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Dolce Bella, the dessert brand known for its over-the-top cannoli creations and house-made gelato, is preparing to open its second Long Island storefront — and its first in Suffolk County.
The business, which built a large following online with its colorful, unconventional desserts, will open later this month at 85 E. Main St. in Smithtown. The shop follows Dolce Bella’s Oceanside location, which opened in 2024 after the brand previously operated a kiosk at Roosevelt Field mall.
Co-owner Brandyn Williams said the success of the Oceanside shop — and steady demand from Suffolk customers — made expansion the natural next step.
“When we opened Oceanside, it was a huge success,” Williams said. “People come from Connecticut, upstate, Florida… it’s crazy.”
But one request kept coming up.
“The only complaint people had was that Suffolk County needed one,” he said.
From carts to storefronts
Williams, who previously worked in corporate finance, launched Dolce Bella during the pandemic as a catering cart serving gelato and Italian ice at events.
In 2022, he partnered with longtime friend Tim “Big Red” Downey to introduce a cannoli cart — a move that quickly gained traction on social media and at private events.
Today, the company operates about 15 cannoli carts and has built a sizable online following, with more than 43,000 followers on Instagram and nearly 2 million likes on TikTok. The growth helped lead to an opportunity at Roosevelt Field in 2023 before the team ultimately decided to focus on a larger brick-and-mortar location in Oceanside.
“Every door that closed, a new one opened,” Williams said.
Dolce Bella is known for releasing rotating cannoli flavors each week, with new varieties dropping every Monday. Popular options have included rainbow cookie, cosmic brownie and cinnamon toast crunch.
“I was in corporate finance before this, Big Red was in the union,” Williams said. “Now we stuff cannolis for a living.”
Why Smithtown?
Williams, who lives in East Rockaway, said he and Downey began scouting Suffolk locations last fall.
“We did it the old-fashioned way,” he said. “We drove through Bay Shore, Patchogue, Islip — every little town.”
When they reached Smithtown, the search ended quickly.
“We really liked it,” Williams said. “The community, everything about Smithtown spoke to us.”
The pair eventually secured the former Energy Boost storefront on Main Street and began renovating the space in December.
“We liked the spot right away,” Williams said. “It’s going to look great.”
Cannoli with a twist
Dolce Bella has built its reputation on what Williams calls a “modern take” on the classic Italian dessert.
Each week’s rotating menu features eight cannoli flavors, ranging from traditional to playful combinations like rainbow cookie, cosmic brownie and cinnamon toast crunch.
Some of the brand’s more experimental creations — including Hot Cheeto and everything bagel cannoli — have also appeared on the menu.
“They sound weird, but they actually worked,” Williams said with a laugh.
In addition to cannoli, the shop will serve gelato made in-house using ingredients imported from Italy, along with Italian ice sourced from The Lemon Ice King of Corona in Queens.
Greater Long Island will share a first look inside the new shop and the official opening date as it approaches.
Photo caption: Dolce Bella co-owners Brandyn Williams and Tim “Big Red” Downey inside their forthcoming Smithtown shop. (Credit: Dolce Bella/courtesy)
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