Granato’s Deli

I can’t believe all the epicurean aficionados on Unilocal these days crying because they didn’t receive the friendliest service at an Italian deli. No kidding there is dust on the boxes of Lady fingers; Its a front, morons! Hasn’t anybody watched the sopranos?
In any case, that sausage sandwich on hard roll is so good I wouldn’t care if the counter guy made disparaging remarks about my mother while he rang me up.
Keep up the good work and I didn’t see nothin’.

This used to be my favorite place to visit in this state. Coming from Chicago, this was the true Italian deli I could count on to get authentic Italian treats. I walked in today and was mortified. I don’t get to go very often because I live in Ogden, so when we make a trip, I get so excited. Today was awful. Every single box of goodies I picked up, ie: biscotti, lady fingers, canolli shells, was EXPIRED!!! The pasta in the freezes looked like it was 5 years old and it was filthy! What the hell happened??? I am heartbroken now. It’s so sad that such an awesome place is now one of the worst places I’ve ever stepped foot in.

This review applies to the tiramisu only. It’s pretty dang awesome! It is much creamier and denser than a lot of others I’ve tried, and it really works on that level. The filling is not too sweet, and counterbalances the deep, rich alcohol and earthy, sharp espresso perfectly. You can get a huge portion for about $ 9 before tax, and it’s easily enough to share between 4 or 6.

I think this place has hit bottom on their slippery slope. I refuse to patronize Granato’s any further. Terrible service by people that don’t seem like they want to serve anyone and seem to not want to be working, period. They are regularly out of the same products which tells me they don’t care about purchasing amounts sufficient for their dwindling customers. Food is fine if one doesn’t mind the sullen employees or dirtier and dirtier establishment. Sorry to see this place slowly die. Good riddance…

We stopped in to Granato’s to see what they had for a large party we were having. My friend was starving because she had just got off a plane. She ordered a Italian on a roll. The girl made her the sandwich on rye bread. Once we got to the counter my friend noticed the mistake. She went back and said «I’m sorry, but I asked for this on a roll». Well, you would’ve thought she cut off the woman’s arm! The woman made the sandwich over and then somewhat threw it at her! The look she gave my friend! When she got to the counter, my friend informed the owner of what happened. The owner was very gracious and told my friend he was going to talk to the counter person. He also offered the sandwich complimentary. When we got into the car, she opened the sandwich, took a bite and realized the counter woman had not put any Italian dressing on the sandwich. My friend was hungry, so she just ate the sandwich. She said it probably would’ve tasted pretty decent if it hadn’t been so dry. What caused the counter woman to be soooo rude, (because of a mistake she made!) I guess we’ll never know.

Granatos for decades was the go to place for anything Italian, it carried authentic fresh imported products that you just couldn’t get anywhere else. In the 80s or so, they started serving a nice line of signature sandwiches featuring authentic Italian cold cuts, cheeses and a bonus of a couple of pepperoncini and marinated green Italian olives. The place was always packed because the quality of the food was great and the place was well maintained and staffed. Although I have continued to get lunch at Granatos through the years, each time I go it just seems a little more neglected mismanaged and dirty each time. When the crowds get as small as they were today, one starts to worry about turnover of product and whether the meat is fresh or not.
I had the muffuletta on ciabatta bread today and it tasted good; I still enjoy the sandwiches here but worry that with such a lack of managerial focus this place will continue a slide into oblivion. Frank Granato would be rolling in his grave and would call out his Cosa Nostra buddies to take out some slackers if he were to see what has happened to his pride and joy.

