A. Litteri, Inc.
- Nearest Transit:
New York Ave (Red)
- Hours:
Tue-Wed 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Thu-Fri 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Sat 8:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. - Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: No
- Wheelchair Accessible: No
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
13 Reviews for A. Litteri, Inc.
This place looks like a dump and is in a not so great area - HOWEVER don't be deceived - this place is AWESOME.
They have awesome prices and a great selection. The wine prices are the best in the city $2 - $3 dollars a bottle for close-outs and hey if it sucks you paid almost the same price as soda.They have homemade sausage and Buffala Mozz- I also recommend the Italian Sub from the deli counter!!!!
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Seriously? I've died and gone to Italian Sub Heaven. A couple of weeks ago I went to The Italian Store, but this sub was far superior. They slice the meat they put on your sandwich and it is so fresh. I got my sandwich with fresh mozzarella in addition to the usual toppings and it was so great!
I went at 12:30PM on a Saturday and parking was not a problem and the wait was not bad at all. Maybe that's an exception?
One thing to note: If you've never been there before, be sure to fill out a sandwich slip and hand it to someone behind the deli counter. Because if you don't - no one that works there will tell you what to do. Trust me on this!
Overall, the Italian groceries, the wine section, the deli (and the heavenly sandwiches that come out of it) - all of it is really great!
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Shortly after I walked in I said "Wow, I feel like I'm back in Providence!" I initially just walked into the middle of the floor, looked around, saw all the vast quantities of wine, olive oil, vinegar, pasta, canned vegetables; then uttered to my friend "Where do I go to get a sandwich?" Obviously in a place with all this you'd know from just seeing that they can make a really good sandwich. So I make a beeline to the back, meanwhile looking around in awe like a kid in a candy store (everything is stacked taller than I am), to order my sandwich. After placing my order I went to the front and got a basket and just started grabbing. A few seconds later I looked at the contents and chimed "Oh I have the ingredients for Puttanesca!" The quantity of everything available is mind boggling. It took me about 5 minutes to deduce that I wanted the Bucatini. There was Penne, Ziti, Long Ziti, Rackette, Spaghetti, and every other -ette and -iti and -ini that you could think of! Then I grabbed a bottle of wine, got my sandwich, and was on my way. When I got to my sandwich.....oh boy! It was Mortadella, Capicola, Mozzarella, Provolone, Mayo, Onions, Lettuce, Tomato, Italian Herbs, Oil and Vinegar all piled high on a 6" roll for like $5! I declare, all that was on that sandwich you couldn't find on a 12" sub at a national chain (one of which is right across the street, anyone who ventures there is sadly confused). I was truly content with my sandwich and the fact that I didn't order a foot long. My only thing is that there's no vegetable section, but that's cool because if they had produce they may not have had the wine. I will definitely return again!
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This is the best Italian market in DC. I know a lot of people think Vace is the best Italian market in DC, but after you go to A. Litteri, you will realize that Vace runs a distant second. A Litteri is actually like a cross between a store and warehouse (it sits snugly within the warehouse district in NE) which adds to the low-overhead charm of it. So if you're the type of explorer who loves to find those out of the way holes in the walls, then this is definitely a destination spot...made easier by a car, I have to confess.
They have a large and reasonably priced selection of wine (I found bottles at $14.99 that Maria Battali's wine guy recommends!), olive oils, various condiments, pasta (Decco is a dollar cheaper than at Giant!), and a deli with good sandwiches/subs, meats, and cheeses. I've had the italian sausage sub (voted one of the best sandwiches by Washingtonian) and it was very tasty. I've had the soppressata and buffalo mozzarella as well and that they were good too. My boyfriend and I made pizzas with them many years ago. The cheese was milky and smooth. Memories of the pizza still shine through.
In short, if you love to cook Italian food, then this is the place to stock your pantry.
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If you like to cook or drink then don't miss A. Litteri. I got thirsty being in there with all the $3 bottles of wine, I always have been about the quantity rather than the quality when it comes to booze. This place is the real deal that has stood the test of time. There's nothing mind blowing going on here but what they offer is quality and value in low frills packaging. But its the packaging that makes this place worth the visit.
