La Sicilia italian Bakery & Cafe — Restaurant in Houston

Y'all, I truly don't understand how this place has so many good reviews 😕 I wanted to love this bakery so much since I've been wanting to come for over 4 years but unfortunately it was a disappointment...a very expensive one nonetheless!

Let me start with I'm 100% Italian, born and raised by Sicilian parents..in Italy. Not I'm of Italian descendants. I still have my Italian citizenship and my entire family still lives there.

After years of not being able to come try this spot, for a reason or another, we finally made the 50+mile drive to celebrate my birthday. I always try to find a true Italian place for my birthday so I can feel a little less sad about being away from home. So I had very high expectations.

Well, first of all the place is super small and looks very different from what I saw on Google maps, but hey that's ok, nobody's fault and it was still very cute. But then I saw the prices an my jaw literally dropped. No figuratively, literally! I imagined it would be a bit expensive but holy cow! Well, I guess that's my fault for not checking prices beforehand, at that point nothing we could really do about it.

Service was alright. The lady who helped us was nice but also at moments she seemed a bit annoyed, so that doesn't definitely give you any "Italian friendliness and hospitality feeling/vibe"

Now let's get to the food/drinks. We ordered to eat there. 3 different pastries, a focaccia and a cappuccino. First thing that rubbed me the wrong way was the paper cup. If I'm drinking my coffee there and I'm not asking for to go, I would definitely prefer to have a real cup/mug. Coffee just tastes much better in a real cup so the paper cup is a faux pas...but that doesn't really matter because the cappuccino was "meh!" Wouldn't even put it at the bottom of my top 30 cappuccinos I've ever had.

Then let's talk about the pastries. Y'all, if you charge me $11 for a pistachio cornetto...11 damn dollars! it better have the best pistacchio di Bronte cream ever! It did not. It tasted like what we call fake pistachio, aka almond extract. The cream was what seemed like ricotta cream mixed with almond extract and possibly a few pistachios and food coloring. It was not what I was craving/expecting. The actual croissants part was also kinda hard, not soft and airy at all 🫤 sad AF!

Our kids got a donut and a strawberry cream cheese pastry and well...that was a waste of $20. For a 2 and 4 year old to not eat those, it means they're really bad. Trust me, my kids would NEVER leave a donut or croissant or pastry. EVER!

My husband got a focaccia and he said it was not bad, but shortly after we left he got really sick to his stomach. So the only half decent item we ordered ended up making him feel ill.

I'm seriously so disappointed! I wish I would have saved the over 2 hour drive and the close to $60 we spent, and would have gone to the other Italian bakery we went before (that has real - and freshly baked - pistachio cream croissants for less than half of the price)

Honestly I would never recommend this place to anyone, which really hurts me because my Sicilian blood wanted to be so proud of it and just tell everyone about it, But I guess I just put too much expectations on it 😕

Also, where is the restroom? I did not see one. I didn't need it so didn't ask, so maybe they do have one, but if they do it would be hidden in the back? 🤷🏻‍♀️

Una delusione...

THE BEST IN HOUSTON There are not enough days left in the year to try all of the amazing sweet and savory entrees, pastries, cookies, and desserts at La Sicilia Italian Bakery and Cafe...but if you start now and really apply yourself, you may get a good start!

I missed the grand opening of La Sicilia Italian Bakery and Cafe last year, but since "discovering" them a few months ago, I am making up for lost time and have been on a mission to buy and try everything at least once...but usually more than once...

Chef Diego makes it hard to check things off the "MUST TRY!" list because he's a creative genius and is always turning out new, mouth-watering items to savor.

Banana Carmel Tarts? Yes. Toasted Marshmallow S'More Cookie Crumble? Yes. Fig and Pistachio Tarts? Yes. Cannoli Cream-Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookie??! Yes. Basil Ricotta Panna Cotta with Rose Raspberry Gelee??? OMG YES!!!!!

THE CLASSICS It's a never-ending list but if you can't decide, start off with the staples that will absolutely make you collapse into a food heaven coma:

The enormous, buttery, exquisitely fresh cornettos (croissants) with perfectly flaky outsides and the most divine, pillowy-soft insides... (Do yourself a favor and try a plain one first and then -- only when your mouth has sufficiently recovered from the delicious shock -- get another one filled with Nutella or Cookies and Cream or any of the other delicious flavors available!) Classic fresh-to-order cannoli Traditional Italian cookies The Daily Focaccia Bomboloni

MORE THAN JUST PASTRIES Also make it a point to try the home cooked breakfasts and lunches they serve up as well as an always-changing sandwich selection. One of my favorites? Uova in Purgatorio -- baked eggs in a slightly spicy tomato sauce that is a perfect start to the day. Good protein and not too heavy on the carbs. (Need to save those for what I order later!! :) )

Remember to get a freshly-brewed espresso drink to accompany your selection and don't overlook the little refrigerated pastry case where some of the best kept secrets are waiting to tempt you!

THIS IS WHAT REAL FOOD SHOULD TASTE LIKE I'm not Italian but I lived there for 3 years and know what amazing pastries should taste like. I can attest to the fact that Sicilian-born Chef Diego has stayed true to his roots and his family's baking tradition by bringing the wholesome ingredients and hand-crafted flavor of the old country to this little corner of Montrose, and then going one step further to make his creations uniquely wonderful just for us Houstonians!

SPECIAL ORDERS, FRIENDLY STAFF, SAFE ENVIRONMENT La Sicilia Italian Bakery and Cafe takes special orders for cakes, specialty foods (arancini!), and holiday pies as well so be sure to check them out for whatever you need. (You'll even see in the photos below the festive and fun lemon-rosemary birthday cake they made for me, frosted with a perfectly balanced, not-too-sweet, light and creamy frosting.)

Last but not least, the assistant bakers and front counter staff round out the La Sicilia experience by always being friendly and professional.

COVID update: I also appreciate that they limit the number of guests inside to 2 at a time, require everyone inside to wear a mask, and have made ordering for pick-up as well as delivery through 3rd party...

As much as I love the pastries here, I just wish some things were different. It kinda pains me to give this place less than 4 stars, however I've been disappointed a few times. Yet I still leave the place with at least something.

I absolutely love the pastries here. Every thing here is literally made fresh.

And while I do appreciate them taking big precautions about COVID, it kinda sucks when you really want pastries from them and you're waiting only to be disappointed.

Pros: super, I mean super, FRESH pastries they have a good (and bad) system for COVID precautionary measures. Only 2 people in at a time. An extra barrier in front of the cases. huge portion

Cons: every time I've visited, I'm disappointed with the savory items. Since they do make fresh items every day, I'm left with just the remaining items if I don't show up when they open 2 people at a time. the extra layer of barrier makes it a little difficult to even see what you really want. Ugh you have to hover over the barrier and hunch just to see what items you want 2 people working. 1 person helping you with your order and a lady who is always at the register. Not sure why she doesn't seem to help the second person in the bakery to speed up the service? I literally watched her stand there and not help me. Or anyone else while lurking through the window. So people are standing in line waiting wondering when the process will be done. You're spending time trying to see what you want. It doesn't seem efficient. you can get there early, but you'd still be waiting

They don't honor the yelp check in offer

I do love the pastries. And I will spend my hard earned money on this bakery. Just not as often as...