Rocco's Pastry Shop & Espresso Cafe
Categories: Bakeries, Coffee & Tea [Edit]
Neighborhood: Manhattan/West Village243 Bleecker Street
(between Carmine St & Leroy St)
New York, NY 10014 (212) 242-6031
- Nearest Transit:
W 4th St (A, C, E, B, D, F, V)
Christopher St (1)
Christopher St (PATH)
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Wheelchair Accessible: No
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Wi-Fi: None
8 reviews
Neighborhood: Manhattan/West Village
"We walked into this spotless establishment on the way to dinner and were still so excited about it that we opted out of dessert and came…" read more »
56 Reviews for Rocco's Pastry Shop & Espresso Cafe
HOLY CANNOLI IS RIGHT!
I think this was hands-down the best establishment for my very first cannoli tasting. Let's just say it was amazing, so amazing that I had to take a picture of the most beautiful thing in the world so I could treasure it forever.
Mr. Rocco- you have not seen the last of me!
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Rocco's is a sight for sore eyes on this stretch of Bleecker. Between the cheesy t-shirt shops and tour groups, this little Italian pastry shop, which I don't believe has changed much since it opened in 1974, is a reminder of when living those to Carmine Street meant you were still in Little Italy.
There are no frills here, just some amazing cannoli's, those little three color cookies that everyone likes, and lots of other fattening Italian treats to be had. Their coffee also has a fairly legionary following, but it's a little too weak for my tastes, which is why I can't bring myself to give it that last star.
But Rocco's will always have a place in my heart, and once they donated some cookies for an Italian themed book party I was throwing, so they get major points there too.
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It was really yummy!! REALLY!! I mean usually desserts are good.. But this place was really good. Its just a pity that it was so expensive... I had the $5 cake. But its a good place to go if you just want to treat yourself and your friends. I don't really recommend a large group (bigger than 5 would be "large) because it gets crowded fast although there is room inside.
The cannoli is great, and you can read all about it in the other comments. Recommendations are to have at least one on the spot, and the chocolate ones are less likely to become soggy after a prolonged sitting.
Mainly, I'm here to rave about the excellent service I received. After entering Rocco's, I searched the rows of pastries for the cannolis, and upon spotting the empty chocolate shells, I noticed a server behind the counter, patiently waiting to assist me.
"Two chocolate and two regular cannolis please."
"Would you like the regular size or the mini?"
"Hmm... mini."
At a different Italian bakery, I was automatically given the regular-sized cannolis, hence I appreciate the considerate inquiry at Rocco's. Only then were the cannolis filled and adorned with mini chocolate kisses and powdered sugar. As they were being weighed,
"Would you like a box or a bag?"
"Box please."
If I knew the (large) size of the box, I would have opted for the bag. But the server proceeded to box the cannoli's and then tied and knotted a string over the box. All for a purchase of $3.50. (I bought $6 worth of cupcake at a to-remain-nameless establishment, and they couldn't spare me a box.)
Next time, I will purchase enough cannolis to fill the box.
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Holy Cannoli!! Slap your momma good! There is nothing else I can say about the cannoli's that haven't been said already. Just go. You will never see cannoli's the same way again.
It's been two days since I left NYC and I lust after them already!
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With the abundance of lamented dcor establishments that are housed in Bleecker, only but a handful stand out amongst the majority with respects to service, product diversity, and of course lasting impressions. Although the number of operated business surmounts the numbers of patrons paying their business respects to these locales, Rocco's Pastry Shop stands above the rest in terms of quality and presentation of what they had to offer.
I ventured to Rocco's not by coincidence or choice. Upon completion of dinner with a friend, she had suggested we take a short stroll to Rocco's as they're famous for their homemade Cannoli. Upon arrival, we immediately found a seat towards the back of the restaurant (greatly appreciating the fact that we avoided the majority of the take out crowd that lingered in the front).
The establishment itself is best described as a dieter's worst nightmare. The multitude of succulent delectables available for selection is a vast, never ending stream that will no doubtedly product satiety levels for any appetite. The range of confectioneries span from that or ordinary applications to more specialty items for special occasions. Despite the ever lasting display of gluttonous heaven, the intent of this patron homage was to pay respects to the ever highly noted Cannoli. I must admit, I did order a Black & White Cookie as well, due to this being my favorite Cookie.