As far as my opinions are concerned, this place used to be or what was a quality sandwich shop. First impressions, today is Monday July 13^th, it’s 3:30 in the afternoon and in comparison to other local shops and eats. I am the only person currently in the parking lot.
I was recommended to this place by my father and as a first impression I am highly displeased. I will split my review of this establishment into 3 parts. First appearance, Second quality, and third overall customer satisfaction.
At first glance this is an Italian sandwich and shop like many that currently operate. Upon entering you can tell that the appearance of the shop is certainly dated. Amongst other famous eateries this shop is one to keep things old and rather un-​interesting. The tables are covered In crumbs and the floors look as if they haven’t been cleaned in weeks.
Walking around it wasn’t hard to spot the cracks in the ceiling, the food out of date, and The general lack of clean and order that I would come to expect In a eatery of such acclaimed standards.
What happened to this establishment? Who dropped the ball, who lowered there standards? That I am unsure of but as far as opening presentation is concerned this place is not on track.
Quality– today i decided to order a menu item called the San Fran kid. It comes with Parma prosciutto, fresh mozzarella, basil, oil, and vinegar. Upon nailing down the basics of my order, I sat down and patiently waited for my food.
While waiting, I experienced the staff members horsing around, swearing repeatedly and dropping kitchen items on the floor. One staff member dropped the lid of a pesto sauce on the floor and let it set several minutes before picking it up only to screw it back on without washing it properly. The food I received was soggy, a washed up sandwich would be better than what I was served.
The staff in general is highly inefficient. At times the staff can be generally nice, but the majority off staff would rather goof off in an un-​orderly fashion than work hard and strive for quality. Each staff member I talked to used terms like Yo and bro. As an adult I would expect an establishment to have higher standards. Heck the original owner of this establishment had to have better originality and care than the people at this establishment.
Overall– As much as I would want to recommend this establishment, I simply cannot honor a recommendation. This place was once a gem, now all it has to offer is the shadow of its once great glory.

I’ve been going to Granato’s for years. I always get an Italian Combo sans lettuce and tomato with extra oil and vinegar.
Things changed when Curtell’s Bakery closed. It’s still a great sandwich, just not quite what it once was.
2700 East, 300 West or Redwood Road. It’s all good. Price point is a little steep. That being said, consider paying an extra $ 1.00 to double the meat and break the sandwich up into two different meals. Brilliant!
They no longer do the punch card. That’s fine with me, I never keep those damn things anyway. Seems like the market isn’t what it once was. That’s OK, I don’t shop there to begin with.
Aside from the bread, this sandwich hasn’t changed in decades. I’m very glad about that!

This place is great… as long as you just treat it as an import shop, meaning don’t ask them to prepare any food for you. I’ve eaten here on and off for years and they have yet to do it well and sometimes not right at all. Granato’s is capable of a lot more, as evidenced by another location. The best thing to do is compare this to what I have decided to refer to as their flagship over on Redwood and about 15^th South.
Interior: This one is dingy and dark, somewhat depressing and very, very aged. Plain, bare, sparse. The other one is a lot newer, a lot more airy, a lot more light and bright. It is somewhat sparse, but there are also conference rooms and a lot of tables, so you need not feel claustrophobic while eating there.
Import section/​deli: The imported meats and various sundries from predominantly Italy are vast in the 300 W. store. As long as you restrict yourself to that section, it can be a pretty cool experience as there was, at one time, a lot of stuff that you couldn’t find anywhere else. Their fresh mozz and pepper olives made in-​store are still two of the best things about this place, but the imported meats are not far behind. The other one has a lot of this stuff, just on a much, much smaller scale, comparatively.
The kitchen: It may seem harsh to say, but there is very little, next to nothing worth eating at the 300 W. location. This is not to say the menu is bad; it is identical to both locations, but rather that it is executed consistently so unimaginatively poorly here that precious little is done actually well and sometimes, not even acceptably. This has ranged a lot, but it’s never really gone beyond acceptable. The one at Redwood is a marvel and shows the true range this type of food can hit and how incredibly wonderful it can be. I’ve yet to have anything there not outright good and frequently great (see my other review for more on this).
Bottom line: Hit the 300 W. location for the import section (the cause of these stars) and hit the Redwood location if you want to actually eat and enjoy your food.

