San Francisco's Alimento Delicatessen
A classic Italian delicatessen with a very quiet presence.
Rating: 9/10, a very well-balanced flavorful sandwich.
When the delicatessens spread from their original home of Germany in the 18th century, they first went to France and then wandered over to Italy. When delicatessens finally came to the US in the early 1880s, it was mostly catering to the German/Jewish immigrant populations. The immigrants who started these establishments took a slightly different approach than their European counterparts though. Whereas European “delicatesseneurs” only sold meats, cheeses, pickled vegetables and other packaged delicacies, their American counterparts started offering foods that were prepared right there in the shop.
Eventually, Italian-American immigrants started their own delicatessens around the US - which generally meant a much bigger selection of pork products (salami, soprassata, coppa, prosciutto, cappocollo, and the almighty mortadella). The use of pork, especially salted and processed into cured meats, has ancient roots in Italian culture. These places also sold pre-prepared lasagnas and other pasta, house-made marinara and pesto sauces, chicken or eggplant parm, and the freshest goddamn mozzarella you’ve ever tasted in your life.
Alimento in San Francisco’s “Little Italy” was created in that mold. Started in around 2008 and located in the heart of North Beach on Columbus, the long, narrow, bowling alley of a shop straddles several different categories including gelateria, wine shop, convenience store and traditional delicatessen. But the sandwiches there are just as authentic and popular among San Franciscans as the better known Molinarris just up the street. I remembered having one about ten years ago when I still lived in the city and it definitely stood out as one of the better sandwiches I’ve ever had.
This return trip was fruitful. I got the Alimento Special which had herbed roasted turkey, sundried tomatoes, red onion, pickles, fresh mozzarella, artichoke hearts, spring greens, olive oil and vinegar, and “pepper spread” (more on this ingredient below) on a toasted roll. Alimento only has one kind of bread (as far as I could tell) – a toasted roll that they buy from a place called Royal Bakery - which I couldn’t find online.
I recognize the pepper spread – a sort of red pepper jam – that is the byproduct of making Louisiana hot sauce. Louisiana hot sauce recipes ferment the peppers for a couple of months before the sauce is made. When you make the sauce, you pour the peppers and salt brine in a pot, add the vinegar, and pasteurize it for 15 minutes (simmer it). Then you blend it and strain it through a cheesecloth or fine strainer. What’s strained out of the sauce is a sort of delicious pepper mash or jam that happens to go extraordinarily well on many different sandwich recipes - giving it that delicious acidity. The salt from the brine doesn’t hurt either.
Importantly, Alimentos staff hollows out the roll first before toasting it. This tried-and-true sandwich secret ensures that the ratio of bread to ingredients remains even so that the bread doesn’t overpower the meats, cheeses, and other yumminess. More delicatessens should do this. It makes for a better sandwich and we don’t really need the carbs anyway.
I sat out front and ate the sandwich next to an older Italian grandpa. A lot of the cafes in North Beach have old Italian men that just sort of hang out there for extended periods of time and people-watch. It’s lovely to see folks taking their time and enjoying some contemplative stillness amid the hustle-bustle of big city life. A good reminder to stop and enjoy life every now and then.
The sandwich itself was a step above. The flavors of the herbs in the herbed turkey really came through in a couple of the bites, but then went away. The creaminess of the mozzarella balanced nicely with the flavor punch of the red onions, balsamic, sundried tomatoes and pepper spread. What made the sandwich uniquely delicious was the pepper spread and the olive oil and vinegar. Magnifico.
It’s hard to find any information about Alimento online. I don’t think anyone has written a formal review of it. The Yelp reviews sing the praises of the gelato and the friendly staff. As for the sandwiches, people are unanimously in favor and often remark on the freshness of the ingredients. The wine selection is pretty extensive too, which probably helps them make the rent on this expensive North Beach spot.
I’ll leave you this week with a recipe for an Italian sub. This sandwich was invented by an Italian baker named Giovanni Amato in Portland, Maine in 1899… or 1903 depending on who you talk to. Today it’s a staple of Italian delicatessens. You might need to go to a butcher to get some of the pork products.
Recipe for an Italian Sub
1/2 large onion, thinly sliced
One 12-inch loaf soft Italian bread
5 tablespoons red wine vinegar
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 pound deli-sliced provolone cheese
1/4 pound deli-sliced Genoa salami
1/4 pound deli-sliced boiled ham
1/4 pound deli-sliced mortadella
1/4 pound deli-sliced capicola
1/2 head iceberg lettuce, finely shredded
1/4 to 1/2 cup sliced pickled pepperoncini
3 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Directions
Soak the onion slices in a large bowl of cold water for 15 minutes. Split the bread and pull out some of the bread from the inside. Drizzle 2 tablespoons each vinegar and olive oil on the bottom half. Season with salt and pepper.
Layer the cheese and meat on the bottom half of the bread. Drain the onion and pat dry. Top the meat with onion, lettuce, pepperoncini and tomatoes. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons each vinegar and olive oil and sprinkle with the oregano. Season generously with salt and pepper.
Drizzle the cut side of the bread top with the remaining 1 tablespoon each vinegar and olive oil, then place on top of the sandwich. Cut into 4 pieces.
Manga!