As summer winds to a close it’s a good time to grab a Gelato and Canoli, filled to order, from Angelo Bracato’s in Mid City, a New Orleans institution since 1905.
214 N Carrollton Ave, New Orleans, LA 70119
The History of Angelo Brocato’s
The story begins in the late 19th century in Cefalù, a coastal town in Sicily, where Angelo Brocato Sr. was born in 1877. At age 12, he became an apprentice in a Palermo gelateria, where he learned the art of traditional Sicilian confections; granita, spumoni, biscotti, cannoli, and gelati. Sicily, with its Arab, Spanish, and Italian influences, had a rich dessert culture, and Angelo absorbed the techniques that would define his career.
Like many Sicilian immigrants of the era, Angelo Brocato moved to New Orleans, which had become a hub for Italian culture and trade. In 1905, he opened his first shop in the French Quarter on Ursulines Street. His offerings included: Granita di caffè (frozen espresso), Spumone (layered Italian ice cream dessert) Cassata gelato (fruit- and nut-studded ice cream loaf), Biscotti regina, cannoli, and other pastries. At a time when most New Orleanians had never tasted gelato or cannoli, Brocato’s introduced the city to the Sicilian sweet tradition.
The business thrived, drawing locals, immigrants, and visitors alike. By the 1920s, the Brocato family relocated to a larger space on Ursulines Avenue near North Rampart, in the heart of what was then the Sicilian community of the French Quarter.
The store was famous not just for its sweets but also for its old-world charm; ornate tile floors, marble counters, and a welcoming atmosphere that made it as much a community gathering spot as a pastry shop.
Angelo Brocato Sr. died in 1946, but his sons, particularly Angelo Jr. and later his grandson, kept the family tradition alive. The recipes remained unchanged, carefully preserved and passed down, ensuring the flavors Angelo had brought from Sicily stayed authentic.
Through the mid-20th century, Brocato’s continued to be a landmark for Italian-American families in New Orleans and a favorite destination for anyone craving sweets after dinner in the Quarter.
In 1979, after decades in the French Quarter, Angelo Brocato’s moved to North Carrollton Avenue in Mid-City, where it remains today. The move allowed for more space and parking, and the shop became a cornerstone of the Mid-City neighborhood.
The iconic neon sign, advertising Spumone, Cassata, Ice Cream, became a beacon for anyone seeking traditional Italian desserts.
A century after its founding, Angelo Brocato’s faced its greatest challenge. When Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005, the Mid-City shop was flooded with over 5 feet of water. Equipment, furniture, and decades of accumulated history were lost.
But the Brocato family and the New Orleans community rallied. After a year of rebuilding, the shop reopened in September 2006, symbolizing hope and resilience for the recovering city. For many New Orleanians, returning to Brocato’s for a cannoli or gelato was an emotional marker that life was beginning to return to normal.
Now operated by a third generation of Brocato family, the shop remains a New Orleans institution, bridging Sicilian heritage with local culture, and serving as both a neighborhood gathering place and a pilgrimage spot for visitors.
Be sure and check out my Cajun & Creole Recipe Page which links to all of the recipes featured on this site!
