Ottomanelli Butcher Shoppe is classic New York. Well, what I imagine classic New York to be if I would’ve been alive then. Turns out it literally is classic though since the butcher shop has been around since 1900.
Even if you didn’t grow up in the area, the name “Ottomanelli” might still be familiar to you. Spend some time in the Upper Eastside, and you’ll start noticing it around the neighborhood as they also have a restaurant, a grill, and a cafe. They even have a butcher shop in Flushing.
In addition to having a selection of meats you can buy, they have pre-made pasta, pasta sauce, eggs, and other assorted staples available for purchase. Unfortunately, I’ve never gone grocery shopping here as I mainly stick to the right side of the place where you can order deli sandwiches to-go (there’s no seating besides the one bench outside).
Each time I’ve gone here, I’ve ordered the same thing–the Italian combo. It’s just so good. There’s Italian bread, traditional Italian meats, and Italian dressing…what else would you want in an Italian combo?
While I’m already a big fan of their sandwiches, I really need to make an effort to buy some meat here for dinner. I’ve heard that the prices are the same, if not cheaper, than other stores so it’s completely worth it for the grass-fed beef and to support local businesses. I’ve always wanted to be that kind of person who had a butcher they went to every week and became buddies with. Is that a weird thing to want? Well, I also used to want to be a butcher when I was like 9, so there’s that.
Italian combo
1549 York Avenue
New York, NY 10028