When I first came to this location, the layout threw me off. The sandwich counter was around the corner behind the groceries. It’s not necessarily the prettiest on the inside, including old paint jobs circa 1982, but I don’t expect much from a place that claims to be an authentic Italian deli. At least they didn’t try for the Olive Garden look.
I usually order the Il Grande, which I have fallen in love with. The location gets 4 stars due to the fact that not all of my sandwiches have been 5 star quality, but I have had great sandwiches here, just inconsistently. It’s never overly busy during lunch, but does have a crowd so that you don’t feel alone. They also make the best lemon cookies, one of my favorites. There are refillable soda available (a must for me) as well as other drinks available for purchase.
Paying for the food is on your honor at the counter in the front, which was strange at first for me. It doesn’t make a lot of sense, necessarily, but I like that they trust their clientele. Overall, if I ever want a good deli sandwich and I’m near downtown, I head for Granato’s. It’s not flashy, but it’s a great lunch and a place I frequent on a regular basis.

I don’t understand the negative reviews. My muffelata sandwich, on a great tasting hard roll, was outstanding. First rate olive spread. Most of the negatives seem to be from folks who don’t know what Italian deli food & sweets are like — not being critical of that, but for example the cookies and pastries (I also had a cheese Danish) are not as heavily sugared as US desserts. Point is, while the interior is Spartan, the food is pure Italian delight.

I came here with a friend who highly recommended it but it was a little disappointing. The staff wasn’t super friendly and the spaghetti and meatballs was lukewarm– albeit tasty. The seating was pretty weird too, think hospital cafeteria from the 70s. All in all I’ll probably keep going to Tony Caputo’s.

Horrible service. The girl working at the deli did not acknowledge our presence. When we finally asked if maybe she wasn’t open yet she looked up, rolled her eyes and said «uh yeah, we are open but I am making sandwhiches right now.» Then looked back down at her sandwhiches. She was so rude. I asked to speak to her manager but she told me he wasn’t in. So we left. I called later to talk to the manager and he completely blew me off and never once apologized. Will not go back again. I refuse to go to places that treat customers like crap.

I just had a sandwich from there. It was good but omg the cookie was awful taste like soap can’t get that taste out of my mouth I wash it like 5 times already :(

This is the third time I’ve dined here at Granato’s in the past two month’s. First time being one of the better sandwiches I’ve eaten in my life, the second bring «meh», & the third being absolutely disappointing. Also, I was always disappointed with their bakery from the start though. Not enough flavor in any of their bakery items. It’s like whoever is making these items has sadly no passion for baking. So disappointing. I’ve tried about everything in their bakery selection (like the Napoleon cake below, which tastes like chocolate frosting sandwiched between several pieces of paper). I think I’ll try Frank Caputo’s next time. Hope they stand up to their reviews (I have a suspicion they will).

Meh. I’ve tried to love you Granatos, but your deli keeps disappointing. Previously, I always ordered «grinders» (CT represent!) on a hard roll. The rolls were always stale and dry as the Mojave.
Today, I tried the Italian Combo on the ciabatta. Bread was really nice, two stars. The problem was my Italian Combo tasted like bread, tomatoes, and balsamic. The chintzy amount of meat and cheese could have been omitted entirely without affecting the taste.
Some like to frequently complain about portion size. My gripe is with proportion. You can have your caviar, your tuna tartar, your unlimited churrascaria salad bar.
Give me a sandwich where the bread and toppings sing in harmony. Sadly Granatos falls flat.
1 star for the market though, which is great.

This place has slipped a bit. Back when I used to frequent it more often, you’d walk in and it’d be bustling with patrons. A couple of weeks ago, not so much. In fact, it was almost completely empty. I was a little surprised. Also, it had a weird, funky smell. I couldn’t really pinpoint what it was other than I didn’t like it.
My sandwich (the Godfather) wasn’t all that great either. At least not nearly as good as I remembered it being and certainly not as good as Caputo’s. The bread was just plain bad. It didn’t seem old, necessarily, it just wasn’t any good. And the meats didn’t have much to offer either. It was way more tasteless than it should have been.
Perhaps they had an off day.

