Meet the Baker + the Nonnas

Bisnonna Bakeshop is inspired by the mothers, grandmothers, and great-grandmothers that passed down their recipes— and their sweet tooth— from generation to generation. We’re proud to honor these women in everything we make.

  • Nicole

    The self-taught baker + creative behind Bisnonna Bakeshop, she started learning her way around the (pastry) kitchen after meeting her now-husband, Dominick. In that way, her love for baking grew out of her love for others— a way to show people in her life how much they mean.
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    Now she’s sharing that love with anyone who comes across Bisnonna Bakeshop-- so welcome! We hope you grab a cannoli, laugh with some friends, and enjoy the way food brings us all together. Because that's what BB is all about.

  • Phyllis, 1914 - 2003

    Nicole’s maternal great-grandmother from North Jersey, for whom Bisnonna is named.
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    While we didn’t know her long, our earliest, and strongest, memory of Phyllis is the smell of warm cookies. Her home always smelled of fresh-baked treats: dozens of cookies stacked high to welcome her family. Some with fruit, some with sprinkles, some with chocolate and more sugar than any one person could eat— but eating them together, over coffee and conversation, that’s where home was. BB’s signature kolache cookie is made from the same recipe she passed down through four generations: tender, flaky, and full of heart.

  • Joanne

    Dominick’s paternal grandmother and first-generation Italian-American, Joanne combines the flavors of her past with the no-nonsense methods of Pittsburgh’s coal country with heavy pewter measuring cups and the same well-worn, flour-covered wooden pastry board she’s been using for decades. She still cranks out the steel city’s cookie table tradition for family celebrations and gatherings and is just a phone call away for when we need the expert’s advice.

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    One day, we hope to explore the small Mediterranean town that shares her maiden name.