20 May 2010

Pozzo Pastry Shop Still Mourned After Two-Plus Years


There are deaths of old businesses and deaths of old businesses. Sometimes I'll post an item about an old New York establishment closing its doors and no one will comment or link. Other times, they're comment and link in decent numbers and then the joint will fade from memory.

Then there are the places that shutter and continue to draw sad remembrances month after month, year after year. Manny's Music was one of those. I get a comment or two every month from people who are just discovering it's gone and can't get over it. More surprising is the long mourning period of Pozzo Pastry Shop, a Hell's Kitchen neighborhood business that was owned and operated by Mario & Joseph Bianchi, and that closed back in January 2008. People still feel its absence. 



One Donna commented the other day "I loved this bakery none has compared to it yet. I now live on long Island and used to take trips in the city just to get my favorite cake sometimes with and sometimes w/o rum. I'm sorry but no one beats their cake and their cannoli's were always fresh and the cream oh my was the best! I will miss Pozzo's and always talk about it. I have pictures of all my occasions growing up communion, confirmation, graduation & birthdays and your cake is with me I can still taste it. Will miss you most."

In February, SP said, "Boy do I miss their cake -- chocolate and vanilla- I think rum - never had a cake as good as the ones at Pozzo!"

Anonymous said in winter 2009, "I went to school with Mario and knew his parents who initially owned the store when it was in a different location on the same block. Always used to get "the cakes" there. They were the best. Last time I saw Mario was in September 1967---I don't have the heart to tell my sister yet."

Professor Random said in fall 2008: "My aunt and uncle lived within walking distance of this wonderful bakery and the first thing I would do whenever I came to visit was hound them about going for cannoli. In fact, since I have never lived in areas known for Italian pastries, I stopped eating cannoli altogether, Pozzo's being my gold standard and none ever living up to their filled-to-order goodness."
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10 comments:

  1. Macnyc5/20/2010 7:11 AM

    I, too, continue to miss Pozzo's. I work in the area, and many of our celebratory birthday cakes came from Pozzo's. They were always super fresh and delicious, and pretty reasonable too.

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  2. Anonymous5/24/2010 11:07 PM

    I can not believe Pozzo's closed....I grew up in Hell's Kitchen and now live in Virginia....I thought I would be able bring my kids to Pozzo's one day....I never tasted a better Rum Cake....Coffee doesn't taste the same anymore....This truly hurts....I am shocked the business wasn't passed on to their children or other relatives.....

    Does anyone know if their family owns another bakery anywhere in the United States? Does anyone know where I can get a rum cake as good or close to Pozzo's?

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  3. kitchen tables7/07/2010 9:40 PM

    I felt so sad when I hear the Pozzo's is closing. It is one of my favorite shop in this city. I wish I can do anything to make it open again.

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  4. Unknown5/01/2011 12:12 AM

    Hello. I miss Pozzo's, too. I was the one who left a post about the late Millie Medina of Troma, 9th Ave. Denizen, who also loved Pozzo's. Noticed recently that La Nueva Rampa, 14th and 7th Ave. recently shuttered. Last of the Chinese-Cuban-Spanish restaurants, which was itself a reincarnation of the original La Rampa. It was a great place, now the only original of this sort is Taza de Oro, 15th and 8th ave.

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  5. Unknown5/01/2011 12:17 AM

    Hi, me again. To respond to Anonymous: The Bianchi family owned it, and had a bakery in Leonia, NJ. Don't know if it's still there. Pozzo's was way cool. Wonder what happened to the photos of Ann Miller and Bruno Sanmartino? PS Love your site, there's nothing else like it. Also love your Pittsburg edition, I went to school there, and unfortunately it is becoming Bloomberged to death, all the great old buildings are being knocked down in the name of progress.

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  6. Jessica9/24/2012 12:15 PM

    Jason's Patisserie supposedly owns Pozzo's recipes and I have heard many people who ordered from Pozzo's now orders from Jasons. It is a full service catering company located in Chelsea. They back the cakes to order and deliver as well. I ordered a rum cake from them last month and it was pretty delicious. I was recommended by my grandmother who is familiar with Pozzo's. Hope this helps and gets you closer to your favorite cakes

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  7. Sylvia1/14/2016 1:50 PM

    No one has been able to compare with the quality and the service as Pozzo's. There was never any left over cake at our parties, the pastries the best. I miss those days so much, the life and the food by far the best. I live in Florida and the water makes the taste different, but you know if the cook is from New York most of them buy filtered water to make it just like home good old New York.

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  8. Sassytrini2/28/2016 3:11 AM

    I still miss Pozzo's. Their cake and pastries as well.their fresh croissants hot out of the oven on a Satut morning were the best I've ever tasted! If I could get the recipes I'd try to make them.

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  9. xpicassox8/19/2016 8:13 AM

    They had the BEST CANNOLI in Town !!!

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  10. sophiallen3/14/2017 12:29 PM

    I used to get cannolis here after school growing up, they were so delicious. I was so sad to hear when they closed, I'll never eat another cannoli as good as pozzos ��

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