I was really expecting a lot from this bakery considering it's reviews but I was not pleased at all. First, the storefront is far too small - normally that wouldn't matter to me, but when people are squished together to get in and out of the same door, it's pretty uncomfortable. Second, this is NOT at all an authentic Italian bakery by no means, which some people mention on their reviews. I went in and got a variety of pastries including rainbow cookies, cannolis, macaroons and brownies. All of which were not enjoyable to me or my family. The rainbow cookies lacked the authentic almond flavor and had next to no raspberry jam which made then extremely dry. The macaroons were far too sweet, usually they are light and airy, these seemed very dense. The cannolis weren't great either. Not sure what they added to the cream, but it didn't taste like an Italian cannoli. The only thing that was decent was the brownie, which is the easiest thing to make. I'm very disappointed and definitely won't be visiting here again. My expectations were very high and this bakery just didn't do it for me at all with the way their pastries are prepared. It's a very overpriced bakery for the lack of flavor and quality to their items. Way too expensive for the quality they serve.
Food: 1
Atmosphere: 1

I came here a few days to try an assortment of pastries for a birthday. Overall, I was not impressed with the prices and quality of items. You can go to many bakeries nearby and pay the same price for a much better quality of pastries Today I ordered the pomegranate cardamom croissant to give it a try – it is advertised as a croissant, but definitely does not have the taste or consistency. When you bite into it, it is much like a biscuit or bagel. Not flaky at all and it is almost slightly stale. For $5 I expected a croissant to be good quality such as nearby bakeries that have similar pricing. The tiramisu was my favorite of everything I have tried here. It truly is so delicious and creamy. Macraroons are pretty good and fairly priced. I ordered a slice of the Italian cake and I’m not sure if it was old or what but it had a very stale and dry consistency of the cake itself. I would not recommend buying the cakes because of this. It was a gift to my friend for his birthday, and I felt really bad, because it did not taste like I had given him a fresh slice of cake. Ultimately, I’m very disappointed with the quality of pastries here at the bakery. They appear to look very delicious, but once you bite into them, the quality is not worth what you are paying.

I’ve been to this bakery about three to four times. I must say, this may be my new go to bakery spot! First time I got about five different flavors of macarons and a slice of red velvet cake. I love macarons but theirs were just okay. The other times I came to get the red velvet cake and picked up some shortbread S cookies for the kiddos. The cookies were also just okay but the red velvet cake is my FAV!!!! It is so moist and its melt in your mouth goodness never disappoints. The slice is worth the almost $8 price tag. The cream cheese pairs perfectly with the subtle coca flavor. When I don’t feel like baking cakes, I take the 30 minute drive to get a slice from Villani’s. They are a busy cute little bakery, tucked away on pecan Ave. The service is always great and some of the girls go to Johnson & Wales and are studying to become pastry chefs themselves. I will definitely try other desserts in the future!
Service
Take out
Meal type
Other
Price per person
$10–20
Food: 4
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Pastries, Bakery

This bakery has been on my radar for a while. Pastries aren't my go to for sweets, so it took us a while to make it here. Covid-19: I believe you can order and pay in advance online. We didn't do this because I wanted to see things to pick out what I wanted. I would definitely do it next time though. They're only letting two people inside at a time (which splits up groups so the line was super slow). We waited 30 minutes in line. It was Easter weekend, so that may have been why it was so long. We got a slice of honey almond cheesecake, Sfingi, and a slice of NY style crumb cake. We enjoyed it all. The Sfingi was probably my favorite. It was a really light pastry and I loved the almond ricotta filling. The cheesecake was one of my favorites that I've had. There wasn't much almond flavor, but it was really good. The slice was really small though so $6 seemed a little steep. The crumb cake was good but I've had better. I wanted more crumb and I wish the cake part had a bit more flavor. There were lots of other things that I wanted to try, so we'll be back I'm sure.

