Fresh mozzarella gets made right on site here, and it’s ready throughout the day. Warm, soft, and still close to the moment it was made.
I’d absolutely make a detour for that.
Then there’s the bread. It follows family recipes tied to Altamura, a town in southern Italy famous for its loaves.
Those recipes have been in this New Jersey kitchen since 1974.
The building sits among warehouses and loading docks, which feels like a funny place for a little slice of Puglia. Yet the brick oven keeps turning out focaccia, taralli, and pastries filled with cannoli cream.
What gets me is the mix. Bread, a deli counter, hot food, and an Italian market all share one roof.
That’s a lot of good decisions in one stop.
A Family Bakery That Has Been Baking Since 1974
Back in 1974, a family with roots in Altamura, Italy, started baking bread in North Jersey. That family business became Clemente Bakery, and it still carries the same old-school spirit today.
Altamura matters here. The town sits in the Puglia region and is famous across Italy for its hearty, crusty bread.
So when a bakery says its recipes trace back there, that’s a serious bread pedigree.
The recipes have been passed down through generations. Today the bakery describes its mission as bringing Old World flavor to your table.
Simple goal, but not an easy one to keep for five decades.
What makes the story fun is how personal it still feels. This is a family-owned operation, and you can often see relatives working side by side behind the counters.
Plenty of the staff have stuck around for years too.
That kind of steady crew shows up in the food. Recipes stay consistent when the same hands keep making them.
Honestly, I can see why the place has lasted this long.
Keep that history in mind when you grab a loaf. You’re tasting a recipe that crossed an ocean and then stayed put in New Jersey.
You Might Drive Past It The First Time, And That’s Okay
Warehouses, delivery trucks, and office parks surround this bakery. It’s not exactly the cobblestone setting you’d expect for authentic Italian bread.
The address is 120 Leuning St, South Hackensack, NJ 07606. That puts it in a highly industrial part of town, right off Route 80.
Fair warning, it can be a little tricky to spot if you’ve never been.
Plug it into your GPS and trust the directions. Once you arrive, the parking lot makes things easy, and the smell of baking bread usually handles the rest.
The location actually makes a lot of sense. Clemente Bakery is also a big wholesaler, so it needs space for serious production.
A quiet industrial street gives the ovens room to work.
It also explains the lunch crowd. Office workers and tradespeople from nearby businesses rely on it for a solid midday meal.
That’s a pretty strong endorsement from folks with limited lunch breaks.
Its spot near Route 80 also makes it handy for anyone crossing Bergen County. If you’re heading through northern New Jersey, this is an easy detour with a very tasty payoff.
The Focaccia Barese Is The Reason To Start Here
Bari is the big port city of Puglia, and it has its own famous style of focaccia. Clemente’s brick oven turns out that regional classic, known as focaccia Barese.
This style is a point of pride in southern Italy. It’s typically baked in round pans and often topped with tomatoes and olives.
The bakery sticks closely to that Puglia tradition.
That’s what separates it from the generic squares you find in many shops. You’re getting a recipe tied to a specific place, not just bread with stuff on top.
Focaccia also shows up in sandwich form here. Using it as the base for deli meats turns a snack into a real meal.
Smart move, honestly.
Beyond focaccia, the bread lineup goes deep. Look for crusty Italian loaves, sausage bread, and a newer house bread style used on sandwiches.
The bakery also takes special bread orders.
My advice is simple. Grab one piece to eat in the car and another to take home.
The first one probably won’t survive the drive anyway, so plan accordingly.
Cannoli Cream Shows Up In More Places Than You’d Expect
Cannoli are the obvious star of any Italian pastry case. At Clemente Bakery, that sweet ricotta filling also finds its way into lobster tails.
A lobster tail is a flaky, shell-shaped pastry related to sfogliatella. Here it gets filled with cannoli cream instead of the usual custard.
That’s a detail worth knowing before you order.
The classic cannoli are here too, of course. Crunchy shell, creamy center, no fuss.
Some traditions don’t need updating.
Italian cookies fill out the selection nicely. They’re the kind you buy for guests and then quietly eat before guests arrive.
We’ve all been there.
Seasonal treats add even more reasons to stop by. Zeppole appear when the calendar calls for them, which makes timing a visit part of the fun.
Pair your pastry with something from the coffee counter. Espresso and cappuccino are on offer, plus specialty drinks like a pistachio latte.
A sweet and a coffee is an easy afternoon pick-me-up.
Tip for the indecisive: get a small mix. Trying a few pastries beats agonizing over one choice.
Fresh Mozzarella Made Right Here Changes Everything
Most stores ship mozzarella in from somewhere else. This bakery makes its own on site, and it’s available fresh throughout the day.
