SWFL.io - Local NewsCAPE CORAL, Fla.—Amore Italian Market and Bakery is serving up homemade pastries, fresh bread, and authentic Italian dishes that keep locals coming back again and again.
The family-owned bakery opened in 2019 and quickly became known for its old-school Italian recipes and welcoming atmosphere. Owner Giovanna Lafata said the name “Amore” was chosen intentionally.
"It's called Amore because everything is made here with love," Lafata said.
Step inside, and the glass bakery cases are filled with colorful desserts and delicate pastries that look almost too good to eat. The bakery offers more than 20 varieties of authentic Italian cookies, including pine-nut cookies, lemon-ricotta iced cookies, and slices of vibrant rainbow cake.
CAPE CORAL, Fla.—Amore Italian Market and Bakery is serving up homemade pastries, fresh bread, and authentic Italian dishes that keep locals coming back again and again.
"We have a whole row of gluten-free cookies," Lafata said. "It's nice to see that everyone can enjoy the cookies. These cookies you can't really find anywhere else."
But the real showstoppers are the pastries.
Rows of flaky lobster tails, cream-filled eclairs, fruit tarts, and traditional Italian cakes and pastries line the cases, along with freshly filled cannolis in flavors like pistachio and chocolate.
Tucked away on a quiet side street in Cape Coral is a bakery that feels like stepping into a little corner of Italy.
"Good cannolis are high-quality ingredients," Lafata said.
For lunch, Amore also offers a full deli menu with stacked sandwiches, fresh salads, and classic Italian comfort foods.
One item people can't get enough of is the New York-style bread.
"This bread is flown in every three days," Lafata said. "People go crazy for it because you can't find it anywhere else."
Tucked away on a quiet side street in Cape Coral is a bakery that feels like stepping into a little corner of Italy.
The bakery also makes its focaccia in-house, a process that can take several days to perfect. That bread becomes the base for hearty sandwiches filled with meats, cheeses, and fresh ingredients.
Customers can also grab favorites like sausage and peppers, meatballs, calzones and pasta dishes to take home. The market even sells Italian pantry staples like olive oils, cured meats, and olives for those looking to bring a taste of Italy into their own kitchen.
Lafata’s journey to Southwest Florida started with family.
Originally from Michigan, she moved to Cape Coral after her sister discovered the location and offered her the opportunity to help run the business.
Tucked away on a quiet side street in Cape Coral is a bakery that feels like stepping into a little corner of Italy.
"I worked in big markets before," Lafata said. "My sister gave me the opportunity to come down here when she found this place, and I decided to take it."
Lafata and her sister, Francesca Ferrara, are from Sicily and say their upbringing plays a big role in everything they make.
"Our father taught us the old-fashioned way," Ferrara said.
Some of their most popular items include the chicken cherry salad, orzo pasta salad, pine nut cookies, and the colorful rainbow cake.
Tucked away on a quiet side street in Cape Coral is a bakery that feels like stepping into a little corner of Italy.
"The cookies and rainbow cakes are a hit," Ferrara said. "We have lines out the door for all holidays."
Even after years in business, Ferrara said the best part is still watching people discover the bakery for the first time.
"We're not on the main roads. We're on a side street," she said. "So it's fun seeing people experience us for the first time."
At Amore Italian Market and Bakery, every pastry, cookie, and sandwich comes with a simple ingredient you can’t fake: love.