I would ask you to pretend that you appreciate our business. The pastries were as good as described. We did not mind waiting outside for 15 to 20 minutes. The family and I chatted and joked around. No big deal. But once we got inside and spent $45 just on pastries for the family, The young man seem to be perturbed by everything. He was perturbed when we asked questions, he was perturbed when I asked where to pay, he was perturbed with the other young lady who didn’t hear the coffee order. I do not believe he wants to work there. The young ladies that were there were very nice and very helpful. This is definitely a five-star bakery with him not working there. The lobster tail was incredible, the cannoli was awesome, and the cream puffs were completely decadent (in a good way :) !:Heads Up:! the male employee or the owners set it up to give a 20% tip. If you believe pointing into a pastry case and they putting your selection into a box warrants a different percentage then You have to notice that the 20% is selected and then choose another amount.

If you read through the reviews this shop doesn’t do well for special occasions. In should have read through the reviews first before making bigger purchase . I Came to the shop for my mother’s birthday cake. She loves cheesecake but this cake came under cooked or raw in the center. I was told when I called to explain the situation that the manager would call me back, which she did later in that day. The manager told me to bring in the cake and the card I used to purchased the cake. I came in the following day where the owner who told me they make 12 cakes at a time but they make theirs “creamy “. I wished they would have explained this at the time of purchase! This cake was not creamy the rest of the cake was good expect the center, being raw/undercooked! I wished they never told me to come to the store with the cake to begin with since they didn’t care to even give any resolution! It was a $75 cake for my mother and they couldn’t provide an exchange or at the very least half of my money back!

This bakery offers some of the finest baked goods in town. We had the pleasure of trying their rainbow cake and lobster tail, and both were absolutely delightful. The rainbow cake had a perfect balance of sweetness, complemented by the tangy raspberry jam layered within. It was simply delicious. The lobster tail not only resembled its namesake but also delivered a satisfying crunch on the outside and a sweet, delicate, and airy cream filling on the inside. It truly ranks among the best lobster tail desserts I've ever had. Moreover, the bakery boasts a wide selection of pastries, cakes, and breads. Its charming location provides a cozy and adorable atmosphere, complete with outdoor seating on wooden benches. It's an ideal place to savor your baked goods while spending quality time with family, friends, and kids. Give them a try; you won't be disappointed.

Amazing bakery and even more amazing staff. I looked all over town for a specialty cake. Not only were they willing to make my custom order but the price was very reasonable. BTW, Their lobster tails... Better than anything you'll ever taste.
Service
Take out
Meal type
Other
Price per person
$50–100
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Macaroons, Red Velvet Cake, Scone, Chocolate Croissant, Blueberry Muffin, Chocolate Chip Cookies, Funfetti Cheesecake, Coconut Macaroon, Italian Cream Cake, Cannoli, Carrot Cake, Pastries, Almond Croissant, Cinnamon Roll, Black and White Cookies, Bakery, Pineapple Upside Down Cake, Berry Muffin, Flaky Croissant, Butter Croissant

This is one of my preferred bakeries in Charlotte. My favorites are the pound cake and the chocolate chip cookie. I have tried other offerings and don’t think they appeal to my palate. The cookies are neck and neck with Wentworth and Fenn in Camp North End. It is tasty, not too sweet, moist in the center, and crispy outside. The pound cakes are the best I’ve had, which is why I keep coming back. The cakes are not too sweet, and none of the base ingredients are overpowering. You get a good-sized slice of cake that is soft and tasty on the inside with a bold, crispy outer crust that accents the inside. Overall, this bakery is a gem.
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

I had my mother in law with me for the day. I suggested we try Villani’s Bakery. It’s a bit of a drive from Davidson but we did it! This bakery has been on my radar for a while. As a Google Guide, I try to find unique places…this is definitely worth the drive. The employees are nice & helpful. It’s a very small place, I mean….small! But it’s packed with baked sweets. We ordered two coffees, the chocolate cake, a chocolate croissant and I picked up a bacon, cheese biscuit to have with my breakfast in the morning. I like to crack an organic egg with next day biscuits. Yum! I really wish they had indoor seating… especially when it gets cold. Villani’s Bakery gets 5 stars from me!

