Bites Nearby: La Dolce Vita

With recipes and know-how he learned as a boy in Italy, and experience refined at several bakeries in New York and New Jersey, Riccardo “Pete” Alaimo brought his passion and his family to Allentown, and opened La Dolce Vita Italian Bakery on Hamilton Boulevard near Krocks Road in Lower Macungie.

Now the bakery and coffee bar is not only a realization of Pete’s dream, but also a place where customers can stop to partake of their own slice of “The Sweet Life.”

The bakery offers showcase after showcase of fresh pastries, cookies, bread and cakes. Selections change daily. Standards are the Italian semolina bread, dinner rolls, torpedo rolls and traditional large bread.

Rows of intricate pastries, both large and miniature, tempt the eyes even before being tasted. There are cannoli, tiramisu, rum baba, Napoleons, éclairs, both American and Italian cheesecake, carrot cake and a host of other confections.

The endless biscotti (cookies) include butter cookies, Italian almond cookies, coconut macaroons, and numerous varieties with colors, shapes and fruit toppings that should be seen to be appreciated.

Among the many carefully crafted cakes are Cassata Siciliana (sponge cake and ricotta cream dipped in a sugar glaze and decorated with assorted candied fruits), Crostata di Mele (crisp short pastry base filled with pastry cream topped with slices and fresh apple and baked with a brushing of apricot glaze) and Sette Veli (seven layers of chocolate sponge cake, chocolate mousse, chocolate hazelnut cream and chocolate ganache).

Multi-tiered wedding cakes and other special occasion cakes are a specialty at La Dolce Vita. Appointments are recommended to meet with staff to plan every aspect: filling, fondant, flowers and such.

Café tables and upholstered furniture arranged in living room-style seating groups invite customers to relax with a beverage and a sweet. From morning through early evening, the bakery serves coffee, tea, cappuccino, espresso and café latte.  

5531 Hamilton Blvd, Allentown, PA  18106.  610-395-8875. www.ladolcevitapa.com