Austin B.
Yelp
tl;dr the signature Franolli is worth a try for any cannoli-lover, but it pales in comparison to the best South Philly pastries
Frangelli's Bakery was established in South Philadelphia by Joseph Frangelli back in 1947, and it's called its current location at 9th and Ritner home since 1994. While Frangelli's hosts a long donut and Italian pastry lineup, it is perhaps best known for the "Franolli": a powdered donut piped with chocolate-chip cannoli cream.
An off-white sign hangs from the townhouse over the corner shop, and the windows are outfitted with custom tricolor neon signs. Expect a queue on the weekend, as the line trails out the door. The large donut-and-pastry display highlights an otherwise tiny and austere room. The walls are painted a dull salmon pink, and warm lights hang from the ceiling. A refrigerator filled with cakes is pressed against the exposed-brick wall in the back, and a self-pour coffee station is nestled next to the west-side window.
I arrived early afternoon on a Saturday, and, after a 5-minute wait, I snagged one of the day's final Franollis. The donut component was soft, fluffy, and heavily dusted with powdered sugar -- solid by any corner donut shop standard. Meanwhile, the generous helping of cannoli cream was not quite as rich or sweet as nearby South Philly pastry shops. Further, the Franolli was sorely missing a crispy contrast to the filling -- it reminded me more of a cream puff than either a donut or a cannoli.
Service was efficient, and each moderately large Franolli will set you back $4. Frangelli's donut-cannoli hybrid is worth a try for the sheer novelty. However, the abundance of standout Italian bakeries nearby makes it hard-sell to return here again.