The Cannoli: The petite presentation of the highly spoken of application may indeed lack in stature but makes up for this in its ability to deliver impacting flavors and taste with each bite. I opted to order the standard cream Cannoli as I feel as though the additional items used in the application might distort the intended taste of this pastry. The presentation of this dessert was indeed lacking in size. Measuring approximately 4 1/2 inches in length and 2 1/2 inches in diameter, this confectionery can be consumed with 2 or 3 mouthfuls. Despite the lack in content, the Cannoli itself delivered a rich velvety texture and sugary taste that's comparable to few. Although this single application can be consumed relatively quickly, those pleasured with such a treat should indulge and savor each single bite as the aromatics and phermonal presence is enhanced with each delivery.
The Black & White Cookie: Sadly, the Black & White Cookie did not live up to the hype of it's predecessor. The initial taste of this treat yielded an excess sugar content that overburdened the moist texture of the cake base used in the application. After having adapted to the burdensome corpulent sugar content of this application, it was deemed that the golden cake used in the application was derived from an application of excess sugar and butter. The taste of the entire cookie mended together well, but unfortunately, the star of such a confection was that of sugar and not that of the intended application. Although the treat did present a moist cake base that was generously doused with a sugar white and milk chocolate shell, the concoction itself did not live up to the standards of what Rocco's is capable.
Upon completion of both desserts, an insulin shot was presented with the final check (only kidding of course). The overall impression left by Rocco's is that their treats are meant to cater to sucrose carnivores of the world. Still, their applications left a lasting impression on both their execution and presentation of their creations. Despite the mildly excess price tag, the overall appeal of the confectioneries will have the patrons issuing any form of payment to satisfy their sugary obsessions.
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HORRIBLE. Don't waste your money. I live in the NY metropolitan area & have been there several times because my family wanted to go. It's consistently bad. The service is TERRIBLE. customers pick a seat. wait staff do not have assigned tables. they approach as many customers as possible to take orders & get more tips. then, you never see the waiter/waitress again until you badger them for your check. The pastry was stale.
Want awesome cakes & cupcakes? try billie's bakery on 9th avenue & 21st st. want awesome canolis? try the Hackensack Pastry shop in hackensack, NJ. Save your money & avoid this place.
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Tasting a freshly filled cannoli from Rocco's is like trying on the 4 carat cushion-cut Tiffany Novo. After this, nothing else will do.
Rocco's is the only cannoli my family deems supreme. My Dad used to take me here as a young girl and I was always mesmerized that we could eat cannolis and drink cappucinos at midnight on a Saturday.
Years later, nothing's changed. This comforts me almost as much as watching the Godfather.
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Oh man. Let's put it this way. I was buying some cookies as an apology gift for my neighbors (I spilled ammonia down a pipe and funked up their apartment. Yeah, it's a long story) as well as a little sumpin to cheer up a friend. After picking out cookie after delicious cookie and getting them wrapped in 2, separate boxes with string I march home to scribble out the cards. As I'm jotting out the note to my neighbor, I figure my friend won't mind if I have a bite of one of hers. I mean, she would want me to have a bite, right? She's MY FRIEND. Well, I ate the whole powdery sugary jammy shortbready damn thing. Then, I ate the crumbly almondy melty chocolate one. THEN, I thought about opening up the second box that was for my neighbors to get out another one. But I couldn't figure out how to do it without getting chocolate paw prints all over the box and making it completely obvious so I slapped myself across the face, told myself to pull it together and ran downstairs with the box and note before I could do some serious damage. Letting go of those cookies, man, it was the hardest thing I have ever had to do. I still think about them everyday.
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We went there mainly for cannolli b/c Bf said he couldn't find any in bay area. We tried the chocolate one and it tasted good. We liked the patio at the back and should have come back for another connolli and Italian soda.
Having grown up with two Italian grandmothers, I've eaten my fair share of Italian pastries and still have the love handles to prove it. Rocco's is above average, but also a step down from the famous (and now unfortunately commercialized) Mike's Pastry of Boston's North End. (In my opinion, Modern Pastry is better.)
