My View of Life on the Dock
Virgilio’s new-ish freezer & refrigerator cases alongside their wrap around Italian pantry market shelves are stocked with Virgilio classics–homemade prepared meals, soups, and specialty items. Save time while you’re grabbing lunch to go or buying bread and cookies!
Is it lunchtime?
photos Sept. 2023 — there was even Virgilio’s Italian ice after the season 🙂
Brad Roe, author, gravel cyclist, and foodie, is reviewing Italian subs near Boston. Can you guess which one was his first stop? Enjoyable read and congratulations Virgilio’s.
“Given the spiritual nature of deli sandwiches…my first stop on the journey was the heralded St. Joseph sandwich at Virgilio’s in Gloucester…I almost shed a tear after the second bite. I called my wife. She was a bit surprised by my instant emotional response to the sandwich but patiently listened as I began my soliloquy espousing that for a sandwich (or any menu item, for that matter) to transcend normalcy, it has to be made with… “
Brad Roe reviews Virgilio’s St. Joe Italian sub
Sandwich Obsessed: the Best Italian Subs on the North Shore of Boston. Yahoo article here. The article originally appeared on Outside, April 19, 2023.
Brad Roe Wed, April 19, 2023 This article originally appeared on Outside. Brad Roe is the founder of Peloton magazine and the Editorial Director of the Road/Gravel Cycling Group at Outside, Inc.
Great Gloucester pairing
Selection of Gloucester’s downtown storefronts in morning light and seasonal swag December 2020.
Did you discover a great find on Ladies Night (all day) last week?
Establishments include some of the bakeries, boutiques, galleries, restaurants, salons, service, & new shops Main Street, Center and Pleasant:
Banana’s 78 Main St (978)283-8806 (Lady Tannenbaum in the window)
The Brass Monkey 85 Main St (978) 879-4761
Caffe Sicilia 40 Main St (978)283-7345
Cape Ann Olive Oil 57 Main St (978)281-1061
Cape Ann Savings Bank 109 Main St
Charles Fine Art 196 Main St (978) 559-7762
Dogtown Books 132 Main St (978) 281-5599
Emerson’s Barber Shop 6 Center St. (978) 290-3477
Engel & Volkers 120 Main Street
Fireflies Boutique 100 Main St (978)283-1379
Franklin 118 Main St (978)283-7888
Jalapeno’s 86 Main St (978) 283-8228
Jane Deering Gallery 19 Pleasant St
Local Colors Artists’ Cooperative Gallery 121 Main St (978) 283-3996
Main Street Arts & Antiques 124 Main St (978) 281-1531
Mark Adrian Shoe 103 Main St (978) 283-4343
Nelson’s 248 Main St (978) 283-5675
Oliver’s Harbor Restaurant and Bar 64 Main St (978) 559-7638
Pop Gallery 67 Main St (617)458-9345
Salon One 267 Main St (978) 479-9185
Sample This 116 Main St (978) 865-3873
Shop Loro Boutique (Center Street)
Super Cute Boutique 242 main St (978) 360-2499
TAJ/breakwater Roasters/Backyard Growers 3 Duncan St
Toodeloos! Toy store 142 Main St (978)281-2011
Matthew Swift Gallery 189 Main St (978) 491-7785
Blue River Diamonds 189 Main St
Village Silversmith 138 Main St (978) 283-8811
Virgilio’s Italian Bakery (978) 283-5295
Virgilio’s added the champagne tricolor Italian cookie atop the pie and it looks so festive! Year round Viva
(author’s note: Signs of the times updated as I add signs to the original 3/25/2020 post, most recent at top. Gloucester, Mass.)
3/28/2020
Jeff’s Variety “Because of Limited Staff” signs
3/27/2020
MBTA crew disinfecting train station stop, Gloucester, Mass.
George’s Coffee Shop of Gloucester corner of Washington and Centennial sign- Take Out Available (978)281-1910
Wolf Hill sign – Closed Stay Healthy & Safe!
Continue reading “Signs of the times”
mine
My son loves the caprese. My mother in law loves the chicken salad. Great vodka cream sauce! I also grab their bread and sauce and dips at area supermarkets, too. Virgilio’s makes fresh bread next level. As in All. Day. Long.
