and down about this place (her mom has been going there since she was little) - and it was packed! We quickly got a table- we were served promptly and well taken care of even though they were slammed. The prices were steep but the portions were huge. We tried cannoli (not a fan), chocolate gelato (HUGE portion and Mmmm Mmm GOOD!), the tiramisu (which reminds me...i have leftovers in the fridge YAY!) and come gross raspberry thing that tasted like cheap donut filling. Not really impressed. It must be a tradition kind of thing.
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My friend takes me here everytime I'm in Baltimore. Though there is always a wait, the waitstaff is friendly and accomadating.
I will not comment on the past since they were a while ago, but this recent visit I tried the cream puffs. The bread was not puffy as I expected, dry, and too thick for my liking. I won't be getting these again.
My dad had the raspberry napoleon, which was ok..as Lola S mentioned, the filling is like a donut. The other dessert I tried I can't remember the name of but it was strawberry, pistachio, and baci gelato layered between crispy waffle cone..now this was sooo good and totally worth it!! The strawberry was nothing special, but the pistachio and baci had a distinct and memorable flavor. Very enjoyable.
It's a cool place to check out if you are in the area and it has late hours so perfect to go after another evening event.
*3.5
Vaccaro pastries kind of remind me of something my non-existent Italian grandmother would make. They are well-meaning, yes, but these sugartastic, ginormo-sized treats will probably leave you in a diabetic coma if consumed in one sitting. One GIANT eclair fed me and my roommates--a total of 3 people--for 2 dessert sessions. Which boggles my mind that there IS a $13 All-You-Can-Eat Dessert Night on Mondays (who can eat that much dessert unless you have a death wish?!)
Nonetheless, I love Vaccaro's. Alright, so for the most part, it was my first ever experience with an "Italian bakery" ever. I have been to Italy immediately after and you betcha the cannolis and gelatos were a lot better there. But I'm not in Italy anymore and this suits me just fine until the next time. I still love their cannolis and their lemon ice. I've tried other things before but the only thing in my mind that sticks as memorable thus far are the coconut cookies. Honestly, some of those napoleons or cakes just look sketchy to me and they weren't anything special when I tried them. Their coffee drinks aren't bad though and I like a good Italian Ice Tea (ice tea with a scoop of lemon ice) in the summer.
So why do I keep coming back? Well for one, there's no other place like it in Baltimore. Though it's always packed, there is still something really comforting to pick up a nice treat or sticking around for it in the dining area with others. It is very much like grandma's house in that cozy feeling and the cooking--it may not be the best in the grand scheme of things but it's comforting and will certainly bring your spirits up even if you get so full you can't move anymore.
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Stopped here to pick up some baked goods -- so I can't speak to their cannoli, gelato or tiramisu -- but the cookies were rather disappointing -- with the exception of their amaretti, which were excellent.
Biscotti and Italian almond cookies were very good, but all of the other cookies did not impress.
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No offence ......but seriously this shop is overrated. I am a cannoli fiend and always order a cannoli if I can and this one is not good at all. I've been all over the world (East coast, West coast, from NY, Boston, DC to San Francisco, to Los Angeles and San Diego...and then all the way to Sicily). The best cannoli I've had so far...are from a little mom and pop (Sicilians) shop in a suburb of San Francisco (San Mateo). I'm not kidding you....the cannoli there are devine(!!) and really what a cannoli worshipper is dying for. You've got to have the ricotta filling just right, not too sweet, not to grainy and then the shell has to be delicate but with that yummy slight taste of being deep fried. Honestly, I don't know why Vaccaro's calls theirs a "cannoli"... it's more like an eclair or something.
One last thing, I was there with my family and while the desserts we ordered were large and looked pretty good...none were that appealing.
Vaccaro's is the real deal! This is authentic, original Baltimore at its finest. The pasteries and ice creams all becon me when I'm in the mood for sweets (which is typically always). Remember to bring a friend because the portions are ginormous. I can't believe my eyes when I see somebody going at a Vaccaro's dessert alone. Also, bring your patience because lines can get long, but then again that speaks to how great Vaccaro's is. No visit to Baltimore is complete without a visit to Little Italy's most famous denzien.
