By Mike Kinney
When does a sandwich become a work of art? Ask the customers at Angelo’s Gourmet Delicatessen in Richmond, which has had some of Bay Area’s finest sammies on display for decades.
In 1930, the Reggio family opened a poultry shop at 12025 San Pablo Ave close to Macdonald Ave. By 1960, Danny Reggio and his wife Barbara decided to expand the family business and opened up Angelo’s Delicatessen. The Reggio family ran Angelo’s from 1960 to the early 1980s, according to former employee Sue Pricco.
Pricco started working at Angelo’s Deli when she was 16 years old in 1971. Barbara taught her how to cook and prep the food in the kitchen.
“I was responsible for cooking the spaghetti gravy, lasagna, three bean salad, ambrosia, marinated vegetables and meatballs,” Pricco said. “We made a home mixture of mustard and mayonnaise to make milder flavor on our sandwiches. Angelo’s sandwiches were popular with all of our customers. People would come from miles around to get our excellent sandwiches. Business got so good, we had to have tables and chairs so our customers could dine right inside the deli.”
The tradition of handcrafted sandwiches continues to this day at Angelo’s Gourmet Delicatessen, which has been owned by Jae Choy and his wife Anna Lee for the past 28 years. Angelo’s still carries the reputation of making some of the finest sandwiches anywhere in the East Bay, according to their customers.
“I travel the extra distance from where I live because their sandwiches are so tasty and filling,” Harry Winston of Rodeo said. “They are simply the very best sandwiches that you can get anywhere in the East Bay. They know how to treat their customers right. “
Some of the most popular sandwiches are the turkey, bacon and avocado combo, the Rich Lady combo, which consists of ham, turkey and salami. Their meatball or meatloaf sandwich is mouth-watering and the poor boy is a meal in itself. The sandwiches range from $10.95 to 12.49. They also sell excellent deli meat and cheeses, pies and other tempting deserts to the delight of their customers.
“We take a great pride in our excellent customer service here,” Jae Choy stated. “Our food we serve is always fresh and clean. We make sure that all of the food we serve is only but the very best. We treat our customers like family.”
The feeling among customers appears to be mutual. Richmond resident Katie Driskill has been coming to the Deli for about eight years and loves her turkey sandwiches.
“Each bite of it is so heavenly,” Driskill said. “Sometimes I come here to get some of their pies for desert for my family during the dinner hour.”
Haven’t been yet? Head over to Angelo’s Gourmet Delicatessen at 12025 San Pablo Ave. (near MacDonald Avenue), which opens Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Contact the business at (510) 234-2485.