THIS IS THE BEST BAKERY I'VE EVER BEEN TO!!! Why are you still reading my review? Go there now! You don't need to read anymore, I promise. I am sure there is something you will love there. In my picture is a slice of tiramisu, chocolate chip cookie and a chocolate cream puff (they do not hold out on the cream). I sat down in my car, ate some of the cookie and cream puff. I decided to go back in and get a cannoli and a lobster tail for later as well. I've been told the chocolate croissants are great but they were sold out by the afternoon. This was my 1st visit. This should be a 6 Diamond option. Again, like I said, go no! You won't be disappointed.

Prefacing my review with the fact that I do visit often, too offer my custom as a local. Unfortunately, I've been disappointed from last few visits... First the good, love the cakes and the horns and have sampled most of their offerings. Fell in love with my first pan au chocolat, but the last 3 or 4 have been quite the disappointment. I wish the chocolate piping could be more uniform and piped through the croissant, rather than just a blob of disappointment; in one corner (pics attached) The black and white cookie, I also had was okay way too crumbly and certainly not fresh, which I should be able to expect better at this price point, IMHO...

If I could give less than 1 star I would. I spent about $100 on a vanilla cake and a dozen orange cupcakes with vanilla buttercream for a combined birthday bash. The cake was the driest cake I have ever had in my life. We are BIG cake people and literally not one person had a second piece the entire weekend because of how dry it was. We ended up throwing half of it away. On top of that, the orange cupcakes were literally just vanilla cupcakes. I am still shocked that our order was so bad because there are so many great reviews. Maybe the new guy was in charge of our order? Regardless, I wasted $100. I will not be ordering from here again.

I hate having to give a bad review after trying a place for the first time but this is necessary. I chose this bakery for my birthday cake based off of the great reviews and how wonderful their desserts looked. However, when I tasted the cake I was extremely disappointed. The icing was apparently buttercream, but had very minimal taste to it at all. It tasted moreso like whipped cream than anything else. The cake itself was extremely dry and once again lacked flavor. For $80 I was not impressed, and would rather spend less than half of that elsewhere for a better tasting cake next year.

Went on a Saturday afternoon. First time coming here… didn’t know what to expect. The building is really small. The flow of traffic inside adds more chaos. I’m not sure if this is normal but the staff does try their best to be quick & get orders out but there is a bit of a wait. & of course the lady who helped us was super friendly even though she seemed over whelmed. we got a few pastries which are amazing … they taste so good !
Service
Take out
Price per person
$1–10
Food: 5
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 3
Recommended dishes
Pastries, Bakery

Bakery items are delicious; however customer service surrounding catering for an in-home event was terrible. They wanted to charge $100 for a 2.6 mile round trip delivery fee. All other vendors quoted $25-$30. In addition, I was told mini key lime pie bars could be made for us. When the time came to place the order, the manager proceeded to tell me that I had to purchase a sheet at $50 when mini lemon bars are on the catering menu for $1.50 each. Bottom line trumps customer satisfaction. Look elsewhere if you are catering a smaller event.

Everyone was super nice when I went in person to order my husband's 60th birthday cake. Although the cake was delicious, I did not order a chocolate German cake, I ordered just a chocolate cake because several of my family members are allergic to pecans.
Service
Take out
Meal type
Other
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Bakery
Parking space
Plenty of parking
Parking options
Free parking lot
Parking
Nothing else to say.

I live near Villani's. I so very much want them to be great. Unfortunately, for me they are not. I find that their cakes and cookies are very dry. An example, I just bought a piece of crumb cake for an afternoon snack with my coffee, horribly dry. I mean it tasted good but felt like I just ate a spoonful of powder. I very much needed the coffee. Maybe this is the way Italian bakeries are supposed to be and they are awesome if you like that sort of thing. For me, sorry, I am just not a fan.

