Verrilli’s Bakery is in a blink-and-you-miss-it location, but locals know to stop there for fresh baked goodies, delicious savory items, and a little light banter from the staff. Let’s get to know them!
Verrilli’s has been around forever, but is still a well-kept secret. How did the bakery get its start?
Verrilli’s has been operating in Morristown since 1898. Leonardo and Antonia Verrilli started the bakery in their home on Race St., which is now Clyde Potts Drive. When the town came in 1950 and purchased the land for Manahan Village, Dolly (their son) purchased the lot on the corner of MLK and George and that has been its home since the early 50s. The Verrilli children ran the business together, and when the last living sister Anne was ready to retire in 1988, my father purchased the business.
What is your favorite part about running your own business? Advice you would give to aspiring entrepreneurs?
My favorite part of running my own business is the ability to be creative. Growing up in the food business (we owned the town diner from ’74 to ’95) allows me to showcase different things I love, and food equals love!! I also love my daily interactions with our amazing customers…they make the job worth doing!
My advice to someone just starting out is stay strong, stay focused and know that it takes a lot of hard work. Things don’t always go as planned but determination and fortitude to persevere, as well as staying true to your beliefs, are keys to success!
We love spud nuts, especially the cannoli one! How did you come up with the idea?
I have been making Verrilli’s cannoli cream for decades, and it was a no brainer to take two delicious items and merge them into one. They are a twist on the St. Joseph’s Zeppoli!
What is your most popular item?
Hands down our AMAZING cheesesteaks!!! We slow cook the finest top rounds, use all fresh ingredients and make our own bread for ALL of our sandwiches, so it’s definitely a crowd favorite…then donuts and oddly enough our homemade Spanakopita!
What has been your most unusual catering request?
We haven’t had too many “unusual” catering items requested, but individually wrapping things during COVID was a challenge when dealing with the public and trying to accommodate their requests while keeping safe and not ruining the product’s integrity.
On your day off, where do you like to grab a bite to eat?
I’m a foodie and a member of the community so I believe in helping keep each other afloat… Caffe India, Cottage ll, Guerriero’s, Chef Fredy’s Table to name a few in my rotation!
Anything new coming up for Verrilli’s in the future?
There are always new things at Verrilli’s. We just brought back two of our most requested Spudnuts: strawberry cheesecake and blueberry cheesecake with a homemade lemon curd!
Verrelli’s Bakery
3 Martin Luther King Ave, Morristown, NJ 07960
973-984-4004
facebook.com/Verrillis
