DiPaolo Bakery Under New Ownership

Fulvio DiPaolo, the new owner of the Bloomfield Avenue bakery, in town now for just five weeks, is working hard on meeting that reputation, and even improving on it.

“Hands on,” he says, “is the only way to do it correctly.” Seeking, in his words, a “change in life,” DiPaolo took over the location after his Uncle Vinny, proprietor for 30 years, decided to retire. “He called me, and I decided to take a voyage of my own.”

So far, the sailing has been smooth. “It’s going very good. The people in Verona are very nice, and there’s lots of word of mouth. We did a lot of work in here with the displays, and lots of people love the displays. And we’re doing things differently: lesser quantity, upped quality."

For example, instead of preparing ten cakes of each variety daily, DiPaolo’s now makes two. Also, where in the past large Sicilian pizzas were made and possibly sat, Fulvio and crew now make them fresh with an hour’s notice. “Hot,” he says. 6 to 7 small pizzas a day are also made daily. “It’s nice,” he adds, “to see people coming back and complimenting us.”

Available as well at DiPaolo Bakery are Brownstone original sauces, San Marco frozen food products, macaroni products (“We are your one stop shopping,” says DiPaolo), cookies and stuffed breads, some sugar free products and – if you order a half hour ahead – 10” gluten-free pizzas. Coming July 1: a new line of cupcakes representing a specific flavor for every region of Italy. Lemon-filled would, for example, represent Capri, and mascarpone Naples or Florence.

And don’t forget the original Black and White cake, a DiPaolo Bakery staple “As a matter if fact,” Fulvio says, rising from his seat, “I have to go make one right now.”

Michael Claps is a Bloomfield resident, but works nearby in Fairfield. Bloomfield is the artery between towns, so he stops in most days. “It’s kind of on the way. I stop in for a roll with butter, and coffee. It’s a daily special for just a $1.00.” A buttered roll and 10 oz. cup of Columbian Supreme Coffee is a great start to everyone’s day. DiPaolo also offers cooked to order breakfast, four daily lunch specials for eat-in or takeout, and all are made to order, “so there is a wait,” claims Fluvio.

DiPaolo Bakery of Verona also invites locals and all fans to a Meet & Greet Book Signing featuring Real Housewives of New Jersey star Teresa Giudice, who will be signing copies of her Fabulicious! cookbook on Wednesday evening, July 27 from 6 pm to 8 pm. All attendees will receive two beautifully boxed “Holy Cannoli” cupcakes compliments of Giudice and the bakery.

“Pizza, baked goods – they’re really, really good, the bread is excellent, and Lucy (the counterperson) is a great helper,” says Raphaele. “I’ll keep coming her forever. Nowhere else can you get such great breadsticks.”

“And, the owners are wonderful.”

In the end for Fulvio DiPaolo, it’s all about a love for what he does, and the end result is a good product. “It’s guaranteed freshness, and I enjoy doing it.”

DiPaolo Bakery of Verona, 605 Bloomfield Avenue, (973) 857-2828, www.dipaolobakerofverona.com, open 7days, 6 am – 7:30 pm