So, what does that mean exactly? Go to Rocco's to load up on cannoli, lobster tail (the pastry, not the crustacean), anise/almond biscotti and the like. People in your office or at your holiday gathering will be grateful. Personally, if I were trying to impress someone, I'd think twice (make that thrice) before taking them here. Otherwise, the cheesecake is to be avoided at all costs. Lattes aren't bad.
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As my headline suggests, I have a certain fondness for cannoli (and The Godfather, but that's not this kind of review) and I am VERY pleased with the cannoli I have had here. It's always pretty busy, so you may find yourself waiting a bit for an espresso or pastry (which explains the missing star in my rating).
Their other pastries and cookies are amazing as well (and are the quickest way to gain 10 pounds). Rocco's definitely gives Veniero's a run for its money.
I just don't think I come here often enough--I'm going to have to change something about that.
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My absolute favorite bakery in the city. The pastries aren't overloaded with sugar, and it's just the perfect amount of sweetness. Sadly, my ass grows at just the THOUGHT of cookies and cannolis and cupcakes, otherwise I'd be here every day.
It's a shame most people rather support the horrible but trendy Magnolia Bakery a few blocks down.
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I have such a sweet tooth. I wanted to try everything, which I almost did. The cannoli's are quite good here. Very creamy ricotta and not overly sweet, though I don't think it was pistachios that they sprinkled on top, more like peanuts, which I didn't like. (I could be wrong) The tarts were very good, the custard filling was not too sweet and they masacerated the fruit so it was perfect, I could eat 10 of those! The cream puff was nice too. The napolean was very good except for the frosting on top, a little on the sweet side. The tiramisu (mine is the best), but I was willing to give them a try, was not bad. However, it wasn't your typical tiramisu. Two layers of lady fingers of course, but the bottom layer was plain and the middle layer was drenched in espresso and Kahlua. So when you bite into it, it's almost as if the tiramisu is being overpowered by that one layer. O and the gelato was very good, of course.
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The cannoli here are great. They fill them fresh when you order so they don't get all soggy. They're delicious and crisply and light and rich.
Everything else is a bit of a disappointment. Get the cannoli and you'll be happy.
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It was after midnight Saturday, and Rocco's was packed. Now why can't DC's bakeries stay open till 1am? :(
The cannoli was very good. The filling was creamy and thick, the shell was crispy, and it all tasted mighty fresh.
I also loved the frothy white hot chocolate: sweet and decadent.
The only downside was that the staff took quite a while to give us menus.
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Solid 4 stars. This is my go to spot when visiting my wife's family in The Village over the last 5 or 6 years since its 2 blocks down. Huge selection of tasty treats that should have whatever someone is looking for.
I think the cookies and pastries are the way to go here. As people have mentioned, the cannoli is top notch as is the biscotti. On the down side I thought the cheesecakes and cakes were a little underwhelming.
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Every time I go to New York I smack my forehead with the back of my hand, "Where the hell is my favorite pastry shop with the really good cannoli?".
I always forget the name and the location. I know it is near the West Village area....near a big street...with a triangle shaped intersection....near a bagel shop.....and if I turn down a little street....Oh Hell, I'll know it when I walk by it.
Thank goodness that I was able to find the big street, intersection, bagel shop and little street once more. Rocco's, I will never forget your name again!
Every time I walk in and look at that long pastry case I start to drool. I love your cannoli shells dipped in chocolate. I love how they sit empty in the case, waiting for someone to purchase them. Then, the shell is pulled from the case and filled with cream, RIGHT THEN AND THERE. That's right folks, this is a NO SOGGY CANNOLI ZONE. Add some chocolate chips, lovingly box them up, and I am happily skipping out the door.
Rue the day that a mugger will try to mess with me and my cannoli. Back off asshole! They're mine!
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3.5 stars. Friggin Yelp.
I visited here with my friend for a little afternoon snack after walking around SoHo and Greenwich Village. I had coffee and a French lulu. It was light and yet had plenty of sweetness in the filling. My friend had a fruit tart that she said was really good(Hopefully she's forgiven me for taking her to a pastry shop when she was trying to lose weight). I hadn't had pastry in a while and was very pleasantly surprised by how good this place was. It matched up well against the places I used to go to in Little Italy when I lived in Chicago. This place didn't have the requisite old wrinkled Italian guys talking to each other and the counter ladies. But I could have missed them. They could have been in the back. Or maybe they were taken out back.......