“Bread of the Fishermen” since 1961
29 Main Street, Gloucester, MA 01930
VirgiliosBakery.com
Virgilio’s small batch vodka cream sauce flies off the shelf. Had to photograph the first time I’ve seen the shelf filled 🙂
Gloucester in the news again this weekend about a great road trip. See today’s Sunday paper- Boston Globe By Linda Greenstein
to see more mentions from their itinerary.
The Virgilios began making St. Joseph rolls in the early 1950s, for the Feast of Saint Joseph, and today, they make them year round. Back then, there were so many families that celebrated Saint Joseph traditions that even as young kids, Joe and all his cousins had to hurry to the bakery after school to help their grandfather fill the St. Joseph roll orders. Now the bread is made with state of the art equipment but in his grandfather’s day it was all made by hand. Joe smiled thinking about how his grandfather would love today’s mixing and baking machines. I went home with a camera-full of stories and bag full of Joe’s bread, both generous, and much-appreciated gifts.
Virgilio’s Saint Joseph rolls are super yummy plain, with a touch of butter, or olive oil, and are even more super delicious made into one of their world-famous sandwiches!
Step through the cheery pink door of Blume Coffee (“Flour Shop”) aside Mayflour Cakes & Confections at Whistlestop mall in Rockport Friday through Sunday for specialty coffees, teas, and hot chocolate (with to die for marshmallows), and not to miss Mayflour Confections daily bake treats.
Cape Ann has so many great scone options with its stellar bakeries–there could be a scone trail!
REPOSTING FROM 2015 AS THE POST IS GETTING LOTS OF INTEREST THIS WEEK 🙂
Joe Virgilio Makes Saint Joseph Rolls is a wonderful addition to Gloucester’s Feast of Saint Joseph Community Film Project. So many thanks to Joe for taking time from his busy work day to allow filming! Highlights include Joe sharing stories about the early days working alongside his grandfather and cousins, when the thousands of rolls needed for Saint Joseph’s Day were made by hand.
For store hours and menu visit Virgilio’s Facebook page here.
Read more about Virgilio’s Saint Joseph rolls here.
photos: teens help the annual fundraiser run smoothly (click on photos to enlarge and see captions)
I don’t think that there are many individual YMCA or towns that could pull this fundraiser off so well. They don’t have Rick Doucette and the rest of the great staff in Gloucester or such a ridiculous abundance of local foodie establishments and culture. Here’s a list of Gloucester, Cape Ann and North Shore great eats and drinks establishments that participated this year:
1606 Restaurant, Beauport Hotel, Gloucester; Azorean Restaurant, Gloucester; Cake Ann, Gloucester; Cape Ann Brewing Company, Gloucester; Cape Ann Foodie Tours, Gloucester; Captain Carlos, Gloucester; Classic Cooks Catering, Gloucester; Feather & Wedge, Rockport; Ipswich Ale Brewery; Italiano Restaurant & Bar, Gloucester; Jalapeno’s Mexican Restaurant, Gloucester; Latitude 43, Gloucester; Liquor Locker Gloucester; Mile Marker One Gloucester; Mojo coffee Beverly Cape Ann Farmers Market; Mom’s Kitchen Gloucester; Passports Restaurant Gloucester; Pigeon Cove Ferments; Pigeon Cove Tavern & Emerson Inn By the Sea, Rockport; Riverwalk Brewing Company, Newburyport; Ryan & Wood Distilleries, Gloucester; Sea Glass Restaurant @ Castle Manor Inn, Gloucester; Seaport Grille, Gloucester; Stones Pub & Eatery, Gloucester; Sugar Magnolias, Gloucester; Virgilio’s Italian Bakery, Gloucester
Dazzling fine food, desserts and drinks were at every turn. Feather & Wedge, 1606 Restaurant, Mile Marker One, Classic Cooks, Azorean, Sea Glass Restaurant, and Sugar Mags served winning main dishes. To die for desserts and specialty drinks were abundant. Virgilios cannolis were gone fast!
photos: Great fun taking snapshots at all the booths. (Apologies to Liquor Locker! The only photo that didn’t come out.)
