Cannoli Bar came to be when Carlo Mellini decided to sell cannoli and biscotti in the suburb where he grew up – Avondale Heights in Melbourne’s north-west.

The name is a nod to the mid-century milk bar the cannolificio has operated in since 2018. It’s on a quiet residential street, but Mellini's cannoli are so popular, you usually can’t get a park out front.

When Victoria went into lockdown in March 2020, the once-buzzing cafe was quiet. But inside, the owners were working to change up the menu for takeaway.

Stay in the know with our free newsletter. The latest restaurants, must-see exhibitions, style trends, travel spots and more – curated by those who know.

SIGN UP

“You can say Cannoli Bar went back to its Sicilian roots by adapting to a street-style takeaway cannoli-stand concept,” Mellini says. “Cannoli are naturally enjoyed in company, [or as something] to take to the family. But we also noticed that the store became cold and lonely without all our weekly sit-in customers.”

Along with items from the usual menu (which includes paninis, pizzas and pasta), customers can pick up DIY cannoli kits at home.

“We’ve always had cannoli kits available in-store, but we usually only advertised them for Christmas time so that people can enjoy them on Christmas Day when we’re closed,” says Mellini.

“The decision to make them a standard thing was just to offer our customers that piped-fresh crunchy experience, and also to give them the flexibility of having cannoli in the fridge during lockdown that they can pipe themselves when they please.”

All Cannoli Bar’s flavours are available, including the Sicilian with sweetened ricotta, mascarpone, chopped dark couverture chocolate, candied citrus and glacé cherries. There’s also Nutella, pistachio, vanilla and chocolate custard. Packs include 10 shells, a piping bag of custard, and chocolate or nuts to decorate the ends.

Call (03) 9337 7049 to order. They’re available for pick-up for those within five kilometres or there's delivery for those within 20 minutes of the store.

Cannoli Bar
23 Riviera Road, Avondale Heights

Hours:
Wed to Fri 8am–3pm
Sat & Sun 8am–4pm