Buon Italia

Chelsea Market is hiding more than a few treasures and Buon Italia is one of them. This Italian deli looks more like a warehouse of imported goods. Crates and boxes of items, from olive oils and vinegars to pasta and grains, fill all possible floor space not covered by refrigerated cases and shelves. What a treasure trove of items for the Italophile in all of us.



What do you need? They have it: Anchovie flavored oil, Bottarga, Capers, Dolci, Extra virgin olive oils, Fettucine, Gorgonzola, H (sorry no h's j's or k's in Italian,but you get the idea here), Macaroni, Olive tepenade, Porcini mushrooms, Romano cheese, Salumi, Truffle oils and pastes, Umbrian olive oils...

For those of us not fortunate enough to find fresh porcini mushrooms, they provide both dried and frozen forms at moderate prices for the American market. Their dried form of porcini is light colored, indicating freshness. As you can see in the above photos, they do not lack diversity in the deli department, nor with legumes and grains. In the back of the store there are more deli and fresh meats with butchers to help you get just the right cut. The front of the store has a deli counter where you may order sandwiches and other deli items to go.

Condiments are my personal benchmark for comparing a good grocer to a great grocer, when it comes to the imported inventory. Buon Italia does not fall short on quality condiments or pastas for that matter. I was thinking the pasta prices around $5.50 were not such a bargain until I noticed that the packages were just short of 2 lbs. each. Sataro brand from Napoli is now going to be on my short list for excellent dry pasta. And I have Buon Italia to thank for bringing it to my attention.

http://www.buonitalia.com/