D&F Italian Deli in Astoria - Deli Review

The classic striped awning on Broadway only hints at the treasures inside this unassuming haven for Italian treats. Across from the Quinn Funeral Home, D&F Deli looms immortal in Astoria for its fresh cheeses, heros, and salads. The food is matched only by its genial purveyors, who make all sandwiches to order. In the mornings Gary the owner will offer you freshly brewed coffee, even Illy espresso; in the evenings the soft crusty loaves in the window call out to be taken home for dinner.

Gary of D&F Italian Deli would likely eschew the label "gourmet," but that's what he serves, even if most of his customers are regular neighborhood Joes. This authentic little deli offers some of the freshest and tastiest food in Queens.

His fresh mozzarella humiliates Polly-O. His hand-breaded chicken cutlets are offered up in sublimely savory heros, made parmagiana or not. His homemade eggplant parmagiana is perfectly golden and never soggy, ready for an expert deli man to assemble into a sandwich work of art. Bring home prosciutto di Parma and rich creamy Fontina to warm up on -- or even better to press into -- a crusty baguette.

Even D&F's shelves are full of quality Italian foodstuffs, from the essential Barilla sauce to packages that offer no English at all (those are the best). The dried pasta selection is astounding, especially for hard-to-find shapes. (I once boggled at three sizes of ditalini and two of cavatappi.)

And on a warm, bright Saturday, you can walk into D&F and get the perfect picnic: a huge Italian hero, side salads, a cacciatorini (little cured sausage), a bottle of Manhattan Special or San Pelligrino, and biscotti to finish -- all packaged immaculately to go and all at a bargain.

Despite the gourmet fare, the prices are reasonable. Often included is friendly advice like how to properly cook the polenta. This is what's truly priceless about D&F Deli -- the smiles that make even the sweetest delicacies (like the torrone!) even sweeter.