Anthony’s Deli & Eatery, 4944 South Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, 941-365-2998

A vintage photo of Anthony’s Deli gets longtime Sarasota residents in the feels. The tricolore sign has the original location’s phone number on it, and since it’s missing the area code it almost looks like it could be located on some nondescript thoroughfare of Fairfield, New Jersey. The original Sarasota deli came and went, but last year, Anthony Puccio, whose family owned the original location for decades, got back into the game after years away.

Opened in late summer of last year—a brave time to open any business, let alone a restaurant—the new store makes use of the same logo. More importantly, it makes use of the same recipes that honor the Italian American staples many from the Northeast grew up on. The Italian sausage sub comes with sauteed peppers and onions inside a freshly baked Italian roll. The sausage has a touch of kick and a whole lot of fennel and garlic. With the option of making it a parmigiana-style preparation—which adds mozzarella and marinara—it tastes just like Mama Leone’s, who left a note on the door of Anthony’s grocery store and told him to move out to the country.

Anthony’s Deli is back-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack.

Anthony’s Deli & Eatery, 4944 South Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, 941-365-2998

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