2. Veniero Paticceria and Cafe, East Village (1894)

Veniero's today

Walking over to the East Village, there’s Veniero’s Paticceria and Cafe.  Antonio Veniero was 15 years old when he arrived in New York from Vico Equense, Italy. He worked hard and six years later he opened Antonio Veniero Confections at their current location, 342 East 11th Street, in 1894.  A true entrepreneur, he had a billiard parlor next door and a saloon across the street. Back then, beer was a nickel.

Today Veniero’s Pasticceria and Cafe  has changed very little and still has many of the original details including the hand stamped metal ceilings, etched glass and marble floors. Still run by the Veniero family, the spot is an East Village fixture, well known for traditional favorites like their Italian cheese cake.