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Rocco's satisfied my sweet tooth. Right when you walk into this place you are overwhelmed by the selection...everything looks so delicious. It's great for stopping in for a quick bite to-go if you don't have time to sit down and enjoy a pastry.
The cannoli here is outstanding! Super light and flaky with chocolate on the outside. Not too sweet, but just sweet enough. The mini one is really easy to eat. I want one right now.
I do love their coffee and capuccino here. So whichever delicious looking dessert you have your heart set on, remember to team it with a cup of coffee. Their coffee is of the right strength (i can't stand weak coffee) and it is very satisfying just having it black. But too bad the cup's quite tiny. I'm used to a big o' mug of steaming joe.
I haven't tried that many desserts here but gotta say they all look sooooo amazing. The cheesecakes sure look crazy with the heaping amount of topping! So decadent....i might put on 2 extra pounds just eating a slice.
I love this place. The store is clean and bright and you know the gleaming desserts are the centerpiece.
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Mm-mm good! We stumbled upon Rocco most fortuitously while looking for a coffee/pastry shop on a bone-chilling night. It was warm and bright and that looooong showcase of goodies was an oasis of sugar and spice and high glycemic indices and everything that makes you feel good to be bad...
The desserts were scrumptious, very rich in a your-stomach-will-pay-for-it-later way. The hubs had steamed milk with almond, an Indian comfort-food treat, and it was DELICIOUS. We sat in the whimsically decorated covered patio area in the rear, which let us pretend the temperature was 4-5 times what it actually was.
The service was a little harried; it was quite crowded and busy. We stood around awkwardly while several waiters scurried past us w/ no acknowledgement of the fact that we were obviously waiting to be seated. But after about 15 minutes we got our table.
All in all, a great place to stop by during a night out in the Village!
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Where do I even begin with this place?
The best Italian bakery in the City, by far. The cannolis are out of this world, almost as good as my mom's, who am I kidding, they're better because they're probably more fattening. Honestly truly, these are the best cannolis I have ever had.
For some reason, this place has amazing coffee. I don't know if its the machine, the type of coffee they use, or what...but it is absolutely delicious. And, my parents feel the same.
Every time the 'rents are in town, they have to come here. We sit at a table have decaf and cannolis and then my mom gets some pignole cookies to go. When I go back to Cali for a visit I always bring some treats from Rocco's home. We just cannot get enough.
Also, I usually get my birthday cakes from here. They are relatively inexpensive AND you can get cannoli cream as a filling - HOLY CRAP, that shit is so good.
Yummy just thinkin' about it!
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I've been coming to Rocco's since high school and glad that with the recent rehab of the facade, the staff has also gotten less surly.
The bakery still offers nice Italian-American treats by the lb. Granted, my palate has moved beyond the shortening raised elephant ears to true butter puffed pastries, but still nostalgia draws me back. The jelly filled sandwich cookies, dipped and undipped, are a nice cakey crumble around the raspberry or apricot jam. The cannolis are a great treat to bring to a dinner party. And a favorite is still the cakey, jammy rainbow cookies.
I just hate this place... I've been to this place three times and left twice without buying anything.. I did buy a cheese cake the first time.. it was horrible. It tasted like "Philadelphia Cream cheese" on a plate. Goto a local market and buy a can of those for $2.95 and avoid Rocco's horrible pastries.
They are rude. They are bunch of idiots that take forever to provide service to their customers.. I haven't seen a single customer walking out with a smile. I hope this place closes down so i don't have to walk by it and curse at it!
Oh yea.. they are overpriced. It' not worth it. go somewhere else, please!
The cookies and the pasteries were good considering I was somewhat giddy off of the wine I had with dinner. I recommend them (the cookies and the wine) BUT the cheesecake was burned on top and really dissapointing.
Yum, yum, yummy desserts! The lobster tail was huge but didn't deter me from devouring the whole thing, hehe! Cute seating area in the back. Good place to go for afternoon coffee with friends.
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3.5 stars
This place was hilarious. It must be on a tourist map somewhere because it was filled to the gills with fanny pack wearing ladies drooling over the cookies.
