314 WEST 300 SOUTH
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH 84101
(801) 531-8669
TONY AND MATT CAPUTO, OWNERS
As Salt Lake’s major Italian market and deli for over fifteen years, Tony Caputo’s is an anchor for local residents. One might even call it a gathering place for those who love food or, better put, “food geeks.” Enter their doors and the aroma of fresh meat and aged cheese envelops you. Quickly thereafter, the employees greet you and help you find exactly whatever you’re looking for or, even better, something you weren’t looking for but now need.
The Caputo’s crew loves food, and a cursory conversation with any of them shows it. Perhaps the best part about Caputo’s is that they know a little bit about everything and a ton about a few very important things, like cheese and chocolate. Tell them what you’re hoping to serve for dinner and they’ll get just the right cheese to go along with it. From melt-in-your-mouth French cheese to nutty alpine-style cheeses aged in the Caputo’s Cheese Cave, you’re sure to find a new favorite. Sample endlessly until you find just the right pairing; when you return on your next visit, your favorite finds are saved in a little note box on their meat and cheese counter.
Matt Caputo, son of Tony, recently became one of the first cheesemongers in the country to sit for the ACS (American Cheese Society) exam and pass. Beyond that, his efforts set the tone for fine chocolate and cheese culture around the city, even putting Utah on the national radar.
The butcher, Frody volgger, cures and smokes meat with precision and passion. Caputo’s offers a robust package of the best possible ingredients from all over the world, including what they call the Local Gold Standard—a group of local producers setting the tone for what best represents local efforts.
Cheese and meat are not the only two fabulous finds at Caputo’s; you’ll also find the best chocolate selection in the country, ranging from locally made chocolates to international award-winning chocolates (some made locally), and even sparkling chocolate confections from Chocolatier Blue.
Other favorite finds include house-made filled pastas, imported dried pastas, shelves filled with fine oils, vinegars, and gourmet condiments, and the best local products the city has to offer.
(SERVES 1)
1 crusty peasant bread roll, 6–8 inches in length, sliced through the middle
1 ounce extra-virgin olive oil
1 ounce quality balsamic vinegar
1½ ounces sliced mortadella
1½ ounces thinly sliced Genoa salami
1 ounce sliced prosciutto
1½ ounces sliced provolone cheese
4 slices tomato
Lettuce leaves
Sicilian marinated olives and pepperoncini
Place the bread on a cutting board and drizzle one half with the olive oil and the other half with the balsamic vinegar, covering the entire surface of the bread. Fold the mortadella in half and distribute evenly on the bottom half of the roll. Add the Genoa salami and prosciutto followed by the provolone cheese. Top with sliced tomatoes and lettuce leaves, cover with the top half of the bread, and slice the sandwich in half. Garnish with Sicilian marinated olives and pepperoncini.
