More than ten years ago I said: Hopefully, I'll get another chance to come here and try more of their offerings. I can see a fifth star in their future. Well, I returned to Utica and came back to Florentine Pastry Shop as promised. But you know what? All I had eyes for were their Pasticciotti. So I ordered two "pusties". One vanilla and one chocolate. They are magnificent. Simple and humble to be sure. But crisp and tender pastry stuffed with plenty of creamy, custardy, true-to-flavor filling. I can't stop thinking about them. And there is absolutely no reason to deprive a bakery of a full five stars based solely on their specialty item and noting else. The pusties are so good, I'm going to ignore the fact that I saw a full sheet of pre-filled cannoli in the case. Florentine Pastry Shop is a regional gem and a historical treasure. It's well worth the detour from the highway should you find yourself driving past Utica. read more

Awesome traditional Italian baked goods. Love everything they make. A great and trusted part of this area for many years.

Superb, Authentic Flavors & Aromas Await The True Italy Lovers at The Florentine Pastry Shop in Utica, New York. You will not find this quality anywhere outside Italy, including All over NYC which simply cannot match the authenticity & flavor of their SUPERB Rum Cake, Paticceria "Pusties" & The Utterly Exquisite Italian Almond Paste Cookies That Were A Favorite Of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy. Thestaff are professional, Pleasant & Courteous. Some have training at prestigious the C.I.A., Culinary Institute of America. read more

I drove all the way from Albany to Utica to get my boyfriend a rum cake for his birthday. They are his favorite. When I called to order this the young lady was extremely helpful and informative. So the ordering was very easy. However, I was shocked they didn't take a deposit over the phone. When I arrived I was shocked this was the Florentines everyone spoke so highly about. It's a very old small bakery in the heart of Utica. Walking in there were little to no pastries. I wanted to buy some but then again I am glad that I didn't have to indulge in too many sweets. The end result - the cake was worth the drive. It was amazing! Extremely moist and tons of flavor. The kiddos did not like it bc it wasn't sweet enough for them but perfect for us adults. read more

Florentine Pastry Shop - 10" rum cake $40 plus tax. - Bakeries Near Me - Utica, New York

Never disappointed... yes, Utica has great Italian food but, our family has been ordering cakes, cookies and pastries from the Florentine for many decades. And this Christmas is no exception, we already placed our order for the holidays. The difference now is, the bakery isn't 20 minutes away, it's almost 4 hrs away. read more

This is one of the quintessential Italian bakeries in Downtown Utica. The bakery has been in Utica for many many years and not much has changed except for the prices. You feel like you have stepped back in time every time you enter. Get there early as they sell out quickly. They have a wide assortment of cookies and pastries first thing in the morning and offer custom cakes as well. Ran in to get some desserts and left my phone in the car so no pictures but after going later and missing out on some of our favorites didn't want to miss out. We go for the almond paste cookies, Rumbabas, and pusties. read more

My family have been buying stuff from here for probably 20+ years, especially their custard-filled Pasticciotti ("pusties"... yes, I know the nickname makes them sound gross!) and cookies. When you walk in you discover a place that looks like it really is 94 years old (they started in 1928). Regular favorites of mine are their chocolate pasticciotti, and a new favorite from my recent visit is their raspberry one (but be warned... you need a glass of milk with it!). Other cookes and treats are just as good, and the recipes have stayed consistent for decades. A small eating area on the side allows you to enjoy your purchases in house, but we decided to leave and bring our goodies with us. And we nearly got a mile away before we started eating them (that might be a new record!) A wonderful bakery experience. read more

I had to stop by this Utica old school Italian institution on my recent trip. They sell various pastries, including rum baba, different flavors of pasticcioti, cannoli, eclairs, tiramisu, cheesecake, among others. After going to Caruso's later, Florentine's cannoli, pasticcioti, and some other items are slightly cheaper, though I can't tell you how they compare on taste. We bought a slice of tiramisu ($3). It was very good, not too sweet, and creamy, balanced by the slight bitterness of the cocoa and the alcohol. The sponge was a bit dry, which is the only reason why I'm giving this review four and not five stars. There is a separate cafe area for indoor dining. Not sure whether they are serving customers during COVID. read more

