"La Sicilia Italian Bakery & Cafe just opened in Montrose last weekend, bringing with it all kinds of authentic European treats. The shop at 515 Westheimer Road is the first foray into food for the family of owners, Antonio Rios who serves as general manager and part owner with his parents Antonio Sr. and Olga Rios. But Diego Chiarello, Antonio’s husband and the talent behind the operation, tells Eater that he has been baking pastries in his native Sicily with his five brothers since he was nine years old. 'It’s a natural talent of his, and he’s a perfectionist on top of that,' Antonio explains. 'This is just an extension of who he is. He puts a lot of love into it.' The Facebook page for the bakery details some of the delicious offerings: house-made cannoli, focaccia breads, croissants, macarons, a four-cheese ravazzate, which is a street food from Sicily that’s akin to an enclosed sloppy joe, and kouign-amann, a layered French pastry much like a croissant, in the shape of an upside-down muffin. Antonio and Diego just moved to Houston from New York in order to open the bakery. 'We were thinking of going to Miami or LA, but saw the growth opportunity here. We thought Houston needed an Italian bakery because we couldn’t find anything over here like we had in New York,' Antonio says. 'We wanted a piece of home here. It’s been great ever since.' Hours of operation are Monday through Friday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Stay tuned for Sunday brunch hours beginning this summer." - Alaena Hostetter
