As tradition dictates, zeppole are served around Italian Father’s Day. This pastry, made from choux pastry and filled with whipped cream or whipped ricotta, has become synonymous with spring in Montreal’s Little Italy, as the neighborhood’s best bakeries produce them exclusively for March 19.
This Neapolitan pastry requires a lot of preparation time, which explains why it’s often sold in March.
Here is our ultimate list of zeppole in Little Italy:
Fruiterie Milano
Soft ricotta zeppole, available in three flavors: lemon, chocolate chips, and pistachio.
📍 6862 Boul. Saint-Laurent
Pizzeria Gema
Classic Neapolitan zeppole, available on March 19 in limited quantities.
📍 6827 Rue Saint-Dominique
Pasticceria Alati-Caserta
Ricotta and whipped cream zeppole, with several flavors to discover, such as coconut, Dubai chocolate, butter caramel, and many more!
📍 277 Rue Dante
Café San Gennaro
Classic ricotta and amarena cherry zeppole.
📍 69 Rue Saint-Zotique Est
Patisserie St-Martin
Zeppole Cakes! A twist on the classic pastry shape, with the same great taste.
📍 268 Rue Jean-Talon E
Café Marinelli Brothers
Revisited flavors: pistachio and hazelnut butter for a sweet twist on tradition!
📍 6951 Rue Saint-Dominique
Casa di Toto
Half a dozen different flavors to try.
📍 178 Place du Marché-du-Nord,
Italian Father’s Day
In Italy, San Giuseppe is the Catholic feast day celebrating Saint Joseph, the adoptive father of Jesus Christ and the husband of the Virgin Mary. March 19
Why zeppole?
There are two main theories that attempt to explain the significance of zeppole on Italian Father’s Day.
The first: In the Middle Ages, a severe drought is said to have struck Sicily, prompting the locals to pray to San Giuseppe (Saint Joseph). When the rain returned, the Sicilians organized a feast in honor of Saint Joseph, preparing dishes made with flour and oil.
Second theory: During their flight from Egypt, to provide for his family, Saint Joseph sold pancakes, linking his name to sweet pastries!