See all

Been going to the place every so often since the 70's. Stopped in last week for what I always condisder the best deserts around but I ended up with a box of entirely forgettable pastries. It's too bad the new owner thinks their recipes are better than the real ones & they thought nobody would notice?!? Looks like I need to find a new bakery... I see that a place called Ninos is notable. We shall see! read more

Simply the best pastry shop in the area hands down. Cannolis, Pasticciotti (pusties) and cream puffs are my go-to favorites. Get there early for the best selection before they sell out! read more

Florentine Pastry Shop - Pusties - Bakeries Near Me - Utica, New York

See all

When In Utica, NY you have to stop at this bake shop! I've been coming here for years but not since Covid hit. The shelves were empty compared to how I remembered them. They still have a seating area and serve you coffee ( only drip ) and your desert at the table. I really missed being able to have a cappuccino or espresso with my desert (not sure why they don't serve that anymore). I had tiramisu and it was pretty good. My sister had the pasticciotti, which she liked. It was kinda sad to see the empty shelves and we stopped at Caruso bakery and their shelves were sparse with no seating at all (since covid they took out the seating and they don't think they will bring it back). I know things change and Covid has forced a lot of these changes and not for the better. read more

See all

Stopped in with my wife, daughter and her girlfriend for coffee and pastries. Like stepping into Brooklyn. Very old school, very simple, and traditional. We each got a different treat and a variety of coffee/espresso/latte, etc... A nice way to start the morning. read more

Delicious! Cute, old style bakery. Almost 100 years old. Hard to decide what to order. Cream desserts out of this world. Hot chocolate was delicious! Cookies by the pound. Can't go wrong. We didn't order a cake, but saw them coming out for customers. They were beautiful. read more

Service friendly enough, just not impressed with the offerings and quality. We tried several options including the cookies but everything seemed a bit stale or previously frozen. Not on our list of bakeries to visit in the future. read more

Florentine Pastry Shop - cars parked on the street - Bakeries Near Me - Utica, New York

I called in a few days ago to ask when the last time I could order for shipping was and they said Dec 16. So now they are not accepting orders, called and spoke with them and they were so rude and dismissive. Terrible customer service and this sucks because the food so so good. read more

Never will I ever order from here again. I called bc a week ago i called and put in an order for a naked cake, vanilla cake with cannoli and peach filling. I just opened the box and it's frosted. I called to ask what went wrong when I ordered that the girl got it wrong. Regina then told me that the new Hartford and Utica bakery got my order down as buttercream frosting, no nuts on the side, vanilla with cannoli and peach filling. Never did I say buttercream and definitely didn't say no nuts. So where did she find that order? Then she told me she doesn't even think they did naked cakes. Odd bc I just went to a shower where they got a naked cake from them and that was why I put in an order for one. Then she said to me that what I wanted was a specialty cake so I should email them the order next time. Smh. I never asked for a refund or even another cake. I just didn't understand how they got my order completely wrong. But after talking to them I'm even more annoyed that they pretty much tried saying I ordered wrong lol!! I'm pretty sure I know what I wanted and said. Never ever again. read more

These pastries are incredible, perfect bakes and creamy fillings. Somehow the modest storefront and surroundings add to the authenticity. They are attentive but most of the effort goes into the product. read more

Florentine Pastry Shop - Sampling of pastries - Bakeries Near Me - Utica, New York

The storefront is bland and does not have much curb appeal. They are not the friendliest folks either -- I always feel like I am disturbing them. I do like their lobster tails but not much else. read more

This coming from a born and raised Brooklyn boy, pastry shops (and pizzerias) on every corner in the 1980s, Florentine had the best Pasticiotti I've ever eaten! So delicious! The pastry crust was perfect. I opted for the chocolate filling and ended up eating a second one. The also had some of the best almond cookies I've ever had. Next to home made out of the oven. Simply delicious. Very cool bakery. Very friendly staff. I wish I could have sat there all day. Brought me back to being a kid. read more

