There is nothing quite like homemade Italian desserts! From biscotti and cuccidati for Christmas to zeppole for St. Joseph’s Day, Italians love to celebrate the holidays with sweets, and eat sweets in general!
Located at 2859 N Harlem Ave. Chicago, IL, Il Giardino has more Italian desserts than you could imagine! Cookies, cannoli, cream puffs, sfogliatelle, tiramisu, zeppole, and SO MUCH more!
If you are in the Chicagoland area and looking for a location to get some zeppole or any other Italian dessert, be sure to stop by Il Giardino Del Dolce! We recently had the pleasure of visiting this wonderful bakery and got a behind-the-scenes look at how zeppole are made!
History of IL Giardino Del Dolce
Back in the 70s, Mario Ventrella started Bar Nazionale on Chicago Avenue. Mario got married and then expanded to Belmont and Oak Park to open Il Giardino Gelato (the ice cream garden).
The name stems back to Mario’s wife Maria and her love for gardens. At this location, they offered espresso and gelato which their customers adored. They recognized how much people valued their Italian Specialties and began offering others including cakes, pastries, and cookies!
Mario and Maria raised their children Enzo, Elena, and Angela who grew up working in the bakery. Mario passed away in 2017, and Maria retired in 2019. However, Enzo and Angela took over the business which they continue to put their hearts and souls into.
