The NYC Hole-In-The-Wall Italian Deli That's Andrew Zimmern-Approved

When a restaurant gets a nod of approval from a celebrity chef like Andrew Zimmern, a James Beard and Emmy award winner who hosts the "Bizarre Foods" on the Travel Channel, you know it must be worth the hype. Zimmern recently concurred with New York food influencer Jonathan Choi's opinion that Russo's Mozzarella & Pasta, a small Italian deli in New York City, makes the best sandwiches in the area by sharing Choi's Instagram post with a simple note: "Fully agree."

Russo's first opened in 1908 as a small Italian food store specializing in homemade mozzarella, which was smoked in metal barrels outside the store. Nearly 120 years later, the deli is still family-owned and operated, with owner Giacomo "Jack" Cangemi and head cheesemaker and store manager Jimmy Paleta at the helm. From its original location on East 11th Street and 1st Ave in the East Village, it has expanded to two more stores in Park Slope, Brooklyn.

Its menu includes fresh, homemade mozzarella, pasta, pizza, and sandwiches, as well as imported cheeses. The mozzarella is made in the store's basement kitchen, where it is hand-formed into cheese balls and twists that are sold in shop. Additionally, the fresh mozzarella is used in the deli for pizza and other dishes. Russo's towering, mouthwatering sandwiches, which Zimmern loves, include its signature version of the Italian Hero-Cappo, a slow-cooked roast beef sandwich, a meatball parmesan, and specialty sandwiches like the Godfather, FDNY, Carroll St. and Prospect Park.

According to Andrew Zimmern, one way to locate the best hidden gem restaurants in any city is to talk to locals. And looking at the reviews of Russo's Mozzarella & Pasta, it's clear that locals love it. The deli has plenty of glowing reviews across Google, TripAdvisor, Yelp, and Grubhub. In a recent review on Google, a local raved about the shop. "Absolutely delicious and incredible flavors," the reviewer exclaimed. "The quality of food is extraordinary." More than one user also proclaims that the mozzarella, lasagna, and sandwiches are the "best ever."

The restaurant's social media presence has grown in the past three years thanks to a dedicated campaign by family members and nods from famous chefs like Zimmern, and celebrities like Ray Abruzzo, who recently commented on one of the deli's Instagram posts to say that his family owned a liquor store two doors down from Russo's. The deli has over 10,000 followers on Instagram, with family members regularly sharing behind-the-scenes photos and videos of the mozzarella- and sandwich-making processes. It's safe to say that customers consider it one of the best Italian delis in New York.