New Orleans
Central Grocery
Located on Decatur Street in the French Quarter, Central Grocery