What are must-haves for an authentic Italian pantry? Emilio Mignucci, third-generation owner of DiBruno Bros., was hopping over to the iconic Italian Market location at 930 S. Ninth St. for lunch breaks from St. Paul’s around the corner. He knows a thing or two about Italian cuisine and specialty store staples.
“Your pantry should always be stocked with a really great olive oil, fresh herbs like basil, great cheeses to compliment, charcuterie, rustic bread and olives,” the Restaurant School graduate said. “Antipasta, really great roasted or grilled or marinated vegetables, pasta simply done with some fresh tomatoes, maybe some olive oil, capers or anchovies, that right there is really the core of Italian food.”
Italian specialty shops, delis, and markets are sprinkled throughout South Philly, but DiBruno’s is king. Since before WWII, his grandparents have stocked their shelves with the desires and needs of thousands of South Philly families – and those needs have changed over the years.
“My grandparents built it upon the staples: provolone, salami, cheese spreads they created in the ’60s, unique products that Italian immigrants, first and second generation, wanted like cracked wheat for wheat pies or beans they’d soak for soups and stews,” Mignucci explained.
But when founders Danny and Joe took a trip to Italy in the ’60s, they came back cheese enthusiasts (in part because of cheeses they’d tried from across Europe, including swiss cheese). Cheeses became the focus, in part, because the DiBruno’s team members realized they had to become more specialized as grocery stores like A&P; took off.
“We need to specialize in order to be and stay relevant as a retailer,” he explained, was the mentality. “[Danny and Joe] realized and saw the landscape of what was coming. Danny told us from the beginning, these people come through our doors, they don’t have to come here, they choose us for a reason.”
With a booming cheese business, they brought in jams, chutneys, honeys and high quality cheese-complementary products. And at the heart of DiBruno’s is an old-school service-oriented experience for customers – “customers would come in and talk to my aunts and uncles and ask for recipes or what to do with certain items,” he explained.
Therefore, they use their Italian Market space as a training ground for their Center City and suburban locations, which build on what was established decades ago on Ninth Street.
“The Italian Market is the beating heart, the heart and soul – if you only ever just went to that location, you know what DiBruno Bros. is about,” says Mignucci. “The culture just lives and breathes in the Italian Market store.”
Lucio Mancuso & Son grabbed a solid showing of votes, likely for its impressive cheese collection. Pastificio Homemade Pasta Co. came in third. — B.C.
