Generations of New Orleanians with sweet tooths have looked up at a brown and neon sign flashing the words “A. Brocato Spumone and Cassata Ice Cream” against a stark blue sky. Eventually, those visiting duck under a red-striped awning to peruse cookies, tarts, and gelato in glass display cases while waiting their turns in a line that often meanders onto Carrollton Avenue.

Their chosen treat — a fresh cannoli or a wedge of the shop’s iconic spumoni — is always proffered on a small white plate lined with a crisp doily, perhaps served with a cup of cafe au lait from the piston-operated espresso machine, fashioned from copper and brass, that sits behind the counter. These touches hearken back to a different time, and nod to the Italian immigrants who have shaped the culinary scene of New Orleans, a sweltering delta city with an affinity for cool, refreshing treats.