Sounds of Taste of Cape Ann thanks to fine musicians were John Jerome on guitar and vocals, and Steve Jerome on drums. Cameron sat in as a back up drummer.
Platinum Sponsors: Institution for Savings and Cruiseport Gloucester
Presenting Sponsors: Beauport Financial Services, Robert Stewart PC, Tom Davis CPA
plus all the participating restaurants, hotels, specialty food and liquor businesses, and local business support for all those gift basket raffles
Reese’s Pieces jumbo cookies are yummy. Virgilio’s take out and essential Italian grocers features outstanding breads, sandwiches, prepared meals, oils and sauces, cookies, chocolate macaroons, and superb cannoli
All I can say is don’t miss it next year! Several new establishments joined this fantastic annual fundraiser for the Cape Ann YMCA held at Cruiseport, 6 Rowe Square, Gloucester, MA. All photographs from November 10, 2016.
PASSPORTS RESTAURANT GLOUCESTER
PIGEON COVE TAVERN @ Emerson Inn by the Sea
Anita’s son David served in the Marine Corps and was killed in action on August 1, 2005. She and her husband, Greg, help returning veterans. They spoke about her son and some of the projects they’ve supported. Good Morning Gloucester readers may remember Anita’s joy in finding a Paul Frontiero “Art, Rocks!”, and donating a flag to the Boulevard. Anita’s mom was born in Gloucester in 1917; her Uncle was dear friends with Pauline Bresnahan’s father.
Adam Curcuru and the veterans office volunteers discussed projects that the Cape Ann Veterans Services is involved with. Stories were shared and a few tears. It was all very inspiring. We passed around a copy of the children’s book that is going to all the elementary school classes for Veterans Day. We spent time admiring the Welcome Home to Cape Ann Veterans Gift Packages, a program “designed to show Cape Ann’s appreciation for our returning veterans and let them know that Cape Ann supports them in this process of transitioning out of the military and back into our community.”
With or without the Gloucester family connections, I believe that Anita and Greg are so impressed by the Cape Ann Veterans Services that they would be delighted to work together anyhow. Learn more about David, and Anita and Greg’s projects http://www.sgtdavidcoullard.com. Mutts Mending Military is another organization they’ve supported. How nice that Cape Ann Veterans Services is included.
I learned that the 2016 Welcome Home to Cape Ann Veterans we left the light on for you Gift Packages were made possible by the Cape Ann Veterans Services, Gloucester MA Elks Lodge #892, and the Manchester Athletic Club, and that they are made extra homey special because they are stuffed with support information and gift certificates from so many local donors, businesses and organizations:
A Shade Down
Ace Hardware at Gloucester Crossing
Azorean Restaurant
Blue Marlin Grille
Brothers’ Brew Coffee Shop
Cape Ann Lanes
Cape Ann Whale Watch
Randy Korpi Carpenter
Celia’s Flower Studio
Destino’s Subs & Catering
Dunkin Donuts
Extreme Truck and Auto Repair
Flannagan’s
Gloucester High School
Gloucester High School art department
Gloucester House
Gold Coast Realty (North Shore’s)
Goodwin Party Shop
Jalapenos Mexican Restaurant
Jeff’s Variety & Deli
La Casa DeLuis
Linsky’s Service Station
Magnolia 525 Tavern
David and Jeana JMB Narkowitz
Ohana
Orlando & Associates
Our Lady of Good Voyage, Gloucester
Pauline’s Gifts
Gary Porter
Dr. Dana Powers Manchester
Dr. Michael Powers Gloucester
Tim and Lori Sandborn
Sebastians
Stone’s Pub & Eatery
Styles on Main Salon & Spa
Sunbanque Tanning
Virgilio’s Bakery
Nancy and Joe Virgilio
Dr. Robert Viventi
Yankee Fleet
Best Italian ice. Yesterday’s treat to beat the heat. Virgilios FB https://m.facebook.com/Virgilios-Bakery-333299483409677/
Good Morning Gloucester 