Lunch was supposed to be simple. I planned to order a sandwich and head back out.
That plan lasted about thirty seconds. The smell of warm bread pulled me toward the counter, while shelves of imported pasta kept slowing me down on the way.
Then the pastry case came into view. Cannoli sat behind the glass beside Italian cookies, and suddenly leaving with one item felt unrealistic.
This New Mexico market has a way of making a quick food stop stretch into a full browse without feeling forced. The deli stays busy, but the grocery side deserves just as much attention.
I kept spotting ingredients I would normally have to hunt for elsewhere. Then I found myself checking the freezer for an easy dinner to take home.
That mix is what makes the place so easy to enjoy. Come hungry, but leave room in the bag.
Imported Pasta Fills The Shelves
Count the pasta shapes here and you will lose track somewhere around the fourth shelf. I spotted delicate pastina meant for soup, broad ribbons of pappardelle, hollow bucatini, and cavatelli that longtime shoppers drive across town to buy.
Respected Italian names like De Cecco and Rustichella d’Abruzzo sit side by side, and the boxes are stacked deep rather than displayed for show. That tells me people actually cook from this aisle.
Bakers get their moment too. Bags of double zero flour wait for anyone brave enough to roll dough at home, with semolina and polenta close by for pasta making or a slow-stirred weeknight dinner.
My practical tip is to buy the shape first and plan the sauce second. Thin noodles love light oil and garlic, while ridged tubes grab thick meat sauce and refuse to let go.
Jarred marinara sits nearby, and shoppers talk about it constantly, so I always grab one to save myself an hour at the stove. The pantry section alone makes this stop worth the drive across town.
Come with a list, then ignore it happily at Tully’s Italian Deli, 1425 San Mateo Blvd NE A, Albuquerque, NM 87110.
Cured Meats And Cheeses Shine
Behind the glass, the meat case does the talking. Ribbons of imported Parma prosciutto lie folded next to Genoa salami, capocollo ham, and mortadella that shoppers describe as the best they have tasted in years.
Boar’s Head products round out the domestic side, so you can build a turkey or pastrami order without leaving the counter. Sliced pastrami turns up in a hot sandwich that regulars order on repeat.
Cheese gets equal respect. Fresh mozzarella sits in tubs, provolone waits for the slicer, and creamy buffalo mozzarella occasionally appears for anyone assembling a caprese plate at home.
What I appreciate most is that the staff will slice to your preference. Ask for paper thin prosciutto or thicker salami rounds and you get exactly that, no debate required.
A useful trick: order a quarter pound each of three or four items and you have an antipasto platter for guests with almost no effort. Add olives, bread, and a drizzle of oil.
Everything travels well wrapped in butcher paper for the ride home.
Hearty Italian Sandwiches Await
The current menu offers a much broader lineup of subs, and several carry playful nods to famous Italian-American entertainers. Several newer choices have expanded the board considerably.
The Sicilian piles mortadella, capocollo ham, domestic prosciutto, and provolone into one crusty roll.
The Al Pacino keeps things simpler with capocollo, Genoa salami, and provolone. The Sinatra goes upscale using imported Parma prosciutto and fresh mozzarella, and it is the one I recommend to first timers.
Hot options hold their own. The meatball sub gets mentioned constantly, the Italian sausage sub is a mess in the best sense, and chicken parm arrives heavy enough to split.
Vegetarians are not an afterthought here either. The Mona Lisa combines fresh mozzarella with pesto and sliced tomato, while the Bella Mozzarella adds marinated artichokes and olive tapenade.
Sides matter too, and potato salad is the popular choice over chips. The board separates signature and traditional choices from hot subs and house specialties.
Order a half sub if you are eating solo, because portions run generous. Half now, half later, zero regrets.
Olive Oils And Olives Add Flavor
Olive oil labels here promise first cold press, filtered, one hundred percent Italian extra virgin, and the bottles are priced far below what touristy specialty shops ask. I found basil infused versions too, which turn plain bread into something worth lingering over.
A refrigerated olive and pepper bar sits beside the sandwich counter, and it stopped me in my tracks. Kalamata bring the briny punch, Sicilian olives taste bold and green, oil cured ones go deep and wrinkly, and plump Cerignola look almost too pretty to eat.