It doesn't matter where you eat in Baltimore, come here afterwards for dessert. Tuck you and your friends (or date) away into one of the tables and get ready to eat some fantastic food. (you may have to wait though, this place gets busy!)
During the colder fall and winter months, Vacarro's is even cozier, as they seem to turn the temperature up to the high 70's. Maybe so you can enjoy the gelati all year round?
Just keep in mind that one of the "Specialita Della Casa" desserts has about a 4:1 person to dessert ratio, in my opinion. Meaning you and three of your closest friends better decide on one dish to divide and conquer if you ever hope of finishing it.
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This place is quaint, and has a great selection of delectable desserts! Don't be fooled by the high prices - if you are not alone, feel free to split the desserts, as they are HUGE! I ordered a single scoop gelato, and couldn't even eat 1/3 of it. The gelato was very good, and I was sorry I couldn't possibly eat more. The latte was good, but the regular coffee was weak. If you are in the area, this is a neat little shop to check out.
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Great selection of desserts. I always stick with the cannoli. So yummy that whenever I am in a bad mood my boyfriend will bring one home to make me feel better!
Just heaven.
Toward the end of my meal at Fogo de Chao, I couldn't believe I was saying it, but I wanted something sweet after the insanity of meat I had just eaten. I was tempted to get something there, until Jim B. piped up with "I know a place."
Well GOOD LORD. What a place! Thank you Jim!
We had to wait for a couple of minutes for a clear table, but it was totally worth it. A packed place is typically a good sign. What I loved most about Vaccaro's (aside from the mountain of chocolately goodness I inhaled) was the people there. It was so fun to see people coming from all sorts of events (we were there around midnight on a Saturday). People celebrating birthdays, out on a date, or coming from some fancy-pants ball or party.
When we walked in, I knew it would be good, as I could see all the pastries stacked up at the counter. Jim and I decided to split the "Death by Chocolate," which at one point we thought might actually cause us to die. These desserts can definitely be split many many ways.
I just loved the atmosphere and idea of this place and was so happy to see that the food delivered. I am going to track down the DC locations and become a regular,just before I'll have to go on a major post-holiday diet.
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Oh lord, those cannolis are good!
...and there's a Monday night all you can eat dessert and coffee (read: be a glutton, eat dessert for dinner!) for $12.95 per person. Ridiculous! It happens every Monday from 6-9pm in the Little Italy location. Unbelievable.
A great way to pack on the pounds to stay warm this winter. Oh wait, that's for hibernating bears...
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Awesome tiramisu!!! whenever i go thr, I buy the half tiramisu (i think its arnd 10-12 bucks) ...and then hv it 3-4 days in a row after meals.
simply superb!
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I've lived in Italy twice, seriously dated an Italian, and "worked" in my best friend's Italian bakery so I consider myself a big critic of the Italian cuisine. With all of this experience, I've learned that the best places are hole in the wall joints and this is one! The food is cheap, huge, and full of calories because it is just that good! I had the canoli which had enough filling for three canolis. My date had the tiramisu and couldn't even finish half of it. Bring your appetite, but leave the big bills at home. Buon Appetito!
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Ginormous portions of dessert. I've had better gelato, but not presented like this and with two floors of seating. Again, they only serve dessert. Wow. I'd recommend sharing a dessert with a friend, but if you can handle it order your own. The ice cream sandwich was huge and mad yummy, although the brownie part could have been a bit more moist. The rum cake was pretty blah.
If you're in B-more, you must indulge in this neighborhood institution. It's worth the extra pounds.
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Simply impressive.
Service was a bit slow and it took us a while for our party to be sat. On the back of the menu though, there was this message from the owners saying something like "please be patient, because our patient customers are our best customers." Sure it's a little impersonal to read it from a menu, but it made me feel a bit better about the wait.
All I wanted was a tiny "bite of sweetness" to cap off my big lunch so i decided on a quarter sized belgian waffle. But I realized that, haha, you get what you pay for here. A four dollar slice of cake is a very nice sized portion of cake, enough for two. A seven dollar quarter-sized belgian waffle is a quarter of a belgian waffle, but topped with gelato, whipped cream and syrup. Of course, they also sell same waffle is half and whole sizes.
