Sicily – birthplace of cannoli, cassata and The Mob – is known throughout all of Italy for its incredible sweets. And though sunny Palermo may not be on your itinerary this week, a trip to West Melbourne’s Dolcetti might just transport you to an equally authentic world of saccharine delights.

Located in West Melbourne’s bustling market precinct, Dolcetti has quietly gone about its business since early 2009, developing a cult-like following from market shoppers, chefs and interstate visitors along the way.

Owner Marianna Di Bartolo grew up in Melbourne in a Sicilian family where “there was always cake” and her mother’s proud, old-fashioned adherence to “doing everything from scratch” held Marianna in good stead when honing her craft at Laurent Patisserie and later with pastry guru Baker D. Chirico. It’s this attention to detail and respect for high quality produce that has seen Dolcetti carve a strong reputation for its heavenly biscuits and cakes, which can be found in several inner city cafes, including Seven Seeds, De Clieu and Dukes Coffee Roasters.

The cafe itself – all white walls, high ceilings and vintage terrazzo-tiled floors – is an exercise in simplicity, with just a handful of small tables for customers to enjoy coffee and cake in-house. The pinafore-clad, all-female staff are clearly passionate and clued-in on their product, and it shows.

The most sought after treasures include the pistachio and sour cherry amaretti, heavenly custard-filled bombolone (Italian doughnuts) and the near-famous torrone (nougat).

It’s a labour of love for Marianna and her staff, and with future plans to offer demonstration classes to Melbourne’s sweet-loving Italophiles, it’s a love that is sure to spread.