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Clarke’s zeppole are filled with ricotta, chocolate chips, and almonds.
Clarke/Supplied

Where to Find Montreal’s Finest Zeppole to Celebrate San Giuseppe

Pick up the traditional Italian pastry and new riffs on classic recipes to celebrate St. Joseph’s Day

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Clarke’s zeppole are filled with ricotta, chocolate chips, and almonds.
| Clarke/Supplied

There’s only one way to mark La Fiesta di San Giuseppe, also known as Italian Father’s Day or St. Joseph’s Day — with a zeppola in hand. Though the holiday officially falls on March 19, these deep-fried, ring-shaped pastries traditionally crammed with ricotta and powdered with sugar can be found in Italian bakeries and restaurants across the city until Easter. In other cases (see: Pizzeria Gema), calendar-marking and queue-waiting for a one-day event are part of the experience, so plan judiciously.

Approaches to the Italian pastry differ in shape (circular ring vs. ball-like fritter), cook (deep-fried vs. baked), filling (ricotta, custard, Nutella, pistachio, tiramisu, limoncello, etc.), and topping (to cherry or not?). And the list of variations on the original — widely attributed to a baker from early-1800s Naples — gets longer by the year. See some of the ones available in Montreal on the map below.

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Patisserie St Martin (multiple locations)

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Open since 1988, and with a second location at the Jean-Talon Market, Patisserie St-Martin is a staple for Italian sweets in — and out — of the city. Come spring, it’s slinging zeppole in pistachio, limoncello, and Nutella flavours.

Gema Pizzeria

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For the eighth year running, Stefano Faita and Michele Forgione’s supremely popular Little Italy pizzeria Gema will be cranking out perhaps the city’s most sought-after zeppole in a one-day, high-intensity affair, known to generate queues snaking down St-Dominique. Mark your calendars: They start at 10 a.m. on March 19 and go on for as long as quantities last.

Pasticceria Alati-Caserta

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In business since 1968, Little Italy’s highly praised Pasticceria Alati-Caserta is now run by the next generation, but its operation (and sweets) remains just as impressive. Every year, the bakery produces fried and baked zeppole in various flavours, including pistachio ricotta, tiramisu cream, and gianduja (chocolate hazelnut).

La Cornetteria

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Though perhaps best known for its wide selection of cronuts, cannoli, and bomboloni, come spring La Cornetteria is a necessary stop on any zeppole pilgrimage. Crisp, heavy with ricotta, and yet still airy — it’s a tricky equilibrium to master, yet La Cornetteria has done it again.

San Pietro

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This Rosemont bakery has zeppole seekers covered with flavours ranging from ricotta to hazelnut and tiramisu, available up until Easter. While there, get a slab of fresh tomato pizza and a spinach and mozzarella roll to go.

G Sacchetti

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This takeout- and delivery-only NDG pizza spot is expanding on its regular dessert offering in honour of San Giuseppe. On March 19 and 20, it’s selling zeppole filled with citrus-spiked whipped ricotta cream.

Boulangerie Pâtisserie La Conca D'oro

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Piped with ricotta, Nutella, custard, and more, the zeppole at this 50-year-old family-run establishment on Jean-Talon East are a long-standing tradition.

Elena’s resident pastry chef Michelle Marek succeeds again, this time with a gorgeous spin on the Italian classic. The St-Henri pizzeria’s zeppole are loaded with pistachio cream and topped with a cluster of nuts, plus a cherry for good measure. Available March 18 and 19.

Pâtisserie & Boulangerie Italia

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Operating out of this St-Leonard pastry shop, Sisterly Sweets has developed a reputation for its worth-the-trip confections, including its take on the deep-fried choux pastry dessert. They’ve got a nice selection of flavours, but ricotta-filled and cherry-topped is where it’s at.

La Panzeria Café

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This St-Denis spot, an expert in Apulian food traditions, is committed to “selling zeppole in the classic way, exactly like in Italy,” owner Pierpaolo Sansone says. They are filled with a Chantilly cream, topped with an Amarena cherry, and available daily until the end of March. 

Parma Café (multiple locations)

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With multiple locations across Montreal, casual Italian eatery and coffee shop Parma Café ensures its zeppole are never too far out of reach. Available until the end of March.