What a disappointing experience, to say the least. We have been purchasing Florentine for special events for years. The quality has gone downhill. We ordered two birthday rum cakes and a dozen pastries. While we ordered them to pick up at Café Florentine in New Hartford, we know the baking is done at the Utica location and then delivered to the New Hartford café. We asked the cakes to be ready at noon on Saturday, but when we arrived at 12:45, we were told our cakes were not delivered yet. The young lady at the counter was helpful and made calls to find out that they would be delivered later, and she offered to call me when they arrived. She was true to her word, and we picked them up a few hours later. Her customer service was excellent. The cakes were for two different birthday people, and we asked names to be written on both. Such a letdown to open the first box and see no name on the cake! Secondly, it looked like they ran out of sliced almonds, so they used the remains of some crushed up almond crumbs. We opened the second cake, and the layer had slid off and was smushed against the box. While at least the name was written on it, the same sad-looking almond crumbs were all around the frosted sides. Little did we know the worst part was yet to come! We cut slices from the big cake first, only to find two fairly long black hairs intertwined throughout the custard and cake layers. Your employees and facility need health and sanitation checks and refresher training on basic cleanliness. Are hair nets not worn? In addition, the cake was dry, and there was no chocolate layer whatsoever! Our birthday celebration resulted in a round of gag reflexes by most of the dozen of us around the table. While overall a bad experience, I would like to see them ramp up their quality and return to their old standards. read more

See all

Florentine continues their many years of excellence as my favorite Italian Pastry shop. Their pastries are second to none! I love the Cannoli, various flavors of pusti, Sfogliatelle, almond cookies, and cream puffs! The service is always prompt and friendly. The store is clean and offers a free parking lot across the street which is nice in this neighborhood. There is a cute dining area if you wish to eat your pastries and try some of their coffee in house. read more

The Florentine in new Hartford is very good the food and drinks are great people friendly and highly recommend this place

Cake was very dry, I even asked for extra rum, not the usual saturation richness and quality of previous years . However, so dry , I don't think any extra rum would of helped . I've been purchasing their cakes for over 40 years and am unfortunately very disappointed. I hope they look into quality control. This is the second cake I've been very disappointed within 3 months costing me $54.00 per cake. Going to patronize Cafe Cannoli in the future. So Sad, a landmark Utica icon I've always loved and supported! read more

Have been to every Italian Pastry shop in Philadelphia. I have found none better than the Florentine in little Utica!! The cannoli are to die for!. Everything that I have tried is terrific. Worth going out of your way for! read more

Oh my God. Best eclair of my life. Raspberry Napoleon is out of this world delicious. And the cream puff is amazing. If you are in Utica, you have to go here. Staff very friendly and nice. I want to move to Utica to eat eclairs and napoleons. read more

I get the tiramisu for my wife almost weekly. Most recently you were all out so we tried the cannoli and it was amazing! Keep doing what you're doing Thank you! read more

These are the pastries that I grew up on. Any special event warranted pastries from the Florentine. Two of my sisters even worked here during high school. It's as old school Italian as you can get. So proud it's been part of my upbringing. I have yet to find better tasting Italian pastries- even in my current home in SF. Little Italy (Utica style) wins every time. My grandparents went from Ellis Island to Utica like so many other people in this wonderfully diverse little city. Just picked up a cannoli/rum cake for my mom's b'day tonight. read more

Florentine Pastry Shop - Bakeries Near Me - Utica, New York

See all

This place used to be a favorite. Have not been here in a couple years and what a disappointment in the quality. I don't know what it was I just tasted. It was supposed to be a sfogliatella , but it what ever was inside was like nothing I've ever had.Smaller & no crunch. won't be back. And what happened to getting a cappuccino? Stores looking a little not all that clean also. read more

Went here for the first time after brunch with my roommate Pros: -Extremely cute decor - beautiful molding on the ceilings -Cashew almond paste - a sugar cookie - yum! - price for one piece of cookie ($0.81) -Tea cookie - nutty on the inside -Lemon frosted -Friendly staff Cons: -Slow service read more

It's a trip back in time. Love the hazelnut biscotti, and sfgiotelli. The cannoli is very good as well and definitely made fully in house. The staff is very friendly and helpful! read more

Florentine Pastry Shop - at The Florentine Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Utica, New York