That’s a big deal for cheese lovers. Fresh mozzarella tastes best soon after it’s made, when it’s soft and milky.
Store-bought balls sitting in plastic just can’t compete.
You’ll see the house mozzarella all over the menu. It goes into deli sandwiches, pairs with roasted peppers, and sits proudly next to imported cold cuts.
Want a quick home dinner? Grab mozzarella, a loaf of fresh bread, and some sliced prosciutto.
Add tomatoes from your kitchen, and you’ve got a meal with almost zero cooking.
The deli counter carries plenty of Italian meats to go with it. Prosciutto, salami, and ham are all part of the lineup.
The staff can help you pick if you’re unsure.
Here’s a practical tip. Fresh mozzarella is best eaten the same day or the next.
So buy what you’ll actually use, and come back for more. That’s a pretty pleasant excuse for a return trip.
Sandwiches Big Enough To Become Tomorrow’s Lunch Too
Ham, salami, pepperoni, and fresh mozzarella on a crunchy hero. That’s the Clemente special, and it’s a classic North Jersey deli move.
You can add roasted peppers or sun-dried tomatoes for extra flavor. The deli crew builds sandwiches to order, so customizing is part of the deal.
The menu goes well beyond one signature sub. Chicken cutlet with mozzarella and peppers, chicken salad, and focaccia sandwiches are all options.
Wraps are available too if you want a different style.
Portions run generous. Many folks end up saving half for later, which makes the sandwich feel like two meals instead of one.
Lunchtime gets very busy, which makes sense given all the nearby offices. Once you know what you like, calling ahead for pickup can save you time in line.
Clemente Bakery also handles catering. Trays of sandwiches and other dishes can feed office meetings or family gatherings without much stress on your end.
So if you’re the person who always gets stuck ordering lunch for the team, keep this place in your back pocket. Your coworkers will notice.
Show Up Before The Hot Food Runs Out
Daily specials mean the hot food counter never looks exactly the same. Pastas, risotto, veal, chicken, and beef rotate through the lineup.
Eggplant parm is a well-known favorite here. Fridays often bring seafood dishes, keeping with a common Italian-American tradition.
Most hot plates come with one of the house bread rolls. That’s a thoughtful touch, especially when there’s sauce left on the plate.
Prepared foods also include pizza, stromboli, and rolls. One standout is called lengua, a flaky flatbread topped with tomato sauce.
It’s a fun one to try if you haven’t seen it before.
Timing matters with the hot food. Popular items can sell out, so arriving earlier in the day gives you the best pick.
Two in the afternoon is cutting it close.
The kitchen keeps things homemade, and you can taste the care in a rotating menu like this. It feels like whatever was cooking at a relative’s house that day.
Since specials change, every visit can be a little different. That’s the kind of surprise I don’t mind at all.
A Little Italian Market Hides Between The Counters
Shopping lists get longer the minute you spot the market shelves. Imported Italian goods sit right alongside the bakery and deli counters.
The store is fairly big, with counters of food plus a small grocery section. It works as a one-stop shop for an authentic Italian dinner at home.
Taralli are a great grab-and-go item. These crunchy ring-shaped snacks come from Puglia, so they fit right in with the bakery’s roots.
Biscuits and friselle are also baked here.
Friselle are hard, twice-baked breads that southern Italians soften with water and top with tomatoes and olive oil. They’re perfect for a quick summer lunch with almost no effort.
The wholesale side of the business helps explain the wide variety. Clemente Bakery supplies many of its baked goods beyond its own doors.
Need advice? The counter staff know their products well and are happy to make suggestions.
You’ll often hear Italian spoken around the shop too.
Plan an extra few minutes for browsing. You walked in for bread, and you’ll probably leave with dinner and dessert sorted.
Grab A Table, But Watch The Clock Before You Go
No-frills is the right way to describe the setting. The focus stays on bread, food, and service rather than fancy decor.
Still, there are plenty of tables for dining in. You can sit down with a sandwich, a hot plate, or a cappuccino and a cookie.
The smells alone feel like a trip to Italy. Baking bread, espresso, and cured meats all mix together.
Good luck walking out empty-handed.
Hours matter here, so check before heading out. Clemente Bakery opens at 7 a.m.
Tuesday through Friday and closes at 4 p.m. Saturday runs 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Sunday hours are shorter, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The bakery is closed on Mondays, so don’t plan a Monday bread run.
Morning visits give you the freshest selection and fewer lunch lines. Weekend mornings work nicely for picking up bread and pastries for family meals.
For a New Jersey spot that has stayed true to its roots for decades, this one delivers. Bring a big bag.
You’ll need it for the focaccia alone.
