Frank’s Sicilia Bakery on Barton turns 50

Frank’s Sicilia Bakery on Barton Street east has been serving up tasty and authentic Italian dessert to Hamiltonians for 50 years.

Saturday the bakery was filled with friends, family and loyal customers to celebrate the occasion.

While his name isn’t on the store’s window, everyone knows it’s Nicola Cino who’s behind the baked goods at Frank’s.

His authentic Sicilian recipes keep the customers coming back for more.

“They usually come for rum cakes, sicilian cannoli, lemon, pastries, cookies, almond cookies. we got a lot of things.”

Everything Cino makes is from scratch the recipes are kept secret says his daughter Vinceza Kagianas.

“My dad knows those recipes, we don’t even know it. It is in his little book and in his head.”

Cino came to Canada at 17 and was hired at Frank’s within days.

Almost ten years later, he bought the bakery and married his wife Lina, who has become a familiar face behind the counter.

Vincenza says it’s her father’s passion for his work that makes the history at the baker all the sweeter.

“My dad loves to do it, and he’d probably do it for another 50 years if he could.”