Probably the best Italian Pastries in Central NY. They have something called a Florentine Kiss, which is a really good cookie that is a great crumbly consistency topped with a hazelnut cream (mousse like) and then covered in chocolate. The best item there! The only reason that I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is because the last 2 times that I stopped, I was overcharged. I ordered some of the italian cookies that were by the pound. She placed them on the scale, I saw the price and then ordered the Florentine Kiss. My total should have been $4.18 and she charged me $5. Not a big deal, less then a buck, but it was just the point......Based on that, I have not gone back in a while. Though the Florentine kiss has been tempting me when I am in the area! read more

Such a mom and pop Italian shop with great Italian pastry find in the middle of Utica! I tried one of the Italian pastries (I forgot the name), and I was blown away! I crave it from time to time! I would definitely check this place out if you are in Utica or driving upstate and need a pastry kick. read more

I ordered the tiramisu cake and it was really good.I would recommend it to a friend. One of the best bakeries in the area.

This is hands down my favorite bakery anywhere! I've been coming here most my life. The cannolis and pusties are amazing and the Sfogliatelle is the best I've ever had! I've eaten at a lot of other bakeries across the country and while there are of course really good ones out there, no other one has ever come close to matching Florentine for me. The staff is also always so friendly too. Love this place! read more

Florentine's pastries are unbelievable. As my dad said "they'll knock you back to the old country, or at least knock you flat!" 5 stars: Italian soft white cookies, hazelnut crescents, and any of the almond paste cookies. I'm loyal to my neighborhood Italian bakery in New York City, but these may be the best I've ever had. Great coffee and pasticciotti too (check for seasonal flavors). Excellent service, lots of people sitting with a pastry and an espresso chatting on a Sunday. Girls at the counter are helpful and speedy. I would drive hours out of the way to hit up Florentines again. If you're lucky enough to live close, go and laugh at the scale in the front of the shop ;) read more

Cannolis are my new vice. This is a no nonsense pasticceria (Italian pastry shop). My father has been coming here for a long time--who knows really how long. I think it's been here for a long time. It looks like it's been here for a long time. That means they've been making pastries for a long time and they know what they're doing! I probably drove the clerk crazy because I wanted everything. I wasn't sure what everything was though. Not everything is signed so you have to ask. Of course we started with Cannolis. No good Italian-American family doesn't eat cannolis! However, I don't eat cannolis because I have never found any good ones in California where I live. So we got a lot of the plain ones and the chocolate covered ones. THEY WERE SO GOOD (I am jonesing for them just writing this)! We also got Pasticiotti (tart), which my family pronounces the Sicilian way, "pastachoke." They came in a variety of flavors like coconut, apple, lemon and custard. The pastry was perfect, but the apple filling wasn't that good, like it wasn't fresh, but that just might be me. We also got Sfogliatelle (pastry with ricotta or custard filling). I really liked this one and would much prefer to have it for breakfast as it was light in sweetness and dense like it would get you to lunchtime. All pastries went well with coffee--hello. There is a cafe attached to the bakery. The coffee is good. The train station is just a little ways down the street so I recommend you stop here before or after your trip. read more

Florentine Pastry Shop - Cannoli, pasticiotti & sfogliatelle - Bakeries Near Me - Utica, New York

Everything we've tried from them is excellent! Of course, you have to get some pusties, but the other pastries are also really very good. It's a no-frills atmosphere, with slow but friendly service. Definitely an excellent reason to make a field trip into Utica! :) read more

Florentine Pastry Shop - Pusties about - Bakeries Near Me - Utica, New York

See all

Yum, Yum, Yum! This place is, hands down, the best Italian pastry shop in CNY. There is no other. If you are even remotely near Utica, NY and you like Italian pastries, you must stop here. The chocolate pusties are a must have! read more

Amazing selection of desserts, and so tasty! Tried Utica "pusties" for the first time--my favorite was the lemon. Lots of different cookies to try too. Clean bakery and friendly associates. read more

This place wonderful and I had no idea it was a famous establishment until I started telling my friend about it. The pastries are excellent and quite large for what you pay, according to my NYC standards. I really hope I can visit this place again before heading home tomorrow morning. read more