Caputo Bakery (1904 – 2026)
A broken oven ended 122 years of daily bread. James Caputo was ready.
Who They Are
A fifth-generation family bakery that fed Carroll Gardens for 122 years. Founded in 1904 by Giovanni Caputo, a native of Palermo, and closed in April 2026 when a broken oven, and 25 years of 24/7 work, finally gave James Caputo permission to retire.
What They Did Best
The bread. Ciabatta rolls, twisted taralli, croissants, Sicilian loaves made at a loss because they mattered. Peter Luger bought it. Court Street Grocers bought it. Sam’s Pizzeria bought it. The Meat Hook built their Carroll Gardens sandwiches around it.
What We Had
The lard bread. The best in the neighborhood and at its prime straight out of the oven.
Why We Went Back
Because someone was always there. When Hurricane Sandy knocked out every other supplier, James showed up with bread. When Court Street Grocers couldn’t find the right hero roll, he went back and tweaked the recipe until it was right. More than a hundred years and five generations of showing up.
Need to Know
Closed as of April 27, 2026. The Italian-made Logiudice deck oven that anchored the bakery failed beyond repair. The steam generator gave out, deep in the building’s foundation, and replacing it would have meant weeks of shutdown and enormous cost. James was ready for a break. No health code violations, no landlord dispute — the family owned the building. A note: not affiliated with Caputo’s Fine Foods at 460 Court. Two separate families, two separate institutions, one shared street.
Caputo Bakery
329 Court Street, Brooklyn, NY 11231