Whenever I’ve visited Charlotte, I can never resist coming to this little bakery. I always get a slice of the Olive Oil loaf. It’s incredibly moist, not too sweet and satisfying with a cup of Americano. I don’t think you could go wrong with any dessert or pastry they offer here. Everything looks delectable, and the service is always top notch and friendly.
Service
Take out
Price per person
$10–20
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

I’ve been a long time fan of Villani’s, their pastries are delicious and the owners are great people that are passionate about their business. It’s rare to go in and not be greeted with a friendly face and good customer service, tonight their staff really went above and beyond. I went in to pick up some cheesecake for a friend that doesn’t live close by and left feeling like I had just ran into friends and I don’t know any of their names!

Me and my wife have been here twice and it has been amazing every time! The first things you notice when you walk in are the smells (amazing) and the great customer service. Every time we've come in, all the staff greeted us and helped us asap. The baked goods are top notch. Maybe the best in Charlotte. Everything tastes so fresh. The cream puffs and the brownies are the stars. If you go here, get a brownie. They are the best in town.

We LOVE villani’s. Love that all the bakery items are fresh and taste amazing. Definitely recommend their pistachio cheesecake and Tiramisu. Their Babka is also amazing.
Service
Take out
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$10–20
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Italian Cream Cake, Pastries
Parking space
Plenty of parking
Parking options
Free parking lot

My friends and I stopped here on the way back from dinner around 9 pm for a quick dessert. We waited for a while but you could tell the two people behind the counter were working as fast as they could. I enjoyed a variety of macarons (my favorites were earl gray, rose, and lavender). My friends enjoyed the cream puffs and smores bar. There were slices of cake available too! Definitely recommend this place but be prepared to wait.

If your looking for hand crafted pastries from a local legacy bakery and don't mind paying for the quality and decadence, then Villani's is the place for you. The staff (helpful and friendly) said it's all made in the back. Macroons to thick 4 dollar cookies to fluffy puffy pastries and perfectly made tiramisu and scones and ... you get the picture. Small, tucked away building but big on sugary deliciousness.

I was disappointed that the full menu wasn't available. That was one of the reasons I chose this bakery. I ended up getting the almond biscotti and oreo cheesecake and lemonade. The almond biscotti was ok just drier than I expected for a biscotti. The oreo cheesecake was just ok a little pricy $7 for one slice. The lemonade was good. You can tell it was homemade. They were really busy, staff nice.

We often get the Lace Cream Cake (?) from here (my daughters FAVE) but I tried the carrot cake and it did not disappoint!!! There is a perfect match up of cake vs. cream cheese frosting. The cake is dense, but moist, and best of all has NO raisins! The frosting is sweet and tart enough without being too much of either. Loved it. Got my pup a doggie treat for $1.00 and she was in heaven too!

First things first, the service was horrible and my boyfriend and I ordered a lot. I love a good bakery but this one isn’t it!! I’ll stick to Suarez and the rest that would be glad I stopped by! In this economy the service and product needs to be up to par because there are other choices. 0/0 for me!!! Do not recommend!
Food: 1
Service: 1
Atmosphere: 1

Absolutely amazing tasty desert's! Don't ever second geuss yourself go to villains The absolute best conoli flavor I've ever had in my life. These girls truely are amazing and work so hard to give you such amazing customer service though the line was out the door they held there composure and went for it. Amazing employees from the front counter to the back such perfection

I went on a Saturday morning and the place was packed, tried various pastries including croissants, pain au chocolate and sflogliatella. They were good, the croissants were flaky and crispy. The only thing I was not expecting it was for the regular croissant to have a sort of light savory(maybe Italian seasoning?) flavor. Not bad if you are looking for a savory breakfast.

