This SLO County husband and wife duo are dishing out cannolis, one farmers market at a time
San Luis Obispo County just got a little sweeter.
Husband and wife duo Jeff and Emma Powers met as students in Boston and enjoyed stopping at local Italian bakeries to treat themselves to cannolis.
Now, the pair is bringing the treat right here to San Luis Obispo County.
Yolo Cannolo, which was first opened by the pair in October, is SLO County’s only Italian bakery and specializes in serving authentic Italian cannolis.
Jeff Powers said he always dreamed of opening his own small business. After moving to Los Osos to be closer to Emma Powers’ family, the couple noticed a lack of places serving cannolis, and the idea came to her.
“Some time along the way, Emma came up with the idea of selling cannoli because there are no cannoli shops in SLO County,” Jeff Powers said. “We started researching, testing the waters and it seemed like a feasible business opportunity.”
The couple decided to move forward with their plans and studied up on their recipe, hosting their first tasting in October. Though the pair does not yet have a brick and mortar shop, their cannolis can be found at various farmers markets throughout the county.
The couple recognized that the lack of a physical location could pose challenges for some people, and decided to open up a kitchen for pickup orders.
The kitchen is located near the San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport at 4750 Allene Way. There, customers can place their orders in advance at order.yolocannolo.com.
What’s on the menu at Yolo Cannolo?
The Powers make their cannolis using traditional recipes with ricotta cream and shells.
Customers can choose from standard toppings like pistachio or chocolate chip — or even a combination of the two. They can also order a DIY cannoli kit for pick up, complete with the shells and cream in a piping bag to preserve “peak freshness.”
Right now, the couple makes and sells the cannolis on their own, but they have ambitions to eventually open a retail storefront.
“We are starting small, but we would love to become a place for people to come and pick up a cannoli someday,” Jeff Powers said.
So far, business has been going well.
“It’s been great,” Emma Powers said. “We love it. We love getting to meet people.”
For the pair, bringing a classic Italian dessert to San Luis Obispo County has been rewarding.
“A lot of people have never tried a cannoli but end up really liking them,” Emma Powers said. “It’s really exciting to see their reaction. I think for me it kind of recreates my own experience.”
Other customers meanwhile, Jeff Powers said, have had cannolis before and are excited to find them on the Central Coast.
For more information
Yolo Cannolo can be found at various local farmers markets.
On Jan. 1 at 2 p.m., Yolo Cannolo will be at the Los Osos Farmers Market, then on Jan. 2 at 9:30 a.m., they will be at the Paso Robles Farmers Market.
For more dates or information on how to order visit yolocannolo.com.
This story was originally published December 28, 2023 at 5:00 AM.
CORRECTION: This story has been updated to reflect the correct dates for Yolo Cannolo’s future farmers market appearances. It will be at Los Osos Farmers Market on Jan. 1 and at Paso Robles Farmers Market on Jan. 2.
