Photos by Marc Hurwitz
An Italian market with some of the region’s best subs
The Greater Boston area has no shortage of neighborhood Italian food markets, and while many—if not most—are worth going to for supplies and prepared foods, some definitely tend to stand out. One such place is an old-world shop in Revere called New Deal Fruit that caters mainly to locals, a few people in the know (including restaurant industry folks), and, well, that’s about it. And that’s a shame, because while some other markets such as Bob’s in Medford and Monica’s Mercato and Salumeria Italiana in Boston’s North End get a decent—and well-deserved—amount of press, New Deal often gets overlooked even though it serves up subs that meet or beat nearly any others in the entire Boston area.
New Deal resides in a squat and rather colorful structure just south of the combination rotary/demolition derby that is known to some as Brown Circle (where Route 60 and Route 107 meet). Its exterior hides the fact that this is a spacious food store that is much bigger than the aforementioned Bob’s, Monica’s, and Salumeria Italiana and is closer to being a full-fledged market than those places—though don’t come here expecting to find a mini version of Star Market or Stop & Shop. New Deal focuses mainly on Italian goods, with olive oil, balsamic vinegars, risotto, breads (including an outstanding scali bread), cheeses, pickles, olives, spices, and tomato sauces lining the shelves and bins, and the store has a very good supply of fruits and vegetables as well. And while most of the space is dedicated to the market area, a smallish section off to the left is dedicated to subs, cold cuts, and the like, and this is where the place really shines.
As indicated earlier, some say that the subs at New Deal are better than any you can find not just in Revere but in any other part of the Boston area, and this is not a stretch by any means. The Italian subs here, for instance, are indescribably great, with the special Italian perhaps being the way to go because of the quality of the ingredients used. Other subs such as the prosciutto and provolone, chicken parm, steak and cheese, eggplant, sausage, and meatball are just as good, as are the buffalo chicken sub, pastrami, and ham and cheese. And then there are the specialty subs, including the Top Shelf which is an even better version of the Italian/special Italian, and one called the Grand Slam which consists of (wait for it) roast beef, french fries, onion rings, chicken cutlets, mozzarella sticks, cheese, and BBQ sauce; it will most likely be the last thing you eat all day (or maybe even for two days). Prices are reasonable at New Deal, with most subs being well under $10 and the specialty subs and sandwiches being mostly around or a bit above $10.
Folks who live in Revere are fortunate to have a food shop as terrific as New Deal Fruit, and they can also do some one-stop shopping there, including buying produce and other supplies for the week while ordering a kickass sub or two while they’re at it. In a region full of excellent independent food shops and neighborhood markets, this one definitely tops most if not all of them.
NEW DEAL FRUIT. 920 BROADWAY, REVERE.