While Hoboken is constantly changing, there are few spots that have stayed exactly the same from when they first opened — and Dom’s Bakery was one of them. Dom’s was an old-Hoboken favorite that had been serving bread to town since the early 1900s (and a favorite of Frank Sinatra’s), tucked away at 506 Grand Street in the Mile Square. We recently reported the news of Dom’s Bakery’s closure in late January, as owners Dom and Flo announced that they would be retiring. Shortly after, on April 25th, Dom’s family announced the sad news that Dom passed away. Read on for more about the legacy Dom left in the Mile Square with his bakery and what we loved about this beloved Hoboken spot.
The Closing of Dom’s + His Passing
Dom’s daughter, JoAnne Castellitto Perkins, shared the news about his passing on April 25th, saying:
“It is with extreme sadness that we announce our beloved husband, father, pop pop and great pop pop has left this earth to be with his family and friends in heaven. We have been lucky to have him here with us for so long and will miss him dearly. Daddy I love you and will miss you forever. Rest easy with angles and make them the best loaf of bread ever.”
On Saturday, January 21st, the bakery took to its Facebook page to share the news of Dom and Flo’s retirement, sharing, “As many of you know, we have made the decision to close this chapter of our lives. We are beyond thankful to the entire Hoboken community for your lasting support and loyalty during our past 43 years of business.”
Comments poured in, with locals sharing their sentiments and well wishes for the duo’s retirement, and all the while expressing their sadness of such a Hoboken institution closing. It is unconfirmed if another business will be taking over the space at this time. Dom’ Bakery’s last day of business was on Saturday, January 28th, 2023, where the spot had one last celebration of this Hoboken staple.
The History
Dom’s Bakery first opened in 1979 at 5th Street between Adams and Jefferson. In 1988, Dom and Flo Castelitto bought the new location just around the corner at 506 Grand — where they have been baking bread ever since. The space was already a bakery, owned by Castelittos as well. There is a picture on the wall of the previous owners outside of the front which reads “506 Bread,” pictured above.
Dom himself came to Hoboken at the age of 12 from Naples, Italy. He was raised in Hoboken, but has since moved to Secaucus. However, he still made it to work daily and often comes in at 4AM to bake. There are other bakers who do a good portion of the baking, but occasionally Dom likes to bake himself.
Read More: Remembering Hoboken’s Martha DePalma of Leo’s
The Bread + Baked Goods
Dom’s Bakery is, of course, known for its bread. And while its regular baguettes are brag-worthy on their own, Dom and his crew are whipping up a bunch of other delectable creations — fresh focaccia bread with homemade sauce, pepperoni + sausage stuffed breads, and the classic Italian pastry, sfogliatella.
Sfogliatella right out of the hot oven
During the holidays, Dom’s makes another Italian classic called Easter bread. There is a sweet version with sprinkles and a savory one made with pepper.
The Mile-Square Reputation
True story: Even if you haven’t actually been to Dom’s, you’ve definitely eaten the bread. Dom’s has delivered bread to Leo’s, Lisa’s Deli, Vito’s Deli, Andrea Salumeria, Luca Brasi’s, Dino + Harry’s Steakhouse, Augustino’s, Elysian Cafe, and Johnny Pepperoni just to name a few.
The Frank Connection
When Frank Sinatra was still alive and living in California, he actually had Dom ship bread to him and his favorite local restaurant on the West Coast.
“We would ship it out from Newark Airport to California where he and other famous actors like Lucille Ball and Dean Martin ate,” Dom proudly told us.
See More: Breaking Bread at Montclair’s Le French Dad Boulangerie
Old Hoboken Meets New Hoboken
Dom shared with us during our visit that there are quite a mix of customers who come in daily: some generations-old residents who have been going there for decades and a bunch of newcomers as well. He even told us that some of his original Hoboken customers who moved out of town still come back for bread.
