WAYNE, New Jersey — There is a bakery in Wayne where the lights come on before sunrise.
The family arrives early. They always have.
Palazzone 1960 has been doing things this way for more than six decades, and nothing about that is going to change anytime soon.
A Name That Means Something
The “1960” is not a logo choice. It is a year.
That is when Remo and Julia Palazzone, Italian immigrants, opened their first pastry shop in Clifton, New Jersey. Their son Giancarlo grew up inside that kitchen, learning what a real Italian pasticceria looks and smells and feels like from the inside out.
The family eventually returned to Italy. Giancarlo came back in 2012 and opened Palazzone 1960 in Wayne to carry the tradition forward.
Walking through the door, you feel like you stepped into something already in motion long before you arrived.
That kind of history cannot be faked or rushed.
The Sfogliatelle That Will Stop You Mid-Bite
Most people cannot spell sfogliatelle. Most bakeries cannot make one properly either.
The shell is built from dozens of paper-thin layers of dough, each one pulled and wrapped by hand, then baked until it shatters at first bite. Getting that right takes real skill and serious patience.
At Palazzone 1960, the sfogliatelle is exactly what it should be — a shell that crumbles into a thousand flakes, a filling that is smooth and subtly sweet, and nothing that feels like it sat under a lamp since morning.
It tastes like someone cared about every single layer.
If it is your first visit, start here. It sets the tone for everything else in the display case.
The Lobster Tail Is Worth the Drive
The lobster tail is sfogliatelle’s showier cousin — stretched longer and piped full of rich cream.
People drive across county lines for a good lobster tail, and Palazzone 1960 gives them every reason to make that trip.
The cream inside hits that rare spot between light and indulgent. The shell delivers the same shatter-and-crunch with more surface area — which means more of that addictive flaky texture in every bite.
Once you have had one fresh from this kitchen, the grocery store version starts feeling like a different food entirely.
Panettone That Takes Three Days to Make
Most people have seen panettone in a cardboard box at a holiday gift shop.
Most people have not experienced panettone made the way it was always meant to be — slowly, carefully, proofed multiple times over nearly three full days.
That is exactly how Palazzone 1960 does it.
Giancarlo follows the traditional Milanese method, starting production in November when the season calls for it. The result is a loaf so airy and tender that no shortcut method can replicate it.
The bakery produces around 10,000 panettone each year. It sounds like a lot until you see how many people are waiting for them.
Biting into a slice feels like the difference between a handwritten letter and a text message. Both get the message across, but only one carries any warmth.
Cannoli, Cookies, and Classics Done Right
The cannoli arrive the way they should — filled to order, shell still crisp, ricotta inside not given a chance to soften anything up.
The Italian cookie selection is its own adventure. Tricolors, amaretti, pignoli, and almond paste cookies fill the trays, each one made with care that shows up in the texture and flavor.
They are not too sweet, which is exactly how traditional Italian cookies are supposed to taste.
More than one visitor has brought a Palazzone cookie box to a dinner party and left as the most popular person in the room.
Gelato, Lunch, and Coffee That Complete the Picture
The pistachio gelato tastes like actual pistachios — not a vague green sweetness — and the texture is dense and smooth the way real gelato should be.
The lunch menu holds its own with panini, pasta, and a solid antipasti spread. The avocado shrimp salad is a lighter option that still satisfies.
The espresso arrives with real weight behind it. The cappuccino is foamy in the right way. Specialty options like the Amalfi coffee with hazelnut and ice cream feel genuinely creative without being gimmicky.
Pairing a lobster tail with a properly pulled espresso is one of those combinations that makes you understand why Italians built an entire culture around the cafe experience.
Go Before the Box Is Empty
Palazzone 1960 is open Tuesday through Sunday, 8 AM to 7 PM.
Whether you are stopping in for a morning pastry, a full lunch, or a cookie box to bring somewhere, the experience holds up every time.
This is not just a bakery. It is a family story told one pastry at a time — and after sixty years, they are still getting better at telling it.
Palazzone 1960 — 190 NJ-23, Wayne, NJ
Have you been to Palazzone 1960, or do you have a favorite Italian bakery in your area? Tell us about it in the comments — we want to hear your pick.
