5845 Transit Road, E. Amherst, NY 14051
Web: Pino's Italian Bakery
Phone: 716.636.5850
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Amherst Cannoli Desserts Italian
"If subtle, delicate presentation is more to your liking than intense flavor or glitz, Pino's delivers reasonably priced, sweet treats with a rare sparkle of family-owned charm."
Given greater motivation, we could go on for pages about the mediocrity of the typical Italian restaurant - the high prices, forgettable food, and plates propped up with cheap pasta - but we would never, ever speak ill of Italy's desserts. From the cannoli to the gelato, the tiramisu to the biscotti, we'd sooner drive to an Italian shop for something sweet than any Asian place in town. Recently, the place we've been visiting is Pino's Italian Bakery, and between its tasty desserts and friendly employees, we expect to keep on stopping by in the future.
The Story: Nestled in an interior corner of the Transit Valley Plaza in East Amherst, Pino's probably won't attract your attention from the street, but its interior looks like a classic mom-and-pop Italian bakery: a few tables and a couple of glass display cases packed with sweets. At a time when local restaurant dessert prices are creeping into the $6 range, Pino's offers most of its individual portions for $2 to $3, and they're generally better than what we're used to finding in suburban Italian places at higher prices. Full cakes, including party and wedding sizes, are offered on 48-hour or two-week advance request; you probably won't see them on display in the shop.
Highs: The Mocha Rum ($3), a slice of rum-infused cake with an airy chocolate cream, was delicate in a way that common "chocolate overload" slices cannot be, begging not to be washed down but rather to be followed by more. Similarly, the Cannolis ($2 per large, $1.25 per small) have freshness as a benefit, as they're hand-assembled to order with fresh, sweet Ricotta cream filling their shells only moments before you receive them. Their sugar-dusted shells are as fully crispy as their cheesy centers are completely soft.
Lows: While affordable, fresh, and pleasant, the Cannolis lack the chunkiness or chocolate elements found in some of our favorite versions, and aren't so much addictive as gently satisfying. Biscotti fans will find their fresh, raisin-bearing version ($0.70) akin to a slightly moist cookie, rather than stiff or crunchy, and not as strongly flavored as at some other places.
The Verdict: If subtle, delicate presentation is more to your liking than intense flavor or glitz, Pino's Italian Bakery delivers reasonably priced, sweet treats with a rare sparkle of family-owned charm. By Clarence and East Amherst dessert standards, this small store deserves to be a bigger deal than its plaza footprint might suggest.
