Savoring the sweetness at Dolce Delight

Maria Cacciotti Salino always dreamed of opening a bakery, a little coffee shop that would feature her homemade pastries and quiches. Above all, she wanted it to be a comfortable place where people could gather for good food and conversation. That is why she chose the tagline “Welcome Home” for her Italian-style bakery and cafe on Ithaca’s South Hill and why customers are greeted by more than the enticing aromas of sugar and cinnamon, bacon and biscuits when they open the door of Dolce Delight.

“My friends tell me that I spend too much time talking to my customers and that’s why I get home so late at night,” Salino said. “But I don’t want to change that. I love people and I want them to feel like I am welcoming them to my home. I’m willing to work extra to make that happen.”

Located at 1080 Danby Rd., Dolce Delight draws customers from the nearby colleges as well as the Montessori School across the street and Longview senior housing complex down the hill.

“We have regulars ranging from 4 to 100 years old,” Salino said. “I decorate for the holidays. I play old movies on the TV. College kids tell me that they love coming here, and local community members have also been very supportive. It’s nice to have the mix of people.”

As charming as the atmosphere is, it is the food that brings people back. Dolce Delight serves breakfast and lunch, as well as Salino’s delicious baked goods. The breakfast sandwiches are built on fresh chipotle cheddar biscuits or bagels from BageLover’s in Dryden. Soups and salads round out the menu at lunchtime, and of course, there is always room for an espresso and a chocolate croissant at the coffee bar.

Pies are one of Salino’s specialties, but don’t ask her about that right after Thanksgiving. She rolled out more than 300 pies of assorted varieties to grace her customer’s harvest tables, with help from her daughter Christina and House Manager Becca.

“I’m known for my pies, but after Thanksgiving, it takes me about a week to want to make another,” Salino said. “For the holidays, it has to be cookies. I use a lot of my mom’s old recipes.”

Salino remembers making Greek wedding cookies and baklava in her mother’s kitchen on West Hill, where she first learned to cook.

“I grew up in Ithaca as part of a big family. My father’s parents came from Italy, but my mother is Greek,” Salino said. “Her father was a chef at the Normandy and the College Spa. Growing up, I was constantly in the kitchen with her. That’s where it started.”

In addition to the cookie platters, Salino is busy filling holiday orders for cakes, cannolis and tiramisu. Cheesecakes are a big seller and come in flavors like white chocolate peppermint, lemon curd and Reese’s peanut butter cup. And yes, she will make you a pie if you ask nicely. Catering orders may be placed online (dolcedelightofithaca.com/catering/) or by email (dolcedelight@gmail.com), although Salino does request that you order early.

“Three days’ notice is usually enough unless it is something huge,” Salino said. “Sometimes, people assume that I have a warehouse out back, but this is a small family business, and I am the only baker.”

While Salino may be the creative force at Dolce Delight, she is not in business alone. Sons Tyler and Michael Salino run Italian Carry Out next door, while her daughter flits between the two buildings helping out where needed.

“Not a day goes by that I don’t realize how lucky I am to have them with me,” Maria said. “We don’t always agree, and that’s OK. As a mother, I’m learning to let go and let them make more of the decisions. We all have different strengths. At the end of the day, we move on.”

It hasn’t always been easy. Like any business, or any family, there have been struggles. Maria said she almost walked away from Dolce Delight when she lost her husband and partner 11 years ago.

“He was the business person who created the Carry Out and redid this building for me,” Maria said. “When he passed, we were all grieving, but we had to get back to work. There were days it was tough to get out of bed, and I almost gave it up. Thankfully, my friends and family said, ‘This is what is going to save you.’ They weren’t wrong.”

Dealing with the pandemic over the past couple of years has been another challenge for both restaurants, one they seem to have come through successfully.

“It was hard dealing with so much uncertainty, not knowing how to staff or order,” Maria said. “I’m all about my customers, and I wanted them to be safe. The PPE loan was a real lifesaver for us, and we’re doing well. People are back to supporting small businesses, the ones who made it through.”

Carrying it forward, Maria helps other local organizations as much as she can. During COVID-19, both Dolce Delight and Italian Carry Out provided matching donations of food to hospitals and nursing homes and contributed gift cards to many area nonprofits.

They also use and sell local products whenever possible in both shops. One example is the “Be Kind” signs, ornaments and clothing made by neighbor Darrell Harrington. Dolce Delight also sells Bo’s Bones gourmet, organic dog biscuits made in Etna and uses mugs made by local potter Julia Dean. Their coffee comes from Ithaca roasters Gimme! Coffee and Copper Horse.

“I try to do as much as possible to give back,” Maria said. “I’m so thankful to my employees and this community. My growth here is because of their support over the past 13 years.”

Food for Thought appears in the third edition of the month. Send story ideas to editorial@vizellamedia.com.