Prosper Spotlight: The Bronx Deli

There are a lot of reasons to visit New York. You can grab a Broadway play, see the Statue of Liberty, partake in the seemingly never-ending nightlife. Those things are New York staples. However, one thing you can do here that has a nice healthy helping of New York is a visit to the Bronx Deli.

It's not hard to deduce from the name of the place what it's all about. This shop on Telegraph, in Pontiac, brings New York to the suburbs in the style of a corned beef sandwich, a pickle spear, and a handful of chips. Oh, but that's just one sandwich. The Bronx Deli sports over a dozen of mouthwatering sammies that seem plucked right from one of the vendors of the five boroughs.

So, why emulate New York delis in Pontiac? "'Cause the area needed one," says Marc Zuccato, who, along with brother-in-law Lenny Mazzola, is co-owner of the deli. "We had this idea to do it, so we did. We contacted other delis in the area, got as much info as they'd let us have, traveled extensively, tried other delis, and opened this place up."

It was August 2007 when Zuccato and co. kicked open their doors on Telegraph and they haven't looked back.

The two, Mazzola and Zuccato, aren't strangers to the food industry. Mazzola's family ran Mazzola's Sub Shops and Zuccato worked in the food industry during his off duty time while in the Air Force. So, it wasn't exactly something new to them… but it was something new to the area, Mazzola says.

In the nearly two years that the Bronx Deli has been around they have already out grown their original spot, moving across the street to this new, bigger location on Telegraph. And that's always a good sign of success – needing more seats for the sandwich eating public.

The lunch rush at the Bronx Deli is like the lunch rush at any popular sandwich shop – out the door. Zuccato says it's the quality of product that people keep coming back for. "We did our research," he says. "We use the best meat suppliers, the best bread, the best cheeses that some of the best delis around use."

The number one seems to be the favorite. It's the Big Mouth Corned Beef is stacked high with meat, Swiss cheese, coleslaw, and Russian dressing on rye.

Zuccato says that the deli's specialty is its corned beef, which is made on site daily. So it's not surprise that a nearly half of the sandwiches boast a healthy portion (and by healthy we mean heaping) of corned beef. You'll also find sammies that range from turkey, ham, salami, and a handful of grilled paninis. If you're on a diet and are looking for something a tad lighter than a fist full of corned beef, check out one of their delicately crafted salads.

The Bronx Deli will also cater when it comes to ten sandwiches or more. "If we delivered per sandwich we'd need 100 cars," Zuccato said.

So things seem to be going will for Zuccato and gang over at the Bronx Deli. The sandwiches, he says, have been a hit. But, really, everyone loves a sandwich. The key is to have the best sandwich and the Bronx Deli seems to be supplying just that.

The Bronx Deli is located at 247 S. Telegraph in Pontiac; 248-681-555 or visit them on the web at www.bronxdeli.com.

The Bronx Deli will be sponsoring a Smart Car rally on August 18 between 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Smart Car owners can show their keys and get a free sandwich and prizes will be given to the owner of the Smart Car with the most miles, the most customized, and best looking.

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