On behalf of Bronx Little Italy, let's spotlight some of the local pastry shops celebrating St. Joseph’s Day with sweet offerings this year. The Feast of St. Joseph, or La Festa di San Giuseppe, is celebrated annually on March 19^th (Tuesday this year) to honor the husband of the Virgin Mary and earthly father to Jesus. It is also the day in which Italy celebrates Father’s Day as St. Joseph is well known as the patron saint of fathers.

As with many Italian traditions, the special occasion comes with its own food traditions – the typical desserts served on St. Joseph’s Day include Zeppole di San Giuseppe or Sfingi di San Giuseppe, which are cream-filled Italian pastries topped with powdered sugar and fruit named in honor of the beloved saint.

Every year, local Italian Americans visit the local pastry shops in Bronx Little Italy to find these traditional sweet treats. Below are just a few businesses in the neighborhood with St. Joseph’s Day offerings:

Artuso Pastry Shop (670 East 187^th Street) – For the holiday, Artuso carries zeppole and sfingi, available now until St. Joseph’s Day. The zeppole is filled and topped with vanilla custard cream and amarena cherries, while the sfingi is filled and topped with rich cannoli cream and adorned with candied citrus fruit, a glazed cherry, and sprinkles. The pastries cost $4.95 each in store. National shipping and delivery is available on their website or on UberEats, DoorDash and GrubHub. 

Delillo Pastry Shop (610 E 187^th Street) – In honor of St. Joseph, Delillo carries sfingi and zeppole. Sfingi feature cannoli cream, topped with a glazed cherry and candied orange. The zeppole features custard with glazed cherries. Pastries are $5.00 each in store and are also available for delivery through GrubHub or UberEats. 

Egidio Pastry Shop (622 E 187^th Street) – Egidio Pastry has been using the same recipes for their sfingi and St. Joseph zeppole since 1912. The sfingi feature ricotta cream, bergamot orange and a glazed cherry. The St. Joseph zeppole features custard cream and an Amarena cherry. The zeppole and sfingi are $6.95 to eat in-store and $6.50 to-go. 

Gino's Pastry Shop (580 E 187th Street) – Gino’s has carried on the tradition of St. Joseph’s Day for more than 60 years with their traditional deep-fried St. Joseph zeppole with vanilla custard and Amarena cherries as well as their St. Joseph sfingi stuffed with cannoli cream and topped with an orange citron strip. Both pastries are fried fresh daily and are $5 each. Shipping is available, call the shop for more information. 

Morrone Pastry Shop & Café (2349 Arthur Ave) – Morrone keeps it traditional by carrying St. Joseph zeppole with custard, topped with an Amarena cherry, and a St. Joseph sfingi featuring cannoli cream, topped with a candied orange slice and a glazed cherry. Each pastry is $6 in-store.