Virgilio’s Italian Bakery – Gloucester, Massachusetts

Yesterday the HH and I spent the afternoon in the scenic fishing village of Gloucester, Massachusetts. We have been to Gloucester a few times now and it seems like each time we go, we discover something new. Practically ever summer of my childhood was spent on a boat in the PNW {and Canada} and so coastal downtown’s hold a special place in my heart.

The tiny villages, the walking downtown areas, the local mom and pop shops that are sometimes right downtown, and the others you’d only find if you have the time to wander down the secluded side streets. I love them all.

Yesterday we happened upon the famous Lobster Trap Tree while we were walking to lunch.

The tree is an annual tradition with traps donated by a local business.

The lobster trap tree is put together by members of the community and then decorated with buoys painted by local children at Art Haven. {Pretty awesome if you ask me!}

But we didn’t drive all the way out to Gloucester for the tree, we were actually there to eat lunch Virgilio’s Italian Bakery. 😉 Thanks to someone’s recommendation we had stopped by Virgilio’s Italian Bakery a few months ago as we were passing through. We had just eaten lunch at the Causeway and had popped our heads in at the Crow’s Nest {we had just watched The Perfect Storm a few days before} and decided to head to the bakery for a cookie or two.

While we were standing in line we asked the older lady next to us what was good. And you know what she said? She told us that she had been driving from Danvers {about 25 minutes away} once a week for the past 30 years to get a St. Joseph sandwich.

Well okay then! 😉

1. This lady has a routine.

2. That must be some kind of sandwich.

3. The next time we are in Gloucester and looking for lunch, I guess we’ll have to try her favorite sandwich, because seriously, 30 years?

I’m pretty sure it’s been well documented here on the blog that I love fancy French pastries. But I absolutely adore a real hometown, no frills, you better know what you want or step aside until you do kind of bakery as well. The ones that still make the cookies we’d all find at the bakery when we were kids. Those were the days I tell you. Those were the days. {I have a fondness for simple butter cookies.}

The seating at Virgilio’s Italian Bakery is super limited {3 small tables for 2} but that doesn’t seem to matter because most people call in their orders or are taking their orders to go. In the 15 minutes that we were there yesterday eating our lunch, about 30 people came and went through the front door. The service was very fast paced and it was fun to watch.

The basic Italian staples {pasta, sauce, olives, oil, condiments… they’ve got them all.

And the St. Joseph sandwich {Genoa Salami, German Bologna, Mortadella, cooked Salami, imported Provolone cheese, oil & oregano} was a steal at $6.25 {and tasted way better than that $14.50 grilled cheese sandwich my husband won’t stop comparing everything to!}.

And the Italian meatball sub? Fantastic! {I’d totally order it again}

And the biscotti we munched on while we were waiting for our sandwiches…. SPOT ON! Not a single piece made it home for me to dunk in my afternoon cup of tea! {Maybe they do mail order?}

So go for the sandwiches, or go for the cookies… WHATEVER… just go! You’ll be so glad you did. Virgilio’s Italian Bakery in Gloucester, Massachusetts…. it’s a real Italian bakery!

Have a great weekend everyone,

~Mavis

Virgilio’s Italian Bakery
29 Main St
Gloucester, Massachusetts