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Party subs stacked high with deli meats, traditional Italian grocery staples, pepperoni rolls, and more
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The neighborhood Italian deli is your best bet to find a quality cold cut sandwich, hearty meatball sub, or an Appalachian-influenced pepperoni roll. Also, it’s where you ought to go to purchase imported meats and cheeses like prosciutto di Parma and pecorino Romano. Principally, these delis are grocery stores, but on a deeper level they also serve as a community watering hole. Walk into any deli, and you’re sure to find other members of the Italian American community catching up with one another.
A good Italian deli feels like the holidays — it’s full of familial warmth, generosity, liveliness, and cheer. The best ones lean into the festiveness by playing the Italian-folk tunes of Louis Prima, Dean Martin, and Frank Sinatra through the speakers. Most of these delis are family outposts that have been mainstays for decades, with some starting nearly 100 ago — part of a centuries-long migration of people of Italian descent that have made their way to the Detroit region since the city’s founding in 1701. The community settled mainly in Detroit’s original “Little Italy,” which spanned the lower east side in Eastern Market into the suburbs of Macomb County. Below, you’ll find some of metro Detroit’s very best. It’s really worth visiting them all, as each one serves something singularly unique.
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Angela’s in Macomb County is home to one of the best Italian sandwiches in the area, which is uniquely spicy and sweet, but don’t sleep on its selection of breakfast sandwiches, either. In addition, the deli is a great place to pick up mortadella, soppressata, capocollo, and prosciutto di Parma. There’s also a selection of homemade frozen soups, sauce, lasagna, and usually some discounted day-old baked goods, too.
Ventimiglia Italian Foods began in 1923 when Antonio Ventimiglia started a humble fruit cart. Now, two generations later, the family runs one of Detroit’s best delis for quality Italian products and prepared foods. Their Italian sandwich is a damn stunner, and the fresh pasta section is some of the best in the city, too. Go for the incredible sandwich, and then stock your pantry with Italian goods.
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Bommarito’s Bakery in St. Clair Shores is another family business that goes back to the 1920’s. The long-standing bakery and deli is known for its fresh baked, sesame seed studded baguette which is used to make a stellar cold cut sandwich and muffuletta. There’s plenty of wine, pizza, pastries, Italian cookies, plus tomatoes, oil, chips, pasta, and more at Bommarito’s. It’s a favorite among the Italian-American community.
(586) 772-6731
(586) 772-6731
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Licavoli’s specializes in calzones, strombolis, pepperoni rolls, and its famous “Italian Stallion” sandwich. This place is as Italian American as it gets, and there are tons of to-go meals ranging from lasagna to soups, but also imported cheese and meats, too.
A deli in Detroit known for slinging modern Italian sandwiches with a chef’s creative touch, Rocco’s gets absurdly busy during lunch for a reason: All of its sandwiches are packed with flavor, thought, and care. Rocco’s also has a rather handy retail side where visitors can purchase cans of tomatoes, pasta, olive oil, and Italian meats and cheeses sliced to order from the full service deli counter.
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Gonella’s has been serving generations of Detroiters tangy, meaty, red wine vinaigrette Italian sandwiches stuffed with layers of meat and cheese for over 75 years. It’s also a great place to pick up your own deli meat, plus jars of giardiniera and muffuletta mix. Oh, and if you’re planning a large gathering, Gonella’s iconic, colossal, always-enticing 5-foot party sub can be prepared upon request. Life is short; more adults should be ordering a party sub.
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Go to Dearborn Italian Bakery to experience one of the best meatball subs in the city, but also to try their specialty pizzas. The breakfast, chicken shawarma, and taco pizza aren’t traditionally Italian, but that’s also what makes this bakery so fun. A great place for groceries and hot food alike — Dearborn Italian Bakery has been in the community since the 1960’s.
The original Cantoro Italian Market in Livonia is a wonderland of Italian ingredients. The deli counter has a wide variety of imported pecorino Romano and Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus other deli meats, cheeses, canned fish, fresh baked bread, in addition to the always-underrated pickled whole hot cherry peppers. If you like Cento brand products (you should, it’s great), Cantoro has got you covered.
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Angela’s in Macomb County is home to one of the best Italian sandwiches in the area, which is uniquely spicy and sweet, but don’t sleep on its selection of breakfast sandwiches, either. In addition, the deli is a great place to pick up mortadella, soppressata, capocollo, and prosciutto di Parma. There’s also a selection of homemade frozen soups, sauce, lasagna, and usually some discounted day-old baked goods, too.
Ventimiglia Italian Foods began in 1923 when Antonio Ventimiglia started a humble fruit cart. Now, two generations later, the family runs one of Detroit’s best delis for quality Italian products and prepared foods. Their Italian sandwich is a damn stunner, and the fresh pasta section is some of the best in the city, too. Go for the incredible sandwich, and then stock your pantry with Italian goods.
Bommarito’s Bakery in St. Clair Shores is another family business that goes back to the 1920’s. The long-standing bakery and deli is known for its fresh baked, sesame seed studded baguette which is used to make a stellar cold cut sandwich and muffuletta. There’s plenty of wine, pizza, pastries, Italian cookies, plus tomatoes, oil, chips, pasta, and more at Bommarito’s. It’s a favorite among the Italian-American community.
(586) 772-6731
(586) 772-6731
Licavoli’s specializes in calzones, strombolis, pepperoni rolls, and its famous “Italian Stallion” sandwich. This place is as Italian American as it gets, and there are tons of to-go meals ranging from lasagna to soups, but also imported cheese and meats, too.
A deli in Detroit known for slinging modern Italian sandwiches with a chef’s creative touch, Rocco’s gets absurdly busy during lunch for a reason: All of its sandwiches are packed with flavor, thought, and care. Rocco’s also has a rather handy retail side where visitors can purchase cans of tomatoes, pasta, olive oil, and Italian meats and cheeses sliced to order from the full service deli counter.
Gonella’s has been serving generations of Detroiters tangy, meaty, red wine vinaigrette Italian sandwiches stuffed with layers of meat and cheese for over 75 years. It’s also a great place to pick up your own deli meat, plus jars of giardiniera and muffuletta mix. Oh, and if you’re planning a large gathering, Gonella’s iconic, colossal, always-enticing 5-foot party sub can be prepared upon request. Life is short; more adults should be ordering a party sub.
Go to Dearborn Italian Bakery to experience one of the best meatball subs in the city, but also to try their specialty pizzas. The breakfast, chicken shawarma, and taco pizza aren’t traditionally Italian, but that’s also what makes this bakery so fun. A great place for groceries and hot food alike — Dearborn Italian Bakery has been in the community since the 1960’s.
The original Cantoro Italian Market in Livonia is a wonderland of Italian ingredients. The deli counter has a wide variety of imported pecorino Romano and Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus other deli meats, cheeses, canned fish, fresh baked bread, in addition to the always-underrated pickled whole hot cherry peppers. If you like Cento brand products (you should, it’s great), Cantoro has got you covered.
- Metro Detroit’s 12 Best Restaurants for Pasta
- Where to Dive Into Great Seafood Around Detroit
- 13 Essential Ann Arbor Restaurants to Try