The bite of sweetness I originially wanted turned into me shoveling spoonfuls of gelato/waffle goodness in silence. Just incredible.
Be careful, the hot chocolate and the white choc mocha are sickly sweet. I recommend a flavored coffee with no sugar to balance out your meal, err, dessert.
Probably the finest dessert I've had this year.
I think this has to be one of the most overrated Italian bakeries ever. I've been to better Italian bakeries in Chicago, SF, New York, and many other places. I had a better cannoli yesterday in South Brunswick, NJ than the last time I was there. If you are in little Italy or the train station and need a snack it's fine, but if you make a special trip you're dead to me.
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i moved 3000 or so miles away and this is a place that I miss so much. You can't find anything like it in CA.
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I think this is a great place to head if you happen to be in little Italy. I'm not sure if I would go out of my way to go there but if you are in the neighborhood, it can't be beat.
I've been to Vaccaro's twice and I really think it depends on what you order. The first time I was there, I got this huge ice cream sundae that was on top of cheescake. I forget the name but it was amazing. The second time, all I got was gelato and some of their cookies. I didn't like most of the cookies and I've had better gelato. So, I guess order with caution. The portions are huge! Share with a friend for sure.
It is always really busy but you don't have to wait too long if you are going to be sitting down. If you are getting things to go, there is always a really long line.
All in all, it is about the atmosphere and the experience. You may not get the best gelato you've ever had but Vaccaro's is an institution in Baltimore. My reccommendation? Give it a whirl if only to say you've been there. :)
Mmmm, their cookies are deelish. Gelato is good too, but regular size portion is huge, so beware. Cookies are expensive, but worth it, especially at holiday time.
One of my can't miss stops whenever I'm in Baltimore, and I usually end up leaving town with a box of canolis and eclairs for the trip back to Atlanta. It's the kind of small, well-established neighborhood eatery that you just don't have further south in the land of strip malls and urban sprawl. I love going for walks in the neighborhood when I'm visiting my friends nearby.
I had told my wife stories about Vaccaro's leading up to our last trip to Baltimore. I'm happy to say that the desserts more than lived up to the hype for her as well. Can't wait to come back and have some more.
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Having moved away from Baltimore, this is one place I definitely miss. They have the best gelato (chocolate hazelnut and amaretto are amazing). Having been to Italy, Vaccaro's gelato is pretty good (especially in Baltimore). I'd like to get mine to-go in a child-size portion... their regular adult portion sizes in general are huge. Their rum cake is also very good. The place can get really crowded at night, especially on weekends.
I was so full after dinner, but I couldn't stop eating the dessert. I shared the Baci Ball (which should be "balls" because you get 3 mongo cream puffs filled with chocolate hazelnut gelato topped with fudge and whipped cream) and a Strawberry Vanilla Napoleon. Both desserts were delicious and not too heavy or too sweet. I almost want to say that the napoleon was better than the one at Veniero's (NYC). Uh oh... Would definitely make it a point to come back here the next time I'm ever in Baltimore. Oh, and I got the Peanutto gelato to go (peanut butter/chocolate gelato). Yums.
Although nestled in a seemingly obscure corner just south of Abermarle and Pratt Streets in Baltimore's Little Italy, the locale itself is not difficult to find, even at night. Just look for the line of people stretching out from the corner entrance out into the intersection.
Vaccaro's original full service location commands lines of people and their sweet teeth for its home-batch recipies, its answer to anyone's weekend night craving for gelatto, and its classic cannoli recipe (among other high-decadence treats).
My favorite has always been the "Lost At Sea"--which is a Belgium waffle topped with fresh walnuts, ice cream, whipped cream and fudge drizzled on and on and on. This is just one of what we called the "Columbus series" of ice cream desserts---they are tiered in level of sugary agglomeration--starting with the beginners-only Nina, the slightly more ingredient-y Pinta, the Santa Maria, and the crown jewel of sugar-shock, the Lost At Sea. These are offered in three portion sizes---a full size (just under $10), a half size, and a quarter size (just under $7). The last is my indulgence of choice---Vaccaro's desserts are rich, rich , rich and even the quarter-size Lost At Sea is enough to kick my sugar buzz into high gear.