Massive jars of giardiniera line the shelves, and that pickled vegetable mix does heavy lifting on sandwiches or straight from the fork. I keep one open in my refrigerator at all times.
My advice for shoppers on a budget is to buy the larger oil bottle and decant a small amount into a pouring cruet at home. You use less and waste nothing.
Marinated peppers also make an easy side dish for a weeknight dinner. Little jars, big payoff, minimal cooking involved.
Housemade Sausage Steals Attention
Sausage sizzling on the griddle greets you before anyone says hello. The house made New York style Italian sausage is the item people mention when they explain why they keep coming back.
Both hot and sweet versions are available, and pork or turkey gives you a lighter option without losing the seasoning. Shoppers regularly rave about the spicy one.
Then there is the traditional pinwheel sausage, shaped into a distinctive tight coil that looks fantastic on a grill and cooks up beautifully in a skillet. I bought one purely because I had never seen anything like it in New Mexico.
For cooking at home, low and slow works better than high heat. A gentle sear keeps the casing intact and the juices where they belong, and a splash of water in the pan finishes the job.
Peppers, onions, and a soft roll turn a pound of links into dinner for a family. Leftovers get sliced into marinara the next day.
If you would rather skip the stove entirely, order the sausage sub and let them handle it. Smart move, honestly.
Frozen Italian Favorites Fill The Freezers
Busy weeknights find their hero in the freezer case. Trays of lasagna wait in meat, cheese, and spinach versions, all built to be baked at home with almost no work on your part.
Chicken piccata, chicken marsala, and chicken parmigiana sit alongside them, and eggplant parmigiana holds a loyal following. Beef meatballs swimming in marinara round out the lineup.
Portion sizes lean generous, with many trays meant to feed several people. I picked up a lasagna before a family visit and looked far more organized than I actually was.
One heads up worth knowing: prices are not always marked clearly on every tray, so ask at the counter before you load your arms. The staff answer quickly and offer recommendations if you cannot decide.
Plan ahead a little. Move the tray to your refrigerator the night before so it bakes evenly instead of scorching on the edges while the center stays cold.
Pair one with bread and a simple salad and you have a full dinner. Nobody needs to know you barely cooked.
Cannoli And Biscotti Satisfy Sweet Cravings
Willpower does not survive the adjoining pastry shop. Cannoli come in traditional shells and sometimes chocolate ones, with seasonal fillings such as pumpkin or classic sweet ricotta.
Biscotti fill trays in several flavors, and they were made for dunking in hot coffee. Almond, pignoli, and rainbow Venetian layer cookies crowd the case beside them.
Flaky sfogliatelle show up for anyone who wants a pastry with layers that shatter, and the lobster tail pastry has its own devoted following. Tiramisu sits chilled and portions out to two servings easily.
I once watched someone at the counter hand a first timer a cannoli simply because they had never tried one. That kind of gesture sticks with a person.
My tip is to buy cannoli close to the time you plan to eat them, since the shells soften as they sit. Same goes for anything filled with cream.
Fig and apricot filled cookies also deserve attention, and they travel well in a box. Bring extra, because sharing suddenly becomes very difficult.
Family Traditions Shape The Market
Half a century of the same family running one counter shows up in small ways. The Camuglia family has operated this market since the early 1970s, carrying recipes and habits west from Staten Island.
A pastry shop was added later, named for two daughters in the family, and it now shares a roof with the deli, grocery aisles, and eatery. Four businesses, one comfortable room.
Service feels personal rather than scripted. Staff offer recommendations to newcomers, keep the line moving during rushes, and a punch card earns you a free sandwich eventually.
Monthly Italian dinner nights turn the space into something closer to a supper club, with multiple courses served at reasonable prices. Reservations go fast, so ask about dates when you are in the store.
Planning matters here. Doors open at nine and close at five thirty Tuesday through Friday, five on Saturday, with Sunday and Monday off completely.
Call ahead at 505-255-5370 for large orders. Few places in New Mexico feel this genuinely lived in.