The aroma of freshly baked cannolis, lobster tails and any other sweet treat you can imagine fills the air as soon as you step foot inside the Italian bakery known as Luca Pastry. Whether you’re looking for a cake for a special occasion or even just a quick snack, Luca Pastry is the place to go. With four locations spread across southeast Michigan, it’s perfect for anybody craving something sweet.

Luca Pastry, owned by Anthony Cangialosi, was founded by the Cangialosi family in 2019, with its newest location opening in Ann Arbor in March 2022. Originally from Sicily, the Cangialosi family has owned multiple restaurants in both Sicily and Michigan, each generation keeping the family business alive.

“We try to have almost a little bit of everything,” said Jade Sturgill, Cangialosi’s finance and seasonal employee at Luca Pastry. “We do try to have a lot of American foods that people are used to, like cakes and American cookies. And then we try to also bring in other things from Italian culture. So like cannolis, lobster tails, Italian cookies, and then tiramisu, as well.”

Just like Cangialosi, Sturgill grew up in a family that was heavily involved in the food service Industry. Ever since she was a little girl, Sturgill has worked at and now owns her family’s ice cream shop, Here’s the Scoop — an ice cream shop that has been operating in Taylor, MI for the past 26 years.

“I grew up in the food service industry with my family. So I like helping people,” Sturgill said. “I like making people happy by giving them a good experience when they come in and then I like helping them get a good product for an affordable price.”

When Sturgill comes into work, her goal is always the same: to make sure somebody has a memorable or positive experience, something that makes them want to come back.

“We would just, you know, appreciate anybody giving us a chance to make any occasion special,” Sturgill said.

The other three locations of Luca Pastry’s are located in Canton, Downtown Plymouth, and Livonia. The Cangialosi family also owns a sister company downriver called Tony Cannoli — a bakery with the same purpose of serving authentic Italian desserts.