The rich history of Sarcone’s Bakery began in the year 1918 when an Italian immigrant by the name of Luigi Sarcone opened up shop at 758 South Ninth St., Philadelphia. Luigi, an apprentice baker, went out on his own and began to lay the foundation for what would become Philadelphia’s most recognized, trusted and successful bread bakery. Since the time that Luigi Sarcone launched this fledgling venture, five generations of Sarcone men have continued to build on the recipe that was brought to Philadelphia by their Italian ancestor.
In 1918, fresh off an Italian Mayflower from Frogia, Italy, Luigi Sarcone moved into the Italian market neighborhood of south Philly and began working for a local bakery. A few years and several thousand loaves later, Sarcone was rewarded for his loyalty and exceptional baking with the inheritance of the bakery. He renamed the bakery and five generations later; Sarcone’s Bakery is a household name in South Philly and maintains the reputation for best bread in the tri-state area.
For over 90 years, the bakery has been in the Sarcone family, handing down the original bread recipes and keeping customers coming back time and again for the delicious baked goods. Ten years ago, inspired by the culinary prowess of one of the cousins and a real estate opportunity 2 doors down from the bakery, Sarcone’s made the intuitive integration into gourmet food, to go with their excellent breads. An idea that had been marinating in the Sarcone’s minds for awhile, Sarcone’s Deli was created
With the baking genius of Lou Sarcone and gourmet cooking of his cousin Anthony, Sarcone’s Deli was destined for deliciousness. Both gentlemen have a customer-focused, quality-food based philosophy. And, up until this point their slogan had been, “It’s all about the bread.” So, when Anthony suggested pairing epicurean delights such as roasted eggplant, peppers and garlic, specialty meats and fresh cheeses with Lou’s famous bread, collective mouths started watering and the restaurant was born. And, for ten years, has been serving high quality, delicious dishes to a host of regular, local customers and celebrities alike.
Despite the basic-sounding delicatessen name, Sarcone’s Deli is a mini restaurant serving high quality dishes of exceptional taste and unique combination. Their core business is gourmet hoagies, to include grilled chicken breast with roasted peppers, fresh mozzarella and special seasonings and family meatball with exquisite marinara sauce. But, Sarcone’s also serves daily specials including specialty soups, salads and pizzas and seasonal items to suit the mood and current weather conditions.
Two years ago, after much badgering from locals to expand, Sarcone’s opened a location over the bridge in Cherry Hill, NJ. The new Sarcone’s Deli also boomed and the idea for serious franchising began germinating in the Sarcone boys’ minds. For years, the Bakery and Deli had received accolades and awards from local and national media for the exceptional food and service, and attention to detail. It was time to treat the rest of the tri-state area to the amazing bread and culinary excitement of Sarcone’s Deli.
Sarcone’s Bakery has shown its resiliency and agility time and again, surviving two World Wars, the Great Depression and several economic recessions over the five generations. In September of 2000, Sarcone’s again defied defeat by surviving a fire that would have grounded many businesses for months. However, Sarcone’s not only survived the fire, but was opened for the business the very next day. They were not going to let their customers down. The city recognized this effort by presenting an award to Sarcone’s for an outstanding effort in the face of adversity, underscoring Sarcone’s outstanding product and customer commitment.
Over the years, Sarcone’s has been a staple in Philadelphia, not only for its bread, but for its integrity. This fact is understood and taken very seriously by the family. Sarcone’s pledge is to retain this lofty standard and continue to raise the bar even higher in the future. This honorable and substantial responsibility will be shared by the proud and capable new franchise owners.
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