
Photo courtesy of lexnger on Flickr.
At our last Apartment613 meeting, a number of us discussed how difficult it was to get a good cheap lunch anywhere in the city. It set us on a path to try to find feasts for the frugal, and a new series was born. Although the original idea was to feature meals within a certain price range, we ultimately decided to focus on value rather then price. We hope this series will last a long time and will make you discover new places around the city that offer delicious and (occasionally) nutritious food at a decent price.
Our inaugural Frugal Feast:
Di Rienzo Grocery & Deli
111 Beech St. (not Beechwood St.)
An Italian corner store and deli by day, Di Rienzo’s transforms into a sandwich making factory around lunch time. Scores of public servants and other folks that work or live in Little Italy know that this place makes some of the best sandwiches in town for $4 or less. Now you do too!
The options range from prosciutto to roast beef to vegetarian alternatives simply served with your choice of mayo, mustard and toppings like sundried tomatoes and marinated eggplant. You also get to pick your own freshly made bread - Sicilian, Cirioli or Authentic Portuguese Roll, they are all delicious.
In the mood for pasta? They do that too with a choice of Rigatoni, Tortellini and a daily pasta dish available. All for $4.99 plus tax. They also serve up chicken parmigiana, picatta, roast beef, Italian sausages and other options at a reasonable price.
There’s unfortunately no place to sit and eat at Di Rienzo’s; it’s more of a take-out kind of place. However, there is a nice park right across the street where you can enjoy your lunch.