Granato’s Deli is great place to grab lunch. My husband and I went for sandwiches and they were top notch! The cannolis are also worth trying. I’ve been craving it ever since we went… which was yesterday… Can’t wait to go back!
P. S. People keep comparing it to Caputos and I do not think the two are even in the same category. Caputos has a really nice interior and caters to the downtown SLC, slightly yuppy crowd. Although it is nice, it is just an American gourmet deli/​grocery store that sells high end imports, in my opinion. Not really like anything you would find in Europe. Having been to Italy a few times, Granatos feels more authentic and unpretentious to me. Although the packaging is not quite as pretty, it’s whats inside that counts! At Granato’s you will find a more down to earth, genuine Italian experience.

Here’s my edited review of Frank Granato’s… I got into SLC on Monday, and took two clients to FG’s for lunch. I ordered the meatball sandwich, and my counterparts ordered two other Italian sandwiches. Then today, Wedesday, I took another client to lunch here, and I decided we should order one meatball and one capicola sandwich and each do one half of each; great idea, because the capicola was great, and for consistency points, my meatball sandwich was as good today as it was Monday. The sandwich orders come with unlimited refill drinks from the fountain, and run $ 7 and change. Bottom line for this «out of towner?» This is the place to get your Italian sandwich on!
Per Unilocal reviews, Caputo’s across from Pioneer Park; West end of downtown near the Rio Grande Center seems to get more reviews and higher ratings. However, I’ve eaten at Caputo’s, which is right across from the hotel where I usually stay. And «Frankly… Granato» (play on name, sorry) … Caputo’s wasn’t all that for me. It was during a very busy lunch, and I had to wait in a long line, and with all the noise and waiting, didn’t enjoy my lunch. I remember my sandwich as being so-​so. And I highly value «peace and quiet», and a booth in a corner when I dine out. Frank G’s offers both, so now you might understand why I’ll give a 4-​star to Frank’s.
Frank G’s market and sandwich deli is basically the front end offshoot of a larger food distributorship that was started in 1948. They have this large unadorned dining area that starts near the front and wraps around the South side of the building. The deli sandwich area and sandwich kitchen are also around the South end of the entrance area.
In addition to the little sandwich deli, there’s a small bakery area up front, called «Elizabeth’s.» On our way to the register upon leaving, my clients added some favorite cookies to their lunch and I ordered two chocolate covered macaroons. Holy moly… the macaroons were out of sight! I’ said I’d return just for those macaroons… and again today, I order six macaroons; enough for the sales crew back at my client’s shop! Again, «über-​chocolate-​coconut-​delicious!»
Sandwiches that are inexpensive, made with fresh ingredients, with a large dining area where you can easily get a table or booth; what’s not to like? Obviously, given the location, this Frank Granato’s probably serves more lunches to the commercial businesses on the West end. And I think it’s a great lunch resource if that’s where you are, and you don’t want to fight crowds for what I believe will be as good a sandwich as you’d get anywhere else in town… possibly better.
And yes, I’m eventually planning on trying Moochie’s (Food Network featured) for their meatball sandwich… which I bet won’t be any better than Granato’s. And yes, their greasy Philly Cheesesteak too! (no Philly Cheesesteak at FG’s… that I’m aware of?)

The deli is much better than the market. Or, if my «free translation» from the Interwebs is accurate, «La gastronomia è molto migliore del mercato!»
While Granato’s market leaves something to be desired and is nowhere near the best in the city, the Deli is right up there with the best. The lasagne and other daily-​special pasta dishes are always excellent. I love their sandwiches too. They are served on crispy Italian loaves and the meats and cheeses are always fresh, flavorful and delicious. I’m also a huge fan of their salads. The olives are tremendous!
Granato’s Deli is a great place to stop for lunch.