Sicily’s most important city has no shortage of pastry shops and cannoli. We set off to find a good cannoli, but it sounds like we may have found the best cannoli in Palermo!
One of the most famous, and recommended by multiple locals and industry insiders, is I Segreti del Chiostro, which is located in the famous Santa Catarina church. It’s said to be part of a “convent” and it is, but that’s a little misleading as the nuns have subcontracted out the baking to professionals in recent years. They do still use the secret recipes that have been handed down from generation to generation.
Unless your trip to Palermo wouldn’t be complete without seeing the inside of the church (for a fee), you can skip past the church entrance and get a cannoli to enjoy in the sunny courtyard.
The cannoli are probably the biggest we’ve ever seen, are filled on demand (which is important for a good cannolo), and come with a selection of toppings (chocolate or pistachio and candied orange peel or cherry). Cannoli is the plural of cannolo. So, when you talk about or order a cannoli, you’re talking about are more than one ricotta filled pastry. Cannolo is a single pastry.
There are also a variety of other cakes and pastries like casata cakes, pantofola, and cassatini Siciliane available.
I Segreti del Chiostro, Piazza Bellini, 33, 90133 Palermo PA, Italy