This New NYC Eatery Has the Authentic (and Inventive) Italian Panettone You Need This Holiday Season

The cafe and pastry shop is the latest venture by restaurateur Francesco Realmuto who also owns a pizzeria and a gelateria in Manhattan. Helming the exposed pastry lab in the wall-to-wall-glass space is acclaimed pastry chef Giuseppe Zito whose panettone, a bread-like Italian fruitcake that’s traditionally eaten around Christmas and New Years, has won world championships.

Photo: Aramide Tinubu

But there’s more on the menu than quick bites and grab-and-go sweets. Deborah Mariotti from Mariotti Studio spent two years collaborating with Realmuto to create a space that could seamlessly transform from a bright and airy daytime cafe into a sultry and cozy nighttime haute, with lunch and dinner options ranging from spuntino (snacks) and antipasti (appetizers) to handmade pastas for primi (first course) and rich dishes like eggplant parmesan and dry-aged ribeye for secondi (main course).

Lunch on the sunny fall day when I dined at Realmuto Alta Pasticceria Italiana began with Executive Chef Mauro Campanale’s buttery focaccia barese (focaccia from Bari) and other starters, including charred green beans called fagiolini alla brace and caponata. The caponata, a traditional Sicilian eggplant stew, would have pleased even the most apprehensive eggplant eater.

“When I start, I need an entry point,” the Bari-born Chef Campanale told Matador Network on his process. “I may try some new fruits or vegetables. The vendor comes down almost every day to let me try something. I like to go to the market in [Union Square]. Sometimes, I get some inspiration when I go out for dinner. Food is art. Every plate, every dish you see on the menu has at least five different versions.”

Photo: Aramide Tinubu

Lunch was mouthwatering, with two standouts in addition to the focaccia: the vibrant orange fluke melone peperoncino (made with raw summer flounder, chilled cantaloupe soup, and jalapeno) and a gorgeously hearty tagliatelle al ragu (a dish of perfectly al dente housemade spinach pasta with a slow-cooked meat sauce).

Of course, when seated next to the inviting pasticceria (pastry shop) and gelateria, dessert is very much on the menu. Realmuto Alta Pasticceria Italiana carries a full array of authentic gelato, including a breathtaking pistachio flavor. In the pasticceria, Chef Zito delivers everything from traditional to innovative treats. Though Chef Campanale focuses on local ingredients in his main dishes, Chef Zito uses only Italian ingredients in his desserts except for American eggs, French butter, and Madagascar vanilla. Using authentic Italian flour is particularly important because of its high protein content, which can’t be replicated elsewhere.

After a creamy cappuccino and a petite passion fruit pastry, Chef Zito opened the doors to his laboratorio di pasticceria (pastry lab) where he was hard at work designing some forthcoming treats and specialty desserts for the holiday season. Boldly colored designs lay across his workstation as he spoke about a new take on his award-winning panettone, named best in the world by the International Federation of Pastry, Gelato, and Chocolate (FIPGC).

Photo: Aramide Tinubu

Though it looks similar to American fruitcake, Italian panettone is an airy sweet bread that’s said to have originated in Milan and is a staple during the holiday season. The dome-like bread is typically flavored using candied fruits and raisins. In addition to the classic flavor, Chef Zito also offers a chocolate panettone and a pistachio version.

However, on this particular afternoon, Chef Zito let Matador Network in on his new vision for panettone: In celebration of Saint Lucy’s Day on December 13 — honoring the patron saint of Syracuse, Sicily — Chef Zito is crafting 100 limited-edition panettone cakes. Its main ingredients include special candied capers and a sweet marsala Italian-made wine. The distinctive treat promises to be unlike any panettone experienced previously.

Photo: columbo.photog/Shutterstock

Sant Ambroeus

The very first Sant Ambroeus location opened in 1936 in Milan, the accepted birthplace of panettone. The pastry and confectionery shop now has more than a dozen locations, including several in New York City. You can find some of the chain’s limited-production imported panettone in the Manhattan storefronts or order the classic or chocolate sweet breads online.

Sant Ambroeus: Various

Santa Chiara Caffe

Owner Cristiano Rossi is not only behind Santa Chiara Caffe in Long Island City, Queens, but also the Panettone Festival held annually in the neighborhood since 2021. Specializing in traditional yet innovative fare, the cafe has been known to peddle various flavors of panettone in past years in addition to the classic, including limoncello and pistachio.

Santa Chiara Caffe: 5241 Center Blvd, Long Island City, NY 11101

Settepani

If you’re in Harlem around the holidays and craving a different take on the festive Italian sweet bread, stop by Settepani’s restaurant for a serving of the panettone French toast with berries and syrup. Settepani also has a bakery in Brooklyn that handles specialty and wholesale orders, as well as traditional panettone that’s available for order nationwide via GoldBelly.

Settepani: 196 Lenox Avenue, Harlem, NY 10026

Bruno’s

For years, Bruno’s was a go-to for panettone on Staten Island. The business has since moved to Freehold, New Jersey, but it remains a favorite for the holiday treat. At Bruno’s, you get your pick of flavors, from chocolate to pecan to fig to pumpkin, but the classic choices are the Milanese (with citron and raisins) and the Genovese (with citron, raisins, pine nuts, and anise).

Bruno’s: 196 Lenox Avenue, Harlem, NY 10026