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Nino's Italian Deli quietly opened its doors last Friday at 17 N. Fourth St. in Geneva, and owner Nick Gaynor is ready for people to find it.
Gaynor, a Long Island native who spent time in Nashville before relocating to St. Charles to be near family, says he spotted a gap: no one in the Tri-Cities area was doing an old-school Italian deli like the ones he frequented growing up.
So he opened one.
Here's what to know:
The bread situation: Gaynor had originally planned to bake in-house, but the equipment alone made that part tricky. Instead, he’s getting sesame rolls and ciabatta shipped from a New Jersey bakery and finished fresh in the shop.
High-quality meats: Gaynor says everything is premium-cut Italian deli meat, not the commodity stuff you'd find at a grocery store. They’ll use homemade pestos and fresh, top-of-the-line cheese as well.
The menu is still growing: The starter menu features hot offerings and cold sandwiches, from Italian classics to chicken parm. And when traffic picks up, Gaynor said he’s even eyeing a prime rib made with thinly sliced, oven-roasted beef and made-from-scratch au jus.
The location: Nino's sits in the small retail strip on Fourth Street, tucked back from State Street, with an outdoor deck that's been part of that corner since the Firehouse Pizza days.
The official grand opening celebration is set for Saturday, June 13. Gaynor said early feedback has been positive, and now the focus is getting the word out.
The menu is available on Toast, and the shop’s operating hours are Monday through Saturday, 10:30AM to 7PM (closed Sundays).
He acknowledged the spot can take a minute to find, but his bet is that once people taste the sandwiches, they’ll be back.
Check out the in-shop menu:
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