Castiello Bakery Grand Opening Today

Have you stopped in at the new bakery downtown on Maple Street yet?

Castiello Bakery over at 16 Maple St. opened its doors in April, but is holding an official grand opening celebration all day today.

The Italian bakery and pizza shop is owned by brothers Alex and Tom Castiello. Alex Castiello used to own the Olive Tree over in the Atrium Building until it closed its doors in 2005.

The brothers received a common victuallers license from the Board of Selectmen in April for the new space, which used to be home to Saralena's.

If you stop in today for the grand opening, you can pick up a mini cannoli for 99 cents and/or mixed Italian butter cookies and mixed gourmet Italian cookies at a good discount.

The brothers say they are “bringing the North End to the North Shore” with their new shop, and in one sense, carrying on the family tradition three generations after their grandfather Antonio first opened his shop in Revere.

The brothers say their grandfather was an acquaintance of Gloucester's Clarence Birdseye, who was considered to be the founder of the frozen foods industry. They said Birdseye often traveled from Gloucester to visit Antonio at Castiello's Bakery and Pizzeria in Revere in the early to mid 1920s to enjoy a coal-fired pizza, fresh bread and cannoli.

The Castiellos say Birdseye froze the family pizzas, breads and cannolis, and sold them in supermarkets, which were just beginning to establish their place in modern society.

Regular fare for sale at the Castiello's will be cannolis, 18 flavors of handmade gelato, other Neapolitan and Sicilian baked goods, cheesecakes and authentic pizzas made to order.

Castiello Bakery is open daily from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.