Manganaro’s Grosseria Italiana, commonly referred to as Manganaro’s, was an Italian market and deli on Ninth Avenue in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City. It opened in 1893 and operated for 119 years, helping to introduce the hero sandwich to Americans. The family closed the business and put the property up for sale in 2012.

The business was founded in 1893 by Ernest Petrucci as a wine and spirits store, Petrucci’s Wines & Brandies, that also sold groceries. Its location at 488 Ninth Avenue near 37th Street was on a stretch of the avenue that remained lined with exotic food stores for decades. After the enactment of Prohibition in the U.S. in 1919, Petrucci’s nephew James Manganaro, an immigrant from Naples, took over the store in the 1920s and changed the name; in 1927 he was able to buy the building. Manganaro may have invented the hero sandwich, and played a role in introducing it to Americans.

On his death in 1953, Manganaro’s passed to his brother Louis and sister Nina Manganaro Dell’Orto and their spouses; in 1955, with a publicity agent’s help, they invented the six-foot “Hero-Boy” sandwich, which was successful enough for one of Dell’Orto’s four sons to go on the original version of the TV quiz show I’ve Got a Secret, and for the family to open a sandwich shop next door at 492–494 Ninth Avenue the following year, while continuing to operate a deli and lunch counter in the rear of the grocery store.

In 1962, Louis Manganaro retired and two of his four nephews took over the grocery store and the other two the sandwich shop, Manganaro’s Hero-Boy, and the businesses were separated.

Sal Dell’Orto, who bought out his brother’s half ownership of the grocery store, and James Dell’Orto, who bought out his brother’s half ownership of the sandwich shop, fell out over rights to the “Manganaro’s Hero-Boy” name, trademarked by the sandwich shop in 1969, and advertising for party sandwich telephone hotlines, which led to two separate court cases. The business’ neon sign installed in the early 1930s, which became blinking in the 1960s, was turned off in 2000 so that Manganaro’s Hero-Boy could not benefit from it.The grocery store was repeatedly found at fault over the hotline and was ordered to pay damages to the sandwich shop, and the financial drain plus waning popularity, some of it due to the declining neighborhood, led to the decision to sell the building and close. This was first announced early in 2011, but the building was withdrawn from the market; the business then closed in late February 2012.

Anthony Bourdain featured the store, on the episode title “Disappering Manhattan” on No Reservations TV Show.

DeROBERTIS’S PASTICCERIA ITALIANA

1st Avenue NEW YORK NY

SINCE 1904

Photo – 1928

DeROBERTO’S PASTICCERIA ITALIANA

Year of Picture Unknown

 

LANZA’S

1st Avenue, New York NY

Lanza’s was an Italian restaurant in the East Village, Manhattan. It was opened in 1904 by Sicilian immigrant Michael Lanza in a tenement built in 1871. Lanza was rumored to have been a chef for Victor Emmanuel III of Italy. They closed in 2015. Eater reported it officially closed in 2017 after seizure by a marshal for non-payment of taxes. It is also said to have closed in 2016. The former restaurant’s murals, stained glass, and sign were retained by Joe and Pat’s, a pizzeria that opened at the location in 2018.

They were known to be a favorite of Lucky Luciano, Carmine “Lilo” Galante and Joseph “Socks” Lanza. 

LANZA’S

SINCE 1904

The DINING ROOM

Sadly, LANZA’S Closed in 2017

SINATRA SAUCE 

The COOKBOOK

AMAZON.com

“STILL GOING STRONG”

JOHN’S of 12th STREET

CUCINA ITALIANA

Since 1908

Thankfully, JOHN’S is open (2024) and going as strong as ever, and will be around for many more years to come. 

Photo by Italian Cookbook author Daniel Bellino Zwicke

At one point in his long restaurant career, author Daniel Bellino worked as a waiter at JOHN’S for 7 years.

At the time, he worked as a cook in Italian Restaurants in New York. He worked 2 jobs for 7 years, cooking at various restaurants full-time, while working as a waiter / bartender at John’s for 3 nights a week.

RAO’S

SINCE 1896

EAST HARLEM, NEW YORK

Charles Rao bought a small saloon from George Ehret Brewery at the corner of 114th Street and Pleasant Avenue in East Harlem, New York City. It was 1896. He called the place Rao’s. 

Rao’s is still a family owned restaurant.  It is owned by Frank Pellegrino Jr. and Ray Straci, dependents of the founder Charles Rao. They say Rao’s is “The Hardest Table in Town,” meaning it’s hard to get a table there. Actually not impossible, but “Almost Impossible.” Rao’s has a very unique reservation system. Tables are actually owned by loyal long-time customers who are close to the family. Rao’s only has 10 tables, and they are highly coveted. Former owner Frank Pellegrino Sr., father of current partner Frank Pellegrino Jr. was known as “Frankie No.” Why? Because if you asked him for a table, 99.9% of the time, his answer was “No,” thus the nickname. 

Yes, they have only 10 tables and they do not turn them over. Each night, those 10 tables have one owner for each table, every night. Rao’s is only open 5 nights a week, Monday to Friday. The restaurant is closed Saturdays and Sundays. 

Vincent Rao is the person who put Rao’s famous Lemon Chicken on the menu, which was one of the things that put Rao’s on the Map, so to speak. It was around 1970 when Rao’s started getting popular with the general public of New York City. That’s about the time that Rao’s started giving table rights to their loyal customers who had been frequenting the restaurants for decades. Anyway, it is very hard to get to eat at Rao’s. If you happen to know somebody who has a table and invites you, you might get to eat there. If you hang out at the bar hoping to get a table for whatever reason, it’s highly unlikely you will, but not totally impossible. There’s always a remote chance, if you are lucky, and happen to be there on the right night, and right time, that something somehow becomes available. highly unlikely, but you never know.

Basta !

MONTE’S TRATTORIA

SINCE 1918

Monte’s Trattoria is one of the few remaining Old-School Italian Joints left in New York City. 

Terragni Wines & Liquors

1912

Monte’s was opened in 1918 by Italian immigrants Louis & Sylvia Medica. They took over the storefront of Terragni Wines & Liquor on 97 Macdougal Street in New York’s Greenwich Village.

Louis & Sylvia Medica

1918

CHEF PIETRO MOSCONI

CHEF PIETRO & His FAMILY 

HAVE OWNED MONTE’S Since the EARLY 1980s

And STILL RUN The RESTAURANT TODAY

MONTE’S is Known for its wonderful Italian Food, Cozy Ambiance,

and Friendly Service. 

Well loved dishes are : Cannelloni, Fettuccine Bolognese, Manicotti, fresh made Gnocchi, Baked Clams, Stuffed Artichokes, Veal Valdostana, Chicken Parm, Eggplant, Spaghetti with Clam Sauce, Bisteca (Steak), and Chef Pietro’s famous Tiramisu Mi Su, which many say is “The Best in Town.”