Cheers to 60 years at Mazziotti Bakery

This business needed an anniversary cake.

You don't just buy from any one when you are celebrating 60 years.

The owner wanted it to be freshest he could find.

So he enlisted his favorite bakery, because he knows the dessert will be made from scratch.

He knows that, because it's his bakery marking six decades.

Carlo Cimino owns Mazziotti Bakery in Lower Burrell, known for its melt-in-your mouth cakes and smoother than smooth buttercream icing.

He will make a large cake for the 60th anniversary open house from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Nov. 11 at the store. There will also be hors d'oeuvres (Cimino is the chef at Hillcrest Country Club in Lower Burrell) and java from Curly Tail Coffee of Lower Burrell. There will also be some buy one, get one deals.

"We have survived this long because we pride ourselves in making quality baked goods, the freshest bread, the best chocolate chip cookies, and everyone loves our cakes,” says Cimino. "I often say we use all butter all the time. Our customers know we make everything from scratch. We also have ties to the community. They remember coming to Mazziotti's on Sundays after church to buy bread for that night's pasta dinner.”

On the menu

What began as a bread bakery now offers cookies, Italian pastries and cakes as well as pepperoni rolls and pizza shells. They plan to offer pizza-making kits. A quart of homemade sauce, one pound of pasta and a small loaf of bread is $17.

Holiday orders are rolling in. Cookie trays are $7.99 a dozen, a pumpkin pie is $10.99 and traditional cannolis are $36 a dozen. Dinner rolls are $6.75 a dozen.

How it all started

Mazziotti began as a bread-only bakery founded by Nicola and Carmella Mazziotti in 1958. Nicola Mazziotti was often seen delivering bread from his station wagon. His recipe (which was written in Italian) has been passed down to Cimino, the fourth owner, who expanded into a full-service bakery and moved into the current location in November 2016. The baked goods are still made in Arnold.

A cross sits above the photo of Nicola Mazziotti that was made from the original bread peel used to place the loaves in the oven. Cimino says the cross "is special.”

"I didn't want to see that tradition end,” says Cimino, who lives in Lower Burrell. "We do it the way the original owners did it. It's about producing a quality product. When someone tells me the bread tastes just like they remember from when they were a kid, that makes me so happy.”

Loyal customers

Cimino and his employees, many who are family or like family, know a lot of the customers by name.

"This bakery is excellent, and I like that it's a family owned business, because I know how hard it is to compete with other bigger businesses,” says Denise Bellinotti-Weeter of Allegheny Township, who owns Hair Etc. by Denise and Co. in Natrona Heights. "Everything here is so fresh and homemade. The bread and pastries are made with love. I appreciate the Italian family recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation.”

JoAnne Harrop is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact JoAnne at 724-853-5062 or jharrop@tribweb.com or via Twitter @Jharrop_Trib.