Exclusive | Legendary NYC pastry chef Veniero’s celebrates 130th anniversary with nods to patrons like Frank Sinatra, Joe DiMaggio

As New York bakeries go, this patisserie takes the cake.

Veniero’s Pasticceria is celebrating its 130th anniversary this fall, and its fourth-generation owner has enjoyed the East Village shop’s star-studded clientele — from Frank Sinatra and Joe DiMaggio to Knicks star Jalen Brunson and the cast of ” Sex and the City”.

Although known for their famous feud, “Ol’ Blue Eyes” and “Joltin’ Joe” can agree on one thing – the traditional Italian cookies at Veniero’s.

The Yankees legend thought their Quaresimali Almond Cookies were a “grand slam” — and the “My Way” singer preferred the Regina Sesame Seed Cookies made his way — extra crunchy.

“DiMaggio drowned Quaresimal in his cappuccino. Sinatra loved those Regina cookies. He liked them burnt,” owner Robert Zerilli told The Post.

“We sent Sinatra large boxes in his home in Palm Springs. We have his autographed picture in the store, where he says, “I love your pastries, but you’re killing me.”

Other notable Italian-Americans, such as Al Pacino, Liza Minnelli and Steve Schirripa — who made one of the largest cannoli orders Veniero has ever received — have passed through the doors.

“Steve ordered 1,800 cannoli and made a tree out of them. She turned up at Il Cortile restaurant in Little Italy to celebrate his cooking show. “They went on the ‘Today’ show and moved it to Rockefeller Plaza,” said Zerilli, 61, whose uncle Antonio Veniero founded the store on East 11th Street in 1894.

Their delights are also a hit with the sweet Brunson, who chose Veniero’s as one of his favorite spots in town for a Delta travel guide promotion he filmed there.

“He was eating a New York marble chocolate cheesecake along with a dollop of fresh whipped cream,” Zerilli said.

The guard was “very kind and polite” and surprisingly gentle.

“A quiet guy, but we know on the boards that he’s wild,” he said.

Their iconic white box with red lettering has also graced TV shows like Sex and The City reboot And Just Like That…, and their equally legendary red letter sign outside advertising their name was used in an episode of Curb. Your enthusiasm”, which was filmed in the store.

Veniero’s, open 365 days a year, began as a pastry shop-cum-pool hall where its original owner made candy and sold espresso.

“In the backyard, Antonio Veniero started brewing his espresso. He combined six different beans. You can say that he is really one of the first to bring espresso here,” said Zerilli.

Veniero died in 1931 and his son Mike took over. Zerilli’s father Frank – who worked for Mike, his first cousin – eventually bought the business in 1970.

Zerilli, who grew up in Haworth, NJ, took over in 1994 after his father died. His three sisters – Linda, Peggy and Claudia – are silent partners.

But the icing on the cake came after he married one of his customers, Jamie, who would come in for an iced cappuccino topped with a scoop of espresso.

“She loved the fruitcake and actually got me one. She says, ‘Do you want to go to this party in Queens?'” he said.

Their son Frankie, 36, has worked in the shop for the past 15 years, making him the fifth generation to run the family business – which now boasts more than 50 staff, including Angelo, its manager , who married his cousin. .

“It’s a generational thing,” he said. “We have many cousins, they all worked here.”

One of Zerilli’s second cousins ​​is Bruce Springsteen, through Springsteen’s mother, Adele Zerilli—whom he didn’t learn about until he was 28.

Although Boss has never been to his cousin’s shop, he has tried their flavors.

“The first time I met Bruce was at an event at the Metropolitan Museum of Art where we had to look after 5,000 miniatures. [pastries]. I see Bruce right away and I gave him my card, and his wife was there and she said, “What’s that?” and he goes, ‘cousin,’” he recalls.

Zerilli also treats his customers like family — and once surprised a 104-year-old woman who had her wedding cake made by Veniero’s in 1953 — by hand-delivering her birthday cake.

“She starts crying because it must have brought back memories of her husband,” he said.

“And there were little cherubs on her wedding cake, and she still has two cherubs in her room.”