The Italian Store
The Italian Store has been supplying Arlingtonians with signature sandwiches, pizza, and catering services since its opening in 1980
The Italian Store has been supplying Arlingtonians with signature sandwiches, pizza, and catering services since its opening in 1980.
The Italian Store has been supplying Arlingtonians with signature sandwiches, pizza, and catering services since its opening in 1980. Inspiration for the store came from Vincent Tramonte, the son of Italian immigrants, who moved to the Washington area from New York in the 1940s. Vincent immediately noticed the lack of authentic Italian restaurants in the area and soon after opened the doors to The Italian Store’s original Lyon Village location.
In the store’s earliest days Mama Tramonte worked in the kitchen with the two Tramonte sons manning the store. The brothers made fresh mozzarella daily and supplied not only the store’s early customers but also the area’s restaurants with the fresh cheese. As one of
the earliest suppliers of authentic Italian ingredients to the region, The Italian Store maintained strong ties to distributors in both Italy and New York that continue today. This includes directly imported Italian wine, cheese, and meat.
Opened in 2015, the Westover location welcomes customers with an open espresso counter and gelato bar including espresso cocktails and coffee liqueur. The dining room displays Tramonte family artifacts such as a Tramonte passport and family photos. Both locations feature wine selections from all over Italy. Perhaps the most famous menu items at the store are the sandwiches. This location also boasts floor tiles from Manetti Gusmano & Figli, the Italian company that supplied bricks for the Duomo at Santa Maria del Fiore, the cathedral in Florence, Italy that is reputed to be the birthplace of the Renaissance.
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