Clarke Café

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Clarke Café caters to those who believe zeppole deserve an entire season, not just one holy day: Its version is filled with ricotta, chocolate chips, and almonds and is available at its Centre Street locale until the end of April.

Have a hankering for zeppole in the Verdun area? Rita is among the more recent additions to the city’s zeppole scene, but its version — piped with pastry cream and topped with an Amarena cherry — is classic.

Arte & Farina

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This time of year, Italian pastry chef and Arte & Farina co-owner Sandro Carpene brings his attention to the mighty zeppola. Head to this Village pastry shop for zeppole filled with a ricotta, pistachio, and candied orange cream.

Patisserie St Martin (multiple locations)

Open since 1988, and with a second location at the Jean-Talon Market, Patisserie St-Martin is a staple for Italian sweets in — and out — of the city. Come spring, it’s slinging zeppole in pistachio, limoncello, and Nutella flavours.

Gema Pizzeria

For the eighth year running, Stefano Faita and Michele Forgione’s supremely popular Little Italy pizzeria Gema will be cranking out perhaps the city’s most sought-after zeppole in a one-day, high-intensity affair, known to generate queues snaking down St-Dominique. Mark your calendars: They start at 10 a.m. on March 19 and go on for as long as quantities last.

Pasticceria Alati-Caserta

In business since 1968, Little Italy’s highly praised Pasticceria Alati-Caserta is now run by the next generation, but its operation (and sweets) remains just as impressive. Every year, the bakery produces fried and baked zeppole in various flavours, including pistachio ricotta, tiramisu cream, and gianduja (chocolate hazelnut).

La Cornetteria

Though perhaps best known for its wide selection of cronuts, cannoli, and bomboloni, come spring La Cornetteria is a necessary stop on any zeppole pilgrimage. Crisp, heavy with ricotta, and yet still airy — it’s a tricky equilibrium to master, yet La Cornetteria has done it again.

San Pietro

This Rosemont bakery has zeppole seekers covered with flavours ranging from ricotta to hazelnut and tiramisu, available up until Easter. While there, get a slab of fresh tomato pizza and a spinach and mozzarella roll to go.

G Sacchetti

This takeout- and delivery-only NDG pizza spot is expanding on its regular dessert offering in honour of San Giuseppe. On March 19 and 20, it’s selling zeppole filled with citrus-spiked whipped ricotta cream.

Boulangerie Pâtisserie La Conca D'oro

Piped with ricotta, Nutella, custard, and more, the zeppole at this 50-year-old family-run establishment on Jean-Talon East are a long-standing tradition.

Elena

Elena’s resident pastry chef Michelle Marek succeeds again, this time with a gorgeous spin on the Italian classic. The St-Henri pizzeria’s zeppole are loaded with pistachio cream and topped with a cluster of nuts, plus a cherry for good measure. Available March 18 and 19.

Pâtisserie & Boulangerie Italia

Operating out of this St-Leonard pastry shop, Sisterly Sweets has developed a reputation for its worth-the-trip confections, including its take on the deep-fried choux pastry dessert. They’ve got a nice selection of flavours, but ricotta-filled and cherry-topped is where it’s at.

La Panzeria Café

This St-Denis spot, an expert in Apulian food traditions, is committed to “selling zeppole in the classic way, exactly like in Italy,” owner Pierpaolo Sansone says. They are filled with a Chantilly cream, topped with an Amarena cherry, and available daily until the end of March. 

Parma Café (multiple locations)

With multiple locations across Montreal, casual Italian eatery and coffee shop Parma Café ensures its zeppole are never too far out of reach. Available until the end of March.

Clarke Café

Clarke Café caters to those who believe zeppole deserve an entire season, not just one holy day: Its version is filled with ricotta, chocolate chips, and almonds and is available at its Centre Street locale until the end of April.

Rita

Have a hankering for zeppole in the Verdun area? Rita is among the more recent additions to the city’s zeppole scene, but its version — piped with pastry cream and topped with an Amarena cherry — is classic.

Arte & Farina

This time of year, Italian pastry chef and Arte & Farina co-owner Sandro Carpene brings his attention to the mighty zeppola. Head to this Village pastry shop for zeppole filled with a ricotta, pistachio, and candied orange cream.