The tiramisu is standard tiramisu size with a Vaccaro's touch. The eclair rivals the size of a loaf of bread and unless you're a self-proclaimed sugar uber-beast, think about sharing it so your bloodstream doesn't take vengeance on you.
All desserts here are large (either literally in terms of sheer mass, or in terms of sugar-content-per -cubic-millimeter), but everything is hand crafted in house and delectably yummy. Vaccarro's satellite locations "Vaccaro's Italian Pastry Shops" around Baltimore and Washington, DC don't really compare to ths original destination in terms of selection and freshness, but still can quell the hankering for Vaccaro-ness if you're on the go (or too far of a commute) from the Little Italy restaurant.
Prices range from $4 or so all the way upwards of $10 for sinlge desserts. For a group of 7 folks, all with a range of desserts, a couple of cappucinos and a cup of Lavazza brewed coffee, the tab was just shy of $75, including tip.
The major downside is the wait on its oft hopping nights. There's even a nice disclaimer on the menu that forewarns those who may be "in a rush". The dining area is not large at all---a table of 7 took up the central part of the dining room, which is already sharing a sliver of tile space with the gelatto line. So waiting---be it for a table or for your desserts to be plated, is part of the Vaccaro's modus operandi as well. If you're in a hurry, heed the disclaimer's advice and come back next time--when you can relax, have conversation, and enjoy gradualliy increasing your blood sugar level by orders of magnitude.
Parking is also just as competitive as scoring a seat---Little Italy, with its close concentration of so many fine Italian restaurants, shares neighborhood street parking as well. If you're coming during the day, keep an eye out for the parking rules/signs posted in your sidewalk-side of choice.
If you're coming from the Inner Harbor, the most convenient way (in my once-upon-a-Baltimore-life opinion) is to stay on Pratt (the main street through the heart of the Harbor), cross over President, and turn right onto Albermarle. If you're with a group of people, definitely do a drive-by-dropping-off of your party at Vaccaro's so they can get in line while you scavenge for a parking spot.
Moral of the story is, regardless of where your dining plans are in Baltimore, save room for dessert.
Here.
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THE dessert cafe to go to in the friendly Little Italy neighborhood. Typical Italian dessert fare with the mainstay pastries and gelato. I've had better gelato in Little Italy in NYC, but the quality is just as comparable and you definitely get more for your money. The canolis are excellent - the regulars are super sweet and tasty. You can order some pre-filled or fill them yourself. And they have both regular and amaretto tirimisu (the latter being very tasty and liquidy-runny if you let it sit for too long). I'd give this more stars but the toronne they sold was pre-packaged Ferrara brand - you can get the same thing fresher in Ferrera in NYC! Not impressed with that.
Especially impressed with how late this place opens (until 1or2 am on weekends). Definitely check this out if you're in this part of the neighborhood.
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If you want dessert and you are already in Little Italy there is just no reason not to come here. The Chocolate Hazelnut and Mint Chip Gelato's are amazing. The other ones are probably similarly good but those are the only ones I've had so far. The prices are cheap and the quantities are, as other have said, quite satisfying.
The coffee here is only average, but that's the only complaint I have with Vaccaro's. Their desserts are large and delicious, prices are reasonable, and the service has always been good. Tiramisu is my favorite item, but I've also had their cannolis, rum cake and some some of their cookies, and they were all extremely tasty.
This place remind me "Mike Pastry" in North End Boston.
I had tirmasu!reat little place to stop by for dessert! I didnt even finish the whole thing!!
It was crowded, not that much seating, maybe it just the time I was there!
Mmm! Insanely large quantities of yummyness. Not the absolute best dessert you will ever have, but they up there.
This is the Little Italy location -- with table service. Monday nights are all-you-can-eat for $12, but keep in mind that a $5 dessert on a normal night is still more than a mortal can eat...
good dessert place with neighbor feel. i spotted ex-governor current comptoller of md, shaffer, 3 times here. that old man just luv this sweet italian place. some servers are awesome here. as for dessert, tiramisu man. and some other like canoli. good coffee. must go for little italy and for dessert. usually crowded but be patient it will be worth the wait. n what for those small shop they opened in baltimore, annapolis, and dc. not as good as here.
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