My friend likes her lattes made with whole milk but they didn't have any. WHAT? come on people, you need to have milk on hand if you're going to be selling coffee drinks.
the cookies were everywhere. cookies are my friend. This place would be my friend if they sped up the check out process and the coffee man had the right tools for his job. Also, they have a key for the bathroom which really pisses me off. I mean you are serving coffee. coffee makes people pee. I hate asking permission to pee. Lose the key people and I'll come back.
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The amount of people coming in seems like the amounts of pastries and desserts that they have. If you want to enjoy Rocco's don't come during the weekends when its packed. They make wonderful expressos.
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Really good lobser claws.. I just wanted to add a useful hint.. They have a bottle of Sambucca behind the counter.. You can buy a shot for your espresso..
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I wouldn't know about their food... but I must say that Rocco's on Bleeker wins my vote for the best public restroom in NY!
Did I have to buy anything? Nope... just walked straight to the back. The bathroom was unbelievably clean and here's the best part: the air conditioner in the restromm is super chilly and strong! I love it.
Whenever on Bleeker and feeling warm... walk right into Rocco's!
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I've died and gone to Italian bakery heaven. They had every kind of Italian cookie you could ever want, plus pannetone and all sorts of other desserts. Coffee was really good as well. They've covered their back patio so it's a perfect place to get some sun while still being in the AC.
I brought cookies back home to San Diego - the person who helped me packed everything nicely and everything came back in one piece. Thumbs way up on the almond hazelnut biscotti and the florentines.
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You go for the cannoli. It is the Best in Nyc.
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I just moved to the West Village last month and have stopped by Rocco's 10+ times already! They have really amazing cookies, banana cream pie, fruit tarts, cheesecakes... the list goes on! I didn't have such an amazing experience with their gelato and haven't tried the cappucino yet - so reading other reviews that'll be the next item I order!
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Really good cappuccino. Haven't tried a lot of their desserts, but we are forced to buy a big box of the cookies every time we are in the neighborhood. They aren't too sweet which is what I love about them.
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Seeing Rocco's on Yelp makes me long for NYC. I have come here since I was a little girl and I always loved it. The people who work here are very nice and they have the most wonderful gelato. Yes, a lot of my love for this place is memories, but everytime I go back, I fall in love with this place all over again. As long as Rocco's is in NY, I'll be visiting! I sleep in my 'Rocco's' tee shirt most nights!
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HEAVEN in every way! Their cannolis are light and not overly sweet. The other treats we tried were equally yummy. This is the kind of place I dreamed about as a kid....cases and cases of beautifully decorated pastries, cookies, cakes and tarts. Be sure to check out the pics I posted and you'll see what I mean. A must if you are in Greenwich in NY.
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EDIT! Roccos has redeemed itself. I tried their very affordable gelato (mango) for $2.50 and it was great. And they have a friendly lady behind the cashier now.
Yuck! I hate rocco's they SUCK! Their pastries are not all that good. The cheesecake is downright bad. Their cakes are neither light nor fluffy. Their cookies are meh. I have come here way too many times just out of convenience, because they always have a cake lying around if its someone's birthday. And they have horrible service! I understand, this is new york, not the most friendly, service-oriented place in the world. But come on people, get a number system or something. I also wonder how long they keep their pastries out there. Amy's Bread for example makes new baked goods and cakes and cookies every day. I asked them. They throw away yesterday's stuff, and bring in the new stuff. I don't think Rocco's does this. For example, I saw some particular valentines day cookies sitting out in the window for about a week, and I don't think they changed them, thew out the old ones, and made new ones. I know that baked goods don't go bad after a day, but wouldn't you like to have your baked goods made fresh daily if you had the choice? Why come here when you can go to magnolia's, venieros or some other place with much better stuff? Not that those two places are five stars, but I put rocco's on the very bottom of my list of bakeries fo sho.
This bakery delivers consistantly delicious Italian pastries over and over again. It is the type of bakery where you just want to try every item in the store and over the years I have put in my best efforts to do so. I don't love the atmosphere, it tends to get a little tight in there on busy nights, but I do love to get take out. The espresso is also quite good here. Try the sfogiatelle there, it is unique crispy pastry in the shape of a clam with a delicious custardy filling... there aren't too many bakeries in the city that make this dessert well
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This store is a delight! Rows upon rows of cakes, biscotti, cookies, pies, colorful and aromatic. Rocco's is such a sweet, sweet treat! Great place to stop for an espresso after meandering through the streets of the Village.
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