It was not long after his immigration to the United States in 1909 that Don Pasquale Egidio founded his business. An immigrant from Salerno, Italy, Egidio settled on Mulberry Street in Manhattan’s Little Italy. In 1912, he established his roots at Egidio Pasticceria on East 187th St. and Hughes Avenue and has been in business ever since. Egidio grew up in the industry, as his mother and father ran a small cafe in Salerno, which he helped run at a young age. While Egidio himself has passed on, and ownership has been transferred to Maria Lucciola, his original recipes have been preserved and the same Egidio tradition has remained.
Egidio Pasticceria has been owned and operated by Lucciola since 1983. Lucciola was born in 1951 in central Italy, between Rome and Naples. Prior to her ownership of Egidio, Lucciola worked for the New York Public Library. While she enjoyed her job and found it fulfilling, Lucciola wanted to be in business and own a piece of her culture. “I like to be with people, and to get my hands into flour,” said Lucciola.
Lucciola is the second owner of Egidio Pasticceria and the only non-family owner, as Antonetta Egidio, Pasquale Egidio’s daughter, inherited the shop following her father’s passing in 1956. Lucciola took over the business beside her ex-husband, Paolo Palombo, both of whom wanted to be part of continuing Italian authenticity in Belmont. While the couple initially ran the business together, Palombo and Lucciola separated in 1995, and Lucciola took over Egidio Pasticceria.
Although Egidio is no longer the owner of the store, she said she was “happy she [Lucciola] got the store” and that “she knows just how to keep it,” in an interview with The New York Times in 2004.
Lucciola noted that Egidio used to translate letters for other men in Belmont and would help them send letters home to Italy. “A lot of people did not know how to read or write — they were illiterate, so, they used to come to him to read a letter, or write a letter, send money to Italy. Interesting, right?” she said.
The business started off small, like many others in the neighborhood. “They didn’t have cappuccino, coffee or cake, but they had pastries. There were a lot of southern Italians and Sicilians in this neighborhood before, and this place was good for the Sicilian Cassata, a cake with a cannoli filling,” said Lucciola.
Lucciola noted there has been change in the neighborhood since she took over, but the authenticity of the businesses have remained the same, including hers. “We keep things the same, because people come from everywhere. I like my cannoli, we make it smooth and not too sweet,” she said. “Once in a while we do something different, like when we introduced the tiramisu. Even during the holidays, we always have something new and different. We make cappuccino and lattes in the morning, too.”
Lucciola also described the importance of working together with other merchants in the area. “We have a nice relationship. If they [other business owners] need anything from me, they can borrow it and give it back, and I do the same thing,” she said. “The area changed as immigration was different, and that is why we started to make Spanish pastries, like Flan and De Leche.”
Catering to the entire neighborhood is important for her, to ensure she keeps her customers happy and coming back. “It is good to be friendly with the customers,” she said as friends of hers walked in. Although many people still flock to Egidio, immigration to the neighborhood has changed and decreased significantly since she took over. “The euro is higher than the U.S. dollar, and it is difficult to live here, in Italy too,” she said.
Lucciola also described the importance of giving back to the community, especially around the holidays. “We celebrate every holiday here, especially Cinco De Mayo, since our customers are mostly Mexican, and we have classes for cannoli making in January,” said Lucciola. “I have a lot of people who come in to see how cannolis are made the old fashioned way.”
Students also appreciate the business, including Tyler Rayer, GSB ’28. “I felt special when the owner acknowledged me for taking my coffee black,” he noted when asked about Egidio’s ambiance. “It is a very friendly environment and a positive experience.”
