Footscray’s T Cavallaro and Sons on a roll with their cannoli

CANNOLI may have originated in Sicily, but no one makes it better than T Cavallaro and Sons.

Tony Cavallaro. Food feature on the best food in Maribyrnong. We are featuring T Cavallaro and Sons who are an extremely popular pasticceria that specialises in cannoli. Picture: Kris Reichl

CANNOLI may have originated in Sicily but no one makes it better than T Cavallaro and Sons.

“It is better than what they have in Italy” one elderly gentleman reminds me as he leaves the shop carrying a few boxes of cannoli.

It certainly puts a reputation and credibility on the line. But the traditional patisserie in Footscray rises to the challenge every time.

For the past 56 years, the cannoli, cakes and biscuits have been produced at the rear of the shop, strictly to the Sicilian tradition, handmade with care and quality ingredients by staff who share the Cavallaro surname.

Patriarch and founder of the business, Tommaso Cavallaro, arrived in Melbourne from Italy in 1949, to establish a new life for his family following the end of World War II.

An early picture of the Cavallaro family. Tony is the small boy.

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His son, Tony, said his father left behind a successful patisserie and cafe in Lipari.

“Post war he found it incredibly difficult to run a business because he would have to go out in the middle of the night to get contraband sugar and flour and it just became impossible,” he said.

Seven years later he opened in Hopkins St, the year of the Melbourne Olympics.

“He had the opportunity to buy this property and even though he couldn’t afford it at the time he took a punt because the Olympics was coming up and he thought he could make some extra money.”

Tony said his father would take the train to the MCG and sell pastries to the spectators and a steady stream of cannoli lovers from interstate and overseas, have been making the trip to the store ever since.

Tony and Rob Cavallaro make cannoli.

“About 80 per cent of the people who walk through our doors are coming to buy cannoli,” he said.

“We make them all by hand and we always have my dad in mind, thinking how would he do it.”

Tony and his brother Carmelo, with their wives, Rosa and Sera, and their children have taken over running the operation.

“People come here because they find it unique, we find it a bit outdated, but people come here and tell us not to touch anything,” he said.

Tony said their secret to longevity was simple. He said their recipes dating back to Tommaso’s father, a pastry chef in the late 19th century, haven’t changed.

Mouthwatering.

REVIEW

Okay, here’s another first world problem. The most difficult thing about selecting a cannoli is deciding whether to have custard or chocolate. Now the problem is solved with the tubes of golden, fried pastry filled with vanilla and chocolate patisserie cream or a more traditional combination of whipped ricotta, marsala and almonds. It is also pleasingly larger than your average cannoli. The pastry is firm but not brittle. The best of the famous Sicilian pastry dessert can be found in Footscray.

- FIONA O’DOHERTY

T Cavallaro and Sons is at 98 Hopkins St, Footscray. Phone: [phone]