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stocked, almost literally floor-to-ceiling with all the ingredients one could ever want for an italian meal, litteri's is really one of the hidden gems of DC. located amongst the grouping of restaurant supply stores next to galludet university in the northeast you'll find it by following the steady stream of people who line up inside literri's at lunchtime.
if you're not looking for capers packed in salt, more than a dozen varieties of balsamic vinegar and olive oil, or an extensive selection of inexpensive wine you're probably here for the sandwiches. i had a hard roll (9") with capicola, mortadella, fresh buffalo mozzarella, provolone, lettuce, tomatoes, mayonnaise, italian seasoning and sun=dried tomatoes (an extra 75c on my 9", bringing my sandwich to $7.37 with tax). the sandwich comes smartly sliced in half and wrapped in plastic wrap, then sandwich paper. the plastic wrap is a genius move - preventing your sandwich fillings from flying out of the end of the sandwich when you're trying to take a bite. the plastic wrap will serve its purpose well; i'm not entirely sure who can fully bite into a litteri's sandwich without losing half of it. i tried, failed, and ended up eating my sandwich open-faced, one half at a time.
the sandwich knows to skimp on the veggies (lettuce, tomato) and pile on the meat and cheese. the hard roll is crusty but not too hard to chew - the inside is soft and yields nicely to bites as you finish the sandwich. i know, meats are cured and it's somewhat a misnomer to consider them fresh, however they contrast to your usual deli sandwich in that they possessed real flavor and didn't taste water-logged!
to order, pop up to the counter and grab the slip of paper with sandwich offerings and then hand it to the friendly gentleman behind the counter. he'll call your name when it's ready and as the store isn't very big, feel free to wander around and figure out just exactly how many different types of balsamic vinegar they stock.
refreshing is the lack of pretension - one might expect grumpy and brisk interactions from a store that has been around since 1932, however everyone is friendly and chatty, happy to establish rapport.
i only wish litteri's were more accessible to me - we drove just across the hill during mid-day traffic and it took us about an hour to get in, get our sandwiches, and get back to work. fax your order in to avoid a wait, and plan to eat in your car (bring napkins!) before heading back to work.
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What can I say that LeeAnn O. hasn't already covered? This place is great. You can get custom made subs for a good price. No cutesy sub names here. You just grab a stubby pencil, pick whatever meat, cheese or topping you want, fill out the slip and hand it in. Definitely get the hard roll and use the fresh mozzarella instead of the other cheese. They have a ton of wine, olive oils and bulk spices too. The prosciutto and parmagiano are competitively priced. Anything Italian that you can't find anywhere else, you can get here.
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I can't believe this gem only has 4 reviews! This is the home of Old Italian Man Day (aka Saturdays before 3), the best damn sandwich one can get south of New York, 50+ different kinds of olive oil spanning from Spain to Italy to Greece, and one of the most knowledgable wine specialists (if you can catch him when he's there) ever.
I begin with its location. Its a happy day since the New York Ave metro opened for several reasons. One is its proximity to Litteri's, which to me was only open by bus or begging a friend. Its stuck in the middle of the old cultural corridor around the corner from the old school DC farmer's market, in between various bulk ethnic restaurant suppliers. For some reason, a Subway is just down the way. The exterior is non-descript, but when you walk in, you are greeting by the most authentic Italian market you can find in DC (and the Italian Store doesn't count).
This warehouse is stacked from floor to ceiling with gallon cans of stewed tomatoes, roasted red peppers, vodka sauces, olive oils, vinegars, wine, millions of varieties of pasta both dried and frozen, olives, tapenades, and everything in between. On your immediate left are loaves of freshly baked Italian breads, although you can get better elsewhere.
Although the fridges are stocked with lasagnas, packaged cheese, and premade sandwiches, head straight to the back deli counter, where in a soup Nazi (only much nicer) kind of way, people line up with numbers and slips of paper. The numbers are for ordering cheese and deli meets to go. You can get fresh mozzarella here and every kind of Italian deli meat possible. The slips of paper are for the sandwiches.
These hoagies, subs, be what they may, deserve their own paragraph. The papers are self explanatory. You choose a soft or hard roll. Always choose the hard roll. Never choose the soft. Trust me. Then you get your choice of two meats, two cheeses, free toppings, plus toppings you pay extra for, plus condiments. If you are a cheapskate, you can come away with an 8" sub stuffed with the basics happy for about $6.50. If you splurge, for an extra $1, you can have a truly remarkable sandwich. I usually do the pepperoni with pepperoncini (which is nothing like pepperoni, but is more like ham encrusted with peppercorns), fresh mozzarella plus one other hard cheese, banana peppers, spicy mustard, lettuce, tomato, roasted red peppers and/or marinated mushrooms (which are essential for proper moisture balance), italian dry herbs, and never opt for the vinegar and oil because it makes the bread too soggy. These guys do not hold back. You cannot possibly fit your mouth around the sandwich you get back because it is the size of your head. But somehow, you manage it. I can only eat half a sandwich, but the other half saves pretty. well.
While you wait for your sandwich, you can shop or pick at the bits of deli meat they put on the counter for you to try. They'll call the orders out. Whatever you do, don't just mill in the area and block traffic. Maneuvering inside the store can be a challenge.
The prices here are reasonable, although I somehow always spend at least $50-$75 here, usually more if the wine guy is there. Oh yea, the wine guy. I don't know his name. I met him just once. He doesn't try to sell you the most expensive bottle of wine. What he does explain is how the soils in particular regions influence the grape and he knows exactly where every single variety of wine is. You want wine from a particular region? Tell him the region, he'll find you a wine. I only know Spanish and Argentine wines really well ... I just told him which Spanish and Argentine wines I liked, and he found me comparable and interesting Italian equivalents. No bottle cost more than $15.
This is also the one place where I've found olive oil worth $10-$15 for a small bottle. Why? Because this is not the mass exported stuff that Whole Foods gets. I like Whole Foods, but these guys find the great olive oil that comes from small producers. The nearly impossible to find stuff.
I won't ding them for this, but seriously, their hours suck. Unless you work near there, the only time after typical work hours is on Saturday -- and they are only open until 3 so its a madhouse. Go early. Don't cry when the deli shuts exactly on time.
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Litteri's has been run by the same family for 70+ years (Same location since 1932) but you probably didn't know about it. I lived in DC twice before I heard about it. It's a wonderful place to visit. It's in the DC Farmer's Market and hard to spot unless you're looking for it. It's very much like the markets in the Little Italy section on Arthur Ave in the Bronx. If you're looking for a wide variety of Italian products there is no better place in the DC metro area. Here's what you'll find there: Pasta: there's a whole wall of many different brands and dozens of shapes. Tomatoes: A large variety of Sam Marzano area tomatoes. Olive oil: More varieties than I've seen in anywhere in DC. Wine, maybe the largest selection on Italian wine in the area and there is an extremely knowledgeable guy ready to assist you. Sausage: The best Italian sausage in town. Other stuff: A large selection of salami, cheeses, prepared dishes and lots of panetoni at Christmas time. The Italian heros are made with bread from the Catania bakery. Buy one and try not to eat it in the car while you're driving home. I like to cook and if you're going to prepare Italian food like your Italian mother made, put together your shopping list and go to Litteri's.
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Litteri is one of the few popular choices for Gallaudet's faculty and students since it's just across the street.
Now, I never went there because I had their sandwich once and wasn't really impressed with it. So, I just simply avoided that place. It wasn't until my partner and I hosted some Italian dinner for our friends at our place. For some reason, I thought of Litteri and thought I'd give them another chance.
OMG! Their cheese tortellinis and ravilois are to die for! Just place them in boiling water for a a few minutes and voila, they're done! Drain them and stir in some alfredo sauce and you got one delicious meal!
Litteri is now THE place to go whenever I'm in the mood for tortellini. Their prices are unbelieveably cheap. Wines are cheap as well.
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There's a diamond in the rough located NE DC that has been serving DC since 1926, but not many people seem to know about this place.
AKA Litteri's, this Italian import market is a find and offers a truly unique experience! Narrow, cramped aisles filled with every many imported Italian brand pastas, sauces, snacks, oils, vinegars, truffles, what have you! Especially impressive is Litteri's wine selection, quite expansive, very cramped, but wine offerings range from $2 on up! There is a wine staff who can help you pick a new wine or find your favorite, and as long as there is a distributor, any wine they don't have in stock can be ordered.
The other reason to head to Litteri's is for its fantastic deli. Hard to find imported Italian cheeses and meats can be purchased here. Even better, you can have one fantastic sub made to order with anything from the deli you want on it! Nice selection of breads for your sandwich too.
Located within the confines of the DC Farmer's Market area, just NE of the New York Ave and Florida Ave intersection. Actually, open to the public are ethnic food shops for importing goods from just about every country that has restaurant representation in DC!
If you're an authentic Italian foods fan, be sure to experience Litteri's for yourself. Hours are limited and are posted on their website.
Please note that the whole Farmer's Market area is under review for redevelopment and the future of Litteri's and all the other specialty food shops is unknown. Sad Sad Sad
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awsome! love this place! have been wanting to go for a couple of years, just never got around to it. great stuff.
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It's a tiny little Italian deli. The counter has dozens of meats and cheeses and olives. You can get subs to order as well as stuff sliced. There are an overwhelming variety of olive oils and vinegars. There's bread, wine, little jars of marinated red peppers and anchoveies, and a few hundred other delicacies. If you come on a Saturday afternoon, be ready to wait if you want to order something at the deli counter.
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