Copyright berkshireeagle
LENOX — “We’re open!” exclaimed Tony Mazzeo with a low-key but unmistakable showbiz flourish. “It’s been a long time coming. We finally did it!” At the stroke of 11 a.m. Monday, he unlocked the door for scores of eager customers awaiting the official opening of Mazzeo’s Italian Market & Deli. About 200 people had attended a “soft opening” on Sunday. After four years of fits and starts, it was a dream finally realized for Tony Mazzeo, the owner, his daughter Mia Gabriella Ortega, the market’s manager, other family members and longtime staff, with about 35 employees, a mix of full- and part-timers. The market is open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., closed on Sunday. It offers takeout primarily, including hot pizza slices and full pies, half and whole-size sandwiches, sliced deli meats and salads. But there are a half-dozen tables for patrons to grab a sit-down lunch, a snack and a non-alcoholic beverage. Online ordering will be available soon, as well as Door Dash delivery. For Mia, it was an especially memorable opening day — she’s due to give birth to her son, Luciano Anthony Ortega, this Thursday. “Two births in one week,” she said enthusiastically. “I didn’t expect to have a baby and open the business at the same time, but here we are.” She graduated a few years ago from the Isenberg School of Management at University of Massachusetts Amherst. Her co-manager, Brian Broderick, is doing much of the “heavy lifting,” running day to day operations. He’s a former manager of Market 32 at Berkshire Crossing in Pittsfield. “We’re lucky to have some really great people here,” she said as she shepherded the opening day crew and took phone orders. Included is Tony’s cousin Michael, “so we’re all in the family,” Mia said. “We’re homemade and we’re just excited to be here.” Also on board is Will Billis, the co-head chef whose family owned the former Teddy’s Pizza on East Street in Pittsfield, now reopening under new ownership as Figo’s Pizzeria. Mia is especially proud of her wallpaper design on the entrance wall — historic photos and clippings depicted multi-generations of the Mazzeo family, a display soon to be expanded. “This has been my dream for years, all I really wanted was to open this,” she said. “We kept the dream going and kept working on it.” With the birth of her son imminent, she'll be on a maternity leave. “But as soon as I’m cleared to come back, I’ll have the baby strapped to me, but we’ll both be here," she said. It has been five years since Tony Mazzeo first considered revamping or leasing the building at 490 Pittsfield Road (Route 7/20) opposite the entrance to The Center at Lenox shopping and mixed-use complex. He first explored opening an Italian market and deli in 2020, but the ongoing pandemic made it difficult to hire staff. The building was then marketed for a lease, though it was not for sale despite interest from two dozen potential purchasers. “Timing was the biggest challenge,” Mia said, thinking back to the pandemic with its supply chain and staffing issues. “It was navigating that as well as just finding the perfect products, the importing and finding the best companies to work with.” More recently, there were problems with getting things in on a consistent basis, shipping delays for equipment, she acknowledged. Mazcots opened in 2013 and closed in 2020 at the site formerly occupied by Halpin’s Grub & Grog for five years. The property originally housed Sophia’s Restaurant and Pizza. “It was a pleasure to be a part of the Mazzeo’s Market & Deli soft opening, so many wonderful local people, and such terrific food,” said Lenox Police Chief Stephen E. O’Brien. “We all are glad to see this business occupied again, especially with this idea and this family. I wish the Mazzeo family much success and prosperity.” Described as a “one-stop shop for all things Italian,” the full-service deli offers made-to-order hot and cold sandwiches, salads, prepared main courses, desserts and an espresso bar. The retail section includes imported specialties, pantry staples and a selection of beer and wine. There’s also an in-house floral department, Mazzolina Floral, offering handcrafted arrangements and gift baskets for celebrations and holidays. Mazzolina is Italian for “little bouquet.” The department is run by Carolyn Valenti, Karen Patti and Rebecca McLaughlin. Their goal is to celebrate “the timeless beauty of European-style, hand-tied arrangements from pre-made bouquets to customized creations — something beautiful for every occasion.” The store has more than 30 parking spaces and an access road with a full traffic signal, shared with Burger King, which is undergoing a major renovation next door. The new market is the latest outpost for the Mazzeo family, owner of the ever-popular Mazzeo’s Ristorante a half-mile north on Pittsfield Road, first opened in 1988 on Winter Street in Pittsfield, and the long-established Mazzeo’s Meat & Seafood at nearby Guido’s Fresh Marketplace. ON THE MENU PIZZA: Pies and slices, a dozen homemade 16-inch specialty pizzas (homemade or gluten free crust) from $18 to $24, such as The Drunken Chicken, The Hot Honey Pepperoni, The Buffalo Chicken Dip, The Sorrentino, The Truffle, The Luciano Supreme and a vegetarian Margherita. COLD SANDWICHES: Available on homemade or gluten-free bread ranging from $8 to $18, with chicken, prosciutto, salami and other meats. They include The Soprano, The Torino, The Milano, The Spicy Godfather and several others. HOT SANDWICHES: Available on homemade or gluten free bread include The Parm, The Spicy Meatball, The Sausage & Peppers, The Reuben, The Sorrento and the Philly Cheesesteak (half from $8 to $12, whole from $13 to $18). PREPARED MEALS: Fresh salads ($3.99 to $8.99) as well as calamari & octopus salad ($13.99).Mains such as roasted chicken, beef or chicken meatballs, chicken parmesan, braised pork with cherry peppers, meat lasagna, eggplant cutlets and eggplant parmesan from $7.99 to $13.99. Potato and vegetable sides also are available ($3.99 to $6.99). "CAFFE e DOLCE" menu ($2 to $5) offers hot and iced coffee, espesso, cappuccino, latte and hot tea. Sweets include several gluten-free. Specialties range from cassata “cannoli cake” and Sicilian pistachio crunch cake. housemade cannoli, toasted almond cake, triple chocolate cake and chocolate raspberry dome, $2.99 to $7.49. Source: https://www.mazzeositalianmarketanddeli.com