We have been living here for 30 years and this is the most authentic Italian pastry shop we have found. The sfogliatelli (lobster tail) was excellent and reminds us of Italian bakeries in the northeast. Great range of pastries, cakes, coffees and espressos. Service was great, but expect a wait. No indoor seating, but a nice area with tables outside. We will come again.

One of my favorite bakeries. Excellent key lime pie, biscuits….the service is friendly and the baked goods are amazing. Highly recommend this place.
Service
Take out
Meal type
Other
Price per person
$10–20
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Italian Cream Cake, Carrot Cake, Pastries, Bakery

I stopped by about 30 minutes ago and I bought: Coconut Macaroons (white ones), Oatmeal Raison cookies and the famous Chocolate Chip cookie. I tried the Coconut Macaroon and all I could say is "oh my God, this is so delicious." It was not very sweet, just right and I love this bakery. Please try them. This was my first visit, return visit soon.❤️❤️❤️❤️

Update: service is super slow, not sure why. Their pastries are so darn yummy and addictive Best pastries for Charlotte. ! Expensive/ pricey They always have new and different type of cheesecake and super fresh Their macaroons taste fresh and melt in Your mouth, I’ve also tried the cream puffs (yummy!) and cannolis (yummy)
Service
Take out

Staff was really nice and efficient. Small place. COVID rules only allow two people in at a time. Nice mix of baked goods and really good latte. The chocolate banks has orange zest in it... nice combo that goes well with a latte. Lemon ricotta cookie was soft and really tasty. The italian cream cake is full of coconut and pecans. Good stuff!

First time visiting after reading about this place. Staff was very friendly and they had a great selection when we went around 830am. The Bialy was great. We got a variety of Pastries and they looked wonderful. Got the lobster roll and the cinnamon roll. Both were great. Prices were very reasonable and everything was delicious.

Went to dinner last night and had a craving for some sweets. Looked up the nearest bakery and ended up at Villani’s Bakery. The service was excellent, helpful staff. The selection was incredible. Took the deserts home and the wife and I loved our selections. We got some cookies and cheese cake. The cheese cake was top notch.

Villani's Bakery has the best New York - Italian style deserts in the world... no cap. Every single item here is delicious! My wife and I go weekly for a cannoli or two... or three... or four. Some other items on the menu to checkout is the napoleon, cream puffs, and turnovers. Seriously, Villani's is the best!

Oooh the treats you will find here! If you like well made, hand crafted treats from cakes, to cookies, croissants to macaroons with everything in between. Villani’s brings the razz le and the dazzle! Try them out! Let them know this is your 1st time in and they give you a run down of all the delectables!

Authentic Italian bakery in Charlotte! It was hard to decide what to try because everything looked so fresh and delicious. The coffee options are amazing too. I had the babka and it was incredible. Moist on the inside and crusty on the edges. Yum! They also have a cute seating area with picnic tables.

It's upsetting how good the tiramisu is. I would have it every day if I could, alongside the almond croissant. This place is a special treat.
Meal type
Breakfast
Price per person
$10–20
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Pastries, Bakery

Stopped in briefly- can you really do that? No… so many delicious choices. We left with a bacon cheddar biscuit, 6 gluten free macarons, a cream puff and slice of olive cake. The family Biscuit cone-suer said the biscuit was low on flavor . The rest of our order over the moon delicious!

Okay, I was looking at the reviews about the red velvet cake and finally got the chance to stop by today. PHENOMENAL!!!!!!! If you’re a lover of red velvet, you have to try it here. This is what red velvet cake is supposed to taste like. Worth the drive, I will be revisiting.

Wonderful bakery experience. We wanted to try everything but got a nice assortment of baked goods and coffee all from very helpful employees. All macarons were delicious and the s’mores bar was a big hit too. This will be my first stop if we visit Charlotte again.

Great atmosphere and staff. Made us feel welcome, encouraged us to sample different pastries. Convenient outdoor seating. One of Charlottes hidden treasures.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

I visited Villani's last weekend while my folks were visiting from out of town. My pops got the crumble cake and I got a lemon bar. Incredibly tasty. You can taste the love they put into all of their pastries. One of the best places for a decadent treat!

