By Mike Kinney
Daniel Navarro says the food prepared at his relatively new Italian-style deli in Richmond is the same way he prepares food at home for his family.
“Everything is fresh,” he said, adding, “I treat making my food like art. It must be beautiful.”
A Richmond resident who was raised in Mexico, Navarro decided to open Navarro’s Italian Deli at 987 23rd St. (at McBryde Ave.) about a year and a half ago. He was inspired by 17 years of previous experience working at a deli in Los Angeles.
“I knew I could create a successful business,” he said.
To his point, Navarro’s Italian Deli is catching the attention of the community, a testament to his dedication to using only fresh ingredients, and also a focus on “impeccable service,” Navarro said.
“We treat all of our customers like family here when they come here to dine,” he said.
In addition to a wide variety of deli sandwiches, Navarro’s Italian Deli serves up specialty pizzas. “The pizza recipe I have been using for the past six months comes from a famous chef in France,” he said.
The business also offers hot plate specials such as spaghetti, chicken rice pilaf and lasagna, the latter of which is a top choice of customers.
“When all of the workers from the carwash across the street…come here to eat daily all they want is my homemade lasagna,” he said. “We serve it along with a healthy green salad and garlic bread.”
All of Navarro’s sandwiches are also described as “mouthwatering” and are served with a side salad and large selection of bread. His combo sandwiches of turkey and ham, turkey and hard salami or club sandwich are $13.99. Many customers order the hot combinations of meatball sandwiches for $12.99, meatball and sausage for $13.99 or a hot pastrami sandwich for $14.99. His hot plate specials such as spaghetti and chicken rice pilaf are $11.99 and his popular lasagna is $12.99. The hot combos include salad and garlic bread.
“The most popular [sandwiches] are crab sandwiches, turkey and ham sandwiches and the hot salami sandwiches,” Navarro said.
Navarro’s Italian Deli is open daily, seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
