Peter Sciortino’s Bakery
1101 E. Brady St.
272-4623

Forget about coffee; six days a week, residents near Brady and Humboldt wake up to the aroma of fresh-baked bread wafting from Sciortino’s. This fabled bakery also whips up some of the city’s finest Italian-styled desserts, including traditional tiramisu and cannoli, but it’s the wide array of colorful, buttery finger cookies (some dipped in chocolate, some dusted with powered sugar) that makes the biggest visual impression. They sell these cookies by the pound and neatly box them, so they make excellent holiday gifts. (E.R.)

Runners-up: Simma’s Bakery, Harlequin Bakery