Panettone is still the darling of the Bay Area’s holiday sweetbread scene. Classic versions featuring a soft, silky dough studded with raisins and candied orange peel abound, but the emphasis these days is on innovation — think flavors like pistachio, lemon, cherry, pear.
Wondering which panettone to buy for the party hosts, relatives and foodies on your gift list? Here’s what’s new or unusual, what’s classic, what’s local and what’s imported in the Bay Area this year:
La Biscotteria: Augustine Buonocore and his Redwood City bakery team aren’t devoted solely to the shop’s namesake twice-baked cookie. They also make panettone year-round. And they ramp up the offerings in December with festively wrapped domes and other seasonal Italian treats. Limited numbers of the “Triple P” (pineapple, papaya, pear) and “Rich & Buttery” panettone are available at the shop or online. www.labiscotteria.com
Starter Bakery: Pastry chef Brian Wood — he’s the Bay Area king of kouign amann — adds Italian to his French repertoire this time of year. He and his team are baking traditional panettone and a chocolate-citrus version all month long. “Each one is made by hand in a small batch in a process that takes three days from start to bake,” he writes. They’re available to order or pick up from the Oakland/College Avenue and the Albany/Solano Avenue shops. starterbakery.com
Sigona’s Markets: A specialty grocer and farmers market in business for 50 years, Sigona’s carries about 30 varieties of panettone at its Redwood City and Stanford Shopping Center stores. Two are made in Italy to Sigona’s specifications: a limoncello version and a maraschino cherry and chocolate one that’s the most moist panettone they’ve ever carried, the stores’ Christine Thompson says. The staff is also excited about the Bazzoli brand’s “incredible” pistachio panettone. Some panettone are highlighted on the website for online customers, but shop in person for the widest selection. sigonas.com
Market Hall Foods: This epicurean emporium in Oakland’s Rockridge district has been selling panettone for decades, and always boasts an extensive variety of new imports. Among the intriguing flavors we spotted are Rustichella’s saffron, Filippi’s amarena cherry and Acetaia Leonardi’s balsamic cream. Market Hall’s holiday selection broadens to include struca, babka, stollen and fruitcake. markethallfoods.com
La Villa Deli: Owner Patty Bertucelli has to put in her import order early for the holiday season, so when the pyramid of panettone in the front window is gone, that’s it. Popular versions include the Chiostro brand limoncello and Vergano’a pistachio and chocolate. “My all-time favorite is fig and chocolate,” she says. That one comes from Rustichella. Tip: Get your panettone before the line forms along San Jose’s Lincoln Avenue for Christmas ravioli. wglavilla.com
Mariposa Bakery: A gluten-free specialist in Oakland and San Francisco, the Mariposa bakers are offering a new twist on their classic panettone. “Reworked for 2025, this holiday bread is softer and more delicate,” the web site says, and filled with raisins, candied citrus, plus rum and almonds. Call 510-595-0955 or check mariposabaking.com for shipping and pickup options.
Eataly: The three-story Italian marketplace took the Bay Area’s panettone selection to a new level when it opened a few years ago at Valley Fair in San Jose. The vast selection includes the Eataly-labeled panettone, which were introduced last year, along with other top Italian brands. If you need Christmas party favors or stocking stuffers, wrapped mini-panettone are available. eataly.com
Cafe Dolce Sicilia: This shop inside the Garden Theatre in San Jose’s Willow Glen district is the place to snag one of the hard-to-find Dolce & Gabbana panettone domes packaged in a collectible tin. The owners, the Federico family, also carry an array of Bindi flavors: traditional, limoncello, pistachio-chocolate and a gluten-free traditional. Their popular Italian cookies, baked inhouse (they’ve made 2,000 in the last two weeks alone) are available in boxes for pickup or delivery. dolcesicilia.com
Little Italy San Jose Cultural Center & Museum: For the first time, the museum gift shop in this historic San Jose district is selling Italian holiday favorites. Purchase an imported Fiasconaro classic or chocolate panettone (the maker is Little Italy president Josh DeVincenzi Melander’s favorite), and all of the proceeds will benefit the nonprofit museum. The same applies to all other gift purchases. littleitalysj.com/copy-of-cultural-center-museum
Parma Deli, Concord: The deli’s panettone order goes out in July to make sure that the supply from Bauli of Italy shows up in time for Christmas. It’s a classic buttery version loaded with raisins and glazed orange peel. parmadeliconcord.com
Other panettone sources
Besides the sources above, other retailers stocking panettone include Antipastos by DeRose (San Jose); Berkeley Bowl; Cru and Donato Enoteca (Redwood City); Donato & Co. (Berkeley); Draeger’s (Blackhawk, Menlo Park, Los Altos); Lunardi’s (Walnut Creek, Danville, San Bruno, Belmont, Burlingame, Los Gatos, San Jose); Piazza’s Fine Foods (San Mateo, Palo Alto); Williams Sonoma (Westfield Valley Fair, Stanford Shopping Center); Zanotto’s (San Jose, Sunnyvale).