It’s the 50th anniversary of the Godfather, so I went looking for the best cannoli in Edinburgh

“Leave the gun, take the cannoli”, words spoken by Mafioso, Peter Clamenza in Francis Ford Coppola’s masterpiece The Godfather, is one of the most remembered lines from a crime classic rich with quotes.

Despite Clamenza having just played his part in the cold blooded murder of the Don’s traitor chauffer, Paulie Gatto, the seasoned hit man does not see any reason for the appetising treat to go to waste – perhaps the most bold and dark testament to cannoli of all time.

As the 1972 classic celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, what better way to pay homage to the film than to list some of the best Edinburgh eateries that make the finest cannoli.

Cannoli, roughly translating to “little tube”, is a Sicilian delicacy, consisting of fried pastry, producing a sweet and crispy outer layer, housing a soft, creamy ricotta centre. And much like revenge, cannoli is a dish that’s best served cold.

Fun fact: cannoli is the plural for the Sicilian staple desert and cannolo is the name used for a single item. The Evening News can now confidently report that when Clamenza ordered the delicacy to be retrieved from the car, that there were at least two in the box.

Despite being decorated with candied orange and chocolate, cannoli may appear hard at first glance, but it’s crunchy exterior make it look harder than it actually is – a bit like the vehicle Sonny chooses to drive in to confront Carlo.

There are many places to find cannoli in the capital, but local businesses that offer fresh, traditional cannoli are few and far between.

When I set off on my cannoli pilgrimage, I learned one important fact early on – small cannoli equals non-fresh cannoli, and they are generally shunned in cannoli circles. They will not usually share the same ingredients that make the delicacy so special and are often factory made and then frozen.

I’ll put it this way: if you are ever invited to meet the Don on the day of his daughter’s wedding and you offer him a box of small cannolis – you’ll probably end up sleeping with the fishes.

Maria's Kakes can be found on Albert Place.

You will notice that all businesses mentioned are from the greater Leith area, a neighbourhood so abundant with Italian and Sicilian cafes and delicatessens you could regard the metropolitan area as Little Leithily.

All establishments to make the list are local and independent, they all make cannoli from scratch using Italian and Sicilian ingredients and appear in no particular order.

So without any further ado, here are some of the best places you can grab the Sicilian staple in the capital.

Maria’s Kakes, 25-26 Albert Place

Gaia can be found on Crighton Place.

Tucked away halfway up Leith Walk is Maria’s Kakes, a little gem of a patisserie that specialises in the Sicilian delicacy. Cannoli here is not to be missed and serves up three flavours: traditional, hazelnut and pistachio.

Pistachio flavour is a popular version of cannoli in Sicily, with the flamboyant nut usually sprinkled over the top of the ricotta. But owner, Hadas Monaco, who opened her shop three years ago, uses a unique method to create her pistachio treat, incorporating the praline into the mix to produce a beautiful green coloured filling.

Hadas, who learned to make cannoli in Sicily, said the secret to great cannoli is fresh ricotta and a freshly made shell.

As well as being reasonably priced, the desserts here also give a fresh taste that will instantly take you across the Mediterranean with no carbon footprint. You could say they’ll “make you an offer you can’t refuse.”

The Sicilian Pastry Shop can be found on Albert Street.

Hadas said the popularity of her cannoli sees people come from as far as Fife and St Andrews to visit her bakery and many of her regulars pop in to pick some up for friends before travelling across the UK.

Gaia, 32 Crighton Place

The family-run delicatessen and café, Gaia, first opened its doors on Leith Walk in 2006 and has brought Sicilian cuisine to Edinburgh’s doorstep ever since.

A trip here will definitely not disappoint, with the café providing a cosy hideaway as you get tucked in to their beautiful cannolo.

Co-owner, Paola Dragotta, said that when they first opened 16 years ago, customers were unsure what cannoli was and that they had to explain how it was made and what it was. But in recent years it has become a lot more popular.

Paola said: “The secret to the best cannoli is the quality of the sheep ricotta that you use, the production and crunchiness of the shell, and we also use Sicilian pistachios as well which are really tasty.

Cafe Bellina can be found on Elm Row.

“I wouldn’t say that every place in Edinburgh offers the right quality or traditional cannolo that we have in Sicily.”

In addition to selling beautiful cannoli, the Sicilian owned establishment is also a one-stop shop if you would like to have a go at making your own.

Gaia sell all the required ingredients, provide expert tips and will even make the ricotta filling for you to take home for you to have fun with family or friends building your own cannoli.

Sicilian Pastry Shop, 14-16 Albert Street

Established in 1979 by Sicilian born Nino Amato, The Sicilian Pastry Shop is now a family-run business headed by father and son duo, Francesco and Umberto Asiatico, offering some of the finest and tastiest treats in the capital.

The award-winning bakery specialises in Italian celebration cakes, pastries and savouries with cannoli a highlight on their menu – usually selling out both pistachio and traditional versions by midday.

Manager Umberto Asiatico said: “We use an original recipe for the shells which was taught to us by Nino, the original proprietor, so it’s essentially a recipe that’s 40 years old.”

The traditional cannolis here are topped with chocolate sprinkles, cherry, and candied orange peel, following the customary decoration of the flagship desert.

Umberto added: “It’s one of our best sellers and we definitely make more of those items than anything else in the shop and they do sell quicker than anything else.”

Café Bellina, 33 Elm Row

Specialising in Sicilian cuisine, Café Bellina celebrates its sixth year anniversary this month, and Neapolitan owner, Nadia Di Vaio, said her mission has always been to introduce Italian products to British culture.

Cannolis at Bellina look a little different here, with Nadia using cocoa powder mixed into the pastry to produce a lovely dark brown shell.

You will be able to pick up three kinds of cannolis here, pistachio, and traditional with either white or dark chocolate through it, all topped off with candied orange.

Nadia said that customers love looking at them when they are on display in the window and they have always been popular.

She added that when it comes to making good cannoli, it is vital that the ricotta is mixed very thin and always made freshly on the day.

Nadia said: “There are so many recipes for cannoli. The important thing is that it’s crunchy and not too sweet so that it contrasts with the ricotta inside that is really sweet. We put Marcella wine that gives the flavouring that is typical of traditional cannoli.”

Maria’s Kitchen, 5 London Road

Italian owner and chef of 30 years, Rocco Monaco, opened Maria’s Kitchen last year, providing Edinburgh residents with fresh, homemade cakes and Italian delicacies.

Sourcing authentic ingredients from the same Palermitan business that sells produce to pastry shops throughout the Sicilian capital, the cannolis here – like all others on the list – are produced fresh on the day.

When it comes to determining the popularity of Rocco’s age old delicacy, the proof is quite literally in the pudding – selling between 450-500 a week.

Rocca said: “A good cannoli needs to be crispy. To be precise, the perfect cannolo would be filled at the same time that you order, but when you sell so many it would be impossible.

"We fill our cannoli three times a day to guarantee it’s nice and crispy outside.”

A final thought

A quick Google of cannoli in Edinburgh will bring up a long list of places to try out – but few on the list will deliver a true authentic experience. Everything you read in this list are from local, independent shops that use fresh ingredients from Sicilian produce.

So get out there and check out some of the places on the list. Perhaps you can leave one on the pillow of a loved one after an argument? It usually breaks the ice more effectively than employing the use of a horse’s head!

And finally, in the words of Vito Corleone’s personal enforcer, Luca Brasi, (with some artistic licence) “may your first cannoli be a fresh cannoli.”