Popular Downtown East Haven Bakery To Reopen Under New Ownership

Photos of Regina Falcigno Criscuolo and Michael Criscuolo, Jr. and Amanda Criscuolo and Michael Criscuolo III

EAST HAVEN, CT - Good news for fans of the popular, iconic Petonito's Pastry Shop in East Haven.

The bakery, a fixture in the East Haven Mall on Main Street since the 1950s, has been closed for several weeks. But that's only because so the NEW OWNERS - the Criscuolo family, can get it ready for a grand re-opening, planned for later this month.

The Criscuolo family bought the bakery from the Petonito family and has been working on the building, getting it ready for the re-opening.

Regina Falcigno Criscuolo, who lives in Branford and is a school teacher in New Haven, had this to say on social media about the family's plans for the bakery.

"I am ecstatic to announce that a dream of mine has come true! For many years I have wanted to own my own bakery and today my husband Michael Criscuolo and I are the new proud owners of Petonito’s Pastry Shop!

"The new name will be Petonito’s Pastry and Cupcake Shoppe! We will feature all of the fabulous traditional items that Sal and Mark Petonito created and we will have some wonderful new items as well!

"Please like our Facebook page Petonito’s Pastry and Cupcake Shoppe! A special thank you to Mark Petonito (who sold the business) for making this dream a reality!"

In a follow-up interview with Patch, Regina Criscuolo said "it's always been her dream" to own a bakery.

She said she actually worked at Petonito's when she was a teenager, starting in 1983 until she left 11 years later, to start a family where her husband Michael, who is a hairdresser and is co-owner of a hairdressing and cosmetology school in Guilford.

That family - Mike and kids, Regina Criscuolo said - will all be helping to run the bakery.

And, she added, that all the bakers and workers from the original Petonito's will be remaining at the bakery.

She said that was intentional.

"We want to honor what the Petonito family created and built here," she said. "We want to honor the history and keep everything and everybody that's been part of the tradition."

She said all the goodies that Petonito's have always served will still be offered. But, she added, there will be a few, new extras - including cupcakes, coffee, cappucino, scones and muffins.

Photos supplied by Criscuolo family