Cleveland’s historic Little Italy is famous for its scenic streets and high-quality restaurants. Located just outside University Circle, the neighborhood is beloved by many Case Western Reserve University students looking to enjoy authentic Italian food and take in some of its Old World charm. For us, the two true gems of Little Italy are its bakeries—Presti’s Bakery and Café and Corbo’s Bakery.
Presti’s was founded by Rose and Charles Presti Sr. in 1903, with the humble beginnings of making only fresh bread. As the bakery grew, so did its repertoire, and four generations later the shop continues to produce bread, pastries and cakes, all with original recipes. Corbo’s—located just across the street from Presti’s—has been family-owned for over 50 years and specializes in Italian cakes and pastries.
Given Presti’s and Corbo’s history as well-established bakeries, it’s no surprise that many of their popular pastries overlap. This has led to some debate among local residents as to which establishment is better. We decided to save you the trouble—and the cash—by providing a detailed comparison of five popular pastries: the cream puff, sfogliatelle, tiramisu, cassata cake and, of course, the renowned cannoli. Judging them by texture, flavor and presentation, we hope that our review will have you craving a good pastry, plus make it easier to decide where to get it from.
Cassata Cake
An Italian staple, the cassata cake from Corbo’s and Presti’s has notable differences in flavor and appearance. Corbo’s offers a moist sponge that is sweet and complements the subtle flavor of the cream filling. While there are fewer fresh strawberries than we would have hoped, the cake still has its signature rosy color and tartness. But the main drawback for us is the large volume of cream, which sadly overwhelms the rest of the cake. Presti’s cassata cake, on the other hand, features a much better cream-to-strawberry ratio and has a burst of fruity flavor. Its presentation is also more pleasing, embodying the essence of the traditional Italian dessert. The cream, though a bit sweeter than the one at Corbo’s, supports the fluffy, spongy cake well.
Presti’s: 4/5
Corbo’s: 3/5
Tiramisu
In terms of presentation alone, Corbo’s and Presti’s offer a nearly identical tiramisu experience—clean layers of cream and ladyfingers accompanied by a generous dusting of cocoa. Upon first taste, the tiramisu at Corbo’s has a beautifully moist texture, complemented by a delicate cream. We found that this pairs well with the richer coffee flavor and bittersweet cocoa. Presti’s, on the other hand, offers a slightly drier cake with a less pronounced coffee flavor. The subtly is further overwhelmed by an abundant yet fluffy cream. We found that Corbo’s far excelled in providing a pastry that was moist and definitely coffee flavored, with Presti’s version coming across as a little lackluster.
Corbo’s: 4.5/5
Presti’s: 3.5/5
Sfogliatelle
When it comes to sfogliatelle—a shell-shaped, cream-filled pastry—Presti’s and Corbo’s stay true to the authentic presentation, but differ in flavor and texture. The sfogliatelle from Presti’s is slightly smaller, and the one at Corbo’s has a little too much powdered sugar garnish. The pastry from Presti’s is filled with an overwhelmingly heavy filling that is partially redeemed by its rich cardamom flavor. However, the most disappointing part is the pastry’s extreme toughness. Biting into its layers is the equivalent of eating dry pasta or even a thin rock, far surpassing what would be an enjoyable level of crunchy. On the other hand, the version at Corbo’s has a less-intense texture that makes the pastry easier to chew. The filling, though on the sweeter side, boasts a rich flavor and spongy texture, and the thinner pastry makes it easier to savor. In this contest, the sfogliatelle at Corbo’s definitely takes the cake.
Corbo’s: 3.5/5
Presti’s: 2.5/5
Cream Puff
Presti’s and Corbo’s both offered commendable cream puffs. Presti’s cream puff boasts a larger size and a chocolate sauce garnish, which is a little too sweet for our liking, but it makes for a good presentation. Its crust has that ideal hard shell and light interior, and the filling is a heaping serving of cream—fluffy and airy in texture, similar to whipped cream. While pleasant, the filling differs starkly from the typical custard cream of a cream puff. In contrast, Corbo’s has a slightly smaller pastry than Presti’s, but offers a superior cream-to-pastry ratio and a completely different flavor profile. Its thicker, sweeter filling is much more in line with a traditional cream, and this pastry’s only real flaw is the excessive dusting of powdered sugar on top.
Corbo’s: 4.25/5
Presti’s: 3.5/5
Cannoli
A review of an Italian bakery wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the cannoli. In terms of presentation, both Corbo’s and Presti’s offer a shell of fried pastry generously topped with powdered sugar and filled with a rich ricotta cream. The cannoli cream at Presti’s is a little too sweet for our tastes, but it has the perfect amount of mini chocolate chips inside. Its texture is pleasantly thick as well, and it is complemented by a solid pastry that is only a little chewy. On the other hand, Corbo’s offers a cannoli that is freshly piped, with a cream that has the perfect level of sweetness. Its texture is lighter and airier as well, with a comparably enjoyable crunchy shell. While we found both cannolis to be delicious, Corbo’s provides a cannoli experience that excels in both cream and crust quality.
Corbo’s: 4.25/5
Presti’s: 3.5/5
Based on numbers alone, Corbo’s comes out on top. However, we truly enjoyed our experience at both bakeries and feel each has something special to offer. So whether you find yourself drawn to Corbo’s for its superior cream puff or Presti’s for its classic cassata cake, either bakery is sure to leave you satisfied with time-honored recipes and cherished family traditions. The debate between these two iconic bakeries will likely persist, but in the end, the true winner is anyone lucky enough to enjoy these bakeries’ iconic desserts.