First time visiting this bakery and will definitely be returning. Large selection of macaroons and other tasty treats. Only issue was being told by an employee the chocolate chip cookie was soft, but in reality its more of a biscotti texture.

I want to like this place but it just isn't good! I've been a few times, and the last two times I have recieved a croissant that is raw in the middle. I thought the first time was due to an off day, but now I have to assume they just do not

We happened to be down in Charlotte for an event and we came across this little bakery. From the outside it's very unassuming but we decided to give it a try. We walked in at the same time as the owners. A very nice couple. He held the door

Great little bakery a great selection of pastries and treats! We got some macaroons, a berry muffin, and a scone and enjoyed every bite. No seating inside, but some picnic tables outside make for a pleasant place to chat on a beautiful day.

Stopped in here last night and ordered a variety of different macarons (pistachio, vanilla, pumpkin, lavender, blueberry, earl grey), a lemon ricotta cookie, and an Italian rainbow cookie. There were varying consistencies with the macaron

One of the better bakeries I have ever been to. Villani's has just about every sweet baked good you can think of, and probably a few you can't. I have been a few times, and sampled their croissant's, chocolate chip cookies, key lime pie,

Extremely inconsistent! And always a crowd due to slow service partially due to customers who can’t decide what they want. They’re stingy with the sizes of their pie and cheesecake slices and their macaroons which aren’t cheap are often

Love this Bakery! Brings back nostalgia from an old Italian neighborhood in Queens, NY. They have it all and it's fresh! From black and white cookies, napolian cakes and canoli's. Thank you for the Military Discount! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Love their lobster tails. Also have had cheese cake and various other cakes and treats. You can't go wrong with anything you choose! You can taste the difference in their products, go, you won't be disappointed!

The first time I tried the lobster tail was very very good, this time was horrible! It was undercooked dough, had very little filling. I will give them another chance (it may have been a bad batch)

So very glad we found this bakery! All of the pastries looked amazing, it was difficult to decide. The Chocolate Peanut Butter cake was great, and the huge Chocolate Chip cookie was delicious!

One of the few places in charlotte that makes everything in house from scratch. We got a creme horn and it was amazing! The croissant was unfortunately under done but still buttery and good.

Love it! Sofar nothing I don’t love.. during this trip I got the Tiramisu(2 of them ). Also got a slice of the funfetti cheesecake, not a flavor I would normally get but it was good …

A great atmosphere with delicious bakery items. I love that the operation hours are 7am-10pm. You can enjoy the bakery throughout the day and whenever your schedule fits best.

This is usually my first stop when I come to Charlotte. The lobster tails are so delicious! I tried a napoleon this time also...so good. Im coming back in June..see you then!

First time there today, spent $48.00. The best $48.00 I ever spent. Delicious!! every single pastry and cheese cake, I purchased was outstanding. My family loved it all.

Incredibly bakery. Delicious food. One of the friendliest teams in Charlotte. Coming here for some treats and a coffee is a total joy for my and my family!

Solid selection that changes pretty frequently, easy to get to and easy to park, which is nice for this area. Definitely my favorite bakery in Charlotte.

Great selection, flavor and staff. There are so many macaroon options in every flavor imaginable. The Italian cream cake is delicious. Highly recommend

I ordered my mom's fav cake (German Chocolate) for her 80th birthday. It was simply delish and she loved it! Great job, Villani's! Thank you!

Long line out the door with alot of employees hustling about. Totally worth the wait. Best chocolate cake I've had since my grandmothers.

First time Saturday early evening. They still had a wide variety to choose from. The macaroons were fabulous. Planning second trip soon.

Villani’s Bakery is beyond the best ! Their cakes are always moist ! Red Velvet is by far my favorite ❤️

Everything looks so good. The pastries I got were all delicious . Great service. …

Fresh baked, interesting creations alongside classics and very friendly staff