Business Spotlight
Andrea Salumeria
January 2008
Everyone from police officers grabbing sandwiches on
their break to seniors looking for a unique variety of olives
from Italy can find what they need and be greeted with a
smile at Andrea Salumeria. Owner Pete Soriano took over
the business in 2004, carrying on a
tradition that started back in 1975
when his uncle Andrea opened the
business at 247 Central Avenue. “I
started out working here when I
was 15, sweeping floors after school
to help him out. He taught me
pretty much everything I know,”
he said. The business continues to
be a family enterprise; Pete’s sister
Nora Mazzola helps out most days, and Uncle Andrea
still comes and lends a hand every Saturday.
Customers at Andrea Salumeria can find the soups, sandwiches and salads typical of any Italian deli, but they might notice that those familiar items taste unusually fresh. Pete has cold cuts delivered four times a week and gets daily deliveries of other perishable items. “It’s a little bit more work, but that’s the way I want it,” he said. He also makes fresh mozzarella twice a day and prepares soups the old-fashioned way, soaking the beans overnight and using only imported pasta from Italy. But the homemade foods aren’t the only reason to visit the salumeria - across the aisle from the deli case, customers will find shelves filled with imported delicacies. “I try to have things you can’t find anywhere else - baccala, holiday cakes, dried figs...” said Pete. With all these unique offerings, it is no surprise that Andrea Salumeria was chosen as the Best Italian Deli in New Jersey by New Jersey magazine in 2007.
Soriano’s clientele has changed over the years as many Italian residents of the Heights have gotten older and new neighbors have moved in. But the deli is still famous - one customer told him that he overheard someone pining after an Andrea sandwich on a beach in Aruba! Fortunately, Andrea fans the world over can count on the salumeria being here on Central Avenue for many years to come. “I would like to keep the business going as long as possible” Pete said, noting that while he could expand, he’s content to stay right here where he can continue to “welcome everyone with open arms.”