Jimmy and Nino Sunseri's
Possibly *the* most famous Italian grocery store in all of Pittsburgh.
1906 Penn Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
Phone (412) 765-3125
Cross streets
Between 19th and 20th Streets
The Scene Open-air market on the outside, bare-bones and the bustling Strip District crowd on the inside, but that's what you come for. It's not about fancy display cases or bright, expensive signage. You want to see Jimmy with that cigar in his mouth (unlit, of course) slicing provolone at the cheese counter or Nino serving up one of their famous hot sausage sandwiches.
The Goodies Mama mia! How does ten varieties of prosciutto sound? Sounds like you're going to need a big loaf of bread. Aside from the fresh produce, buckets of different varieties and differently spiced olives are a real joy to encounter. The sign on the store says they have 120 different types of cheeses, but Jimmy says it's actually more. They claim (and who's going to double-check?) to have the city's largest selection of virgin, extra virgin and pumice olive oil. Shelves are stocked with traditional Italian baking ingredients, like jars of capers and cans of tomato sauce. Jimmy calls this the "pasta palace," because there are so many different kinds. Bread is homemade fresh daily. Be sure to try their "Visionary Bread," which is an oval loaf with roasted peppers, imported smoke mozzarella, portabella mushrooms, onion, garlic and herb.
