A Bay Ridge Delicatessen is turning the traditional Italian sandwich a whole “new thing”
by Brendan Fitzgibbons • Photos By jon gordon
If there’s going to be a crafty visionary who can reinvent the idea of the traditional Italian sandwich, it helps to have a name like Marcello Bucca. In addition to his Italian American heritage, the jovial owner and founder of Zito’s sandwich shop in Bay Ridge and Park Slope also has five years experience running a few neighborhood eateries.
The original Zito’s location on 7th Ave in Park Slope closed in September of 2013, but the 5th Ave spot is still humming. The Bay Ridge Zito’s opened in February of 2014 on the neighborhood’s burgeoning commercial hub of 3rd Ave.
The team had planned to open another location in Jones Walk of Coney Island, but were held up with insurance delays before Hurricane Sandy thwarted any chance of starting the venture. Bucca was able to reverse the tide of fate in his favor by noticing his native Bay Ridge’s fertile conditions for a new establishment.
“The area is ripe for growth, the rents are manageable, and it’s beginning to finally get some notable mentions with the cognoscenti,” he said.
The owner described the fare at his hero shop as “super comfort food,” with an emphasis on sourcing ingredients from local vendors. The eatery gets its pork from the legendary Faicco’s Pork Store in Dyker Heights, for example, and bread from the equally renowned Il Fornaretto Bakery in Bensonhurst.
The kitchen uses these neighborhood delicacies to create vibrant, bulky, and contemporary takes on traditional deli sandwiches, like the homemade Six Point Roast Beef, Panelle, Chicken Parm, and Prosciutto Balls.
“We wanted to amp up our Italian American classics and help people remember their childhood,” Bucca said. “We’re old school in our offerings, but pair them with some super-cool modern beers and let you eat them with funky music.” Celia Cruz, Frank Sinatra, Notorious B.I.G., Johnny Cash, and the Beastie Boys are part of the offbeat amalgamation of tunes that customers might hear at Zito’s, each contributing to the delicatessen’s carefree vibe.
Other popular and satisfying menu staples include the Mac N’ Cheese balls, the 8-Hour Pork Braciole, grass-fed Meatball Sliders, and a delectable Cheese Steak. Gluten-free bread options are also available with every sandwich for an extra $1.50 charge.
The Bay Ridge and Park Slope locations share a similar sandwich-heavy menu, but the Bay Ridge shop distinguishes itself by offering 60 different bottled beers and six rotating craft ales. Zito’s boisterous happy hour features $3 bottles and $4 drafts, a flawless compliment to the homemade Sixpoint Battered Anchor Wings.
Bucca’s roots are entrenched in both Brooklyn and Italian culture. He’s a first-generation Italian American, and was born in Carroll Gardens, graduated from Xaverian High School in Bay Ridge, and currently resides in adjacent Dyker Heights. The lifelong Brooklynite credits Zito’s aggressive initial marketing and amicable costumer outreach for his considerable success.
“We came out hard with super-friendly deals to our friends and neighbors and it’s developing a nice following,” he said. “We have a great delivery business and are keeping the locals happy with 25% off the entire meal when parents dine in with their kids.”
Bucca mentioned that he hopes one day to expand the Zito’s franchise into Manhattan. We can’t help but think that if the sandwich aficionado secures a Manhattan location, New Yorkers will whole-heartedly indulge in sandwich shop, faster than they can say “Marcello Bucca.”
Zito’s
7604 3rd Ave. / 718.836.7777 / zitossandwichshoppe.com