Having only ever tasted cannolis from an amusement park cafeteria, I was excited to learn that Charlottesville gained an authentic cannoli bar earlier this month. Located just off 2nd Street near the IX Art Park, the cafe’s atmosphere is modern but eclectic and fits seamlessly with the other restaurants and dessert shops that line the business center where it’s located. The area is easily accessible by car, has ample parking, and if busing, is a short walk from stops at the Downtown Mall.
I arrived at Sicily Rose Coffee Shop and Cannoli Bar last Friday, looking forward to a late afternoon sweet treat and caffeine boost. From the parking lot, the cafe was hard to locate since it did not yet have a sign on or above the door. After a few minutes of searching, I found the restaurant connected to Studio IX, Charlottesville’s coworking space for entrepreneurs, freelancers and remote workers. The inside of the cafe and connecting workspace was filled with plenty of tables and chairs at which to work. It was relatively quiet and uncrowded in the mid-afternoon when I visited. The strong aroma of coffee greeted me at the door and large chalkboards baring the numerous coffee options immediately drew my attention.
The shop is owned by Nick Leichtentritt, who also owns the popular Charlottesville coffee shop Milli Coffee Roasters. Sicily Rose opened just two weeks ago, on Sept. 8. It has a similar atmosphere to Milli Coffee, with simple, modern decor and local art hanging throughout the cafe. They serve Italian espresso, including popular options such as macchiatos, cappuccinos and the unique and lesser known, bicerin. I learned that a bicerin is a traditional hot Italian drink composed of espresso, drinking chocolate and whole milk, which is served in a round, stemmed glass.
They also offer an array of American espresso options and drip coffee. The drip coffee was the same as what you would get from Milli’s — I was there for the cannoli.
The cannoli shells are handmade and baked at Milli Coffee Roasters but are filled at Sicily Rose. Each cannoli has the same creme filling, which is composed of ricotta cheese, vanilla and a hint of lemon juice. Customers can then choose from four topping options: pistachios, dark chocolate chips, sliced almonds or candied orange peel. The cannolis are $3.50 each. I ordered one topped with dark chocolate chips and paired it with a small drip coffee. I stepped over to browse the gourmet merchandise and chocolate that was displayed around the shop while my cannoli was being filled.
The pastry was ready in just a few minutes and looked almost too good to eat. The dark chocolate was a perfect bitter compliment to the sweet creme filling. I also found that the hard shell made the dessert easy to handle and eat. The shell was thick but not crunchy or flaky and had a subtle hint of cinnamon in it. I enjoyed the mixture of flavors and appreciated the owner’s commitment to authenticity and simplicity.
This cannoli bar is a unique addition to Charlottesville’s restaurant scene and makes the experience of visiting Sicily Rose particularly memorable. There’s nothing pretentious about these fancy desserts and I was greeted warmly by the helpful employees. It is a good distance from Grounds and difficult to get to without a car but would make for a quiet afternoon study spot or the perfect place for a romantic Italian date, far from the activity of the University.
Sicily Rose Coffee Shop and Cannoli Bar is located at 969 2nd Street SE, Charlottesville, VA 22902 and is open Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Hailey Eaves is a Food Columnist for The Cavalier Daily. She can be reached at life@cavalierdaily.com.
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