Leave the diet, take the cannoli
As a 12-year-old, Angelo Brocato began an apprenticeship in an elegant ice-cream parlor in his hometown of Palermo. After learning the trade, he emigrated from Sicily to the United States and worked on a sugar plantation in New Orleans, trying to save up enough money to open his own shop. In 1905, he opened Angelo’s Ice Cream Parlor, a replica of Palermo’s finest emporiums, on Ursulines Avenue in the French Quarter. Brocato’s moved to Mid-City in 1978, as many residents abandoned the Quarter for outlying neighborhoods.
Today, the shop is run by Angelo Brocato III, and even in its “new” location, remains a throwback to the classic ice-cream parlors of the past. There’s an old–world feel created by slowly turning ceiling fans, an archway of lightbulbs over the serving counter, rows of apothecary jars filled with candies, bistro tables, and century-old portraits of Angelo himself on the wall. You are greeted by long glass display cases filled with traditional Italian desserts—handmade zuppa inglese, cassata, Italian fig cookies, spumoni—and New Orleans’ best cheesecake. When you order the cannoli, the cone-shaped shell is spoon-filled with a ricotta-cheese-and-sugar mixture right in front of you and dipped in crushed pistachio nuts.
Info
Address 214 N Carrollton Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70119, +1 504.486.1465, www.angelobrocatoicecream.com | Hours Tue–Sun 10am–10pm| Tip The original Angelo Brocato’s, in the French Quarter (615–617 Ursulines Ave), is now occupied by the coffee and breakfast spot Croissant d’Or Patisserie. You can still see the 100-year-old tiles at the old Brocato’s two separate entrances, for “Ladies” and “Gentlemen.” Back in the day, men and women used separate doors to avoid the potential scandal of seeing a woman’s exposed ankle.
But the main reason to visit Angelo Brocato’s is for their 100-year-old Sicilian-recipe gelatos. The flavors filling the display case are all excellent and include two types of pistachio (they are very Sicilian), baci, torroncino, and a great seasonal Louisiana strawberry (much sweeter than traditional strawberry ice cream).
People-watching is another reason to go. On certain nights, the parlor is a mixture of families with kids, heavily pierced and tattooed hipsters, and old Italian men shuffling up to the counter using canes or walkers to order their mini cannoli and double espresso, just as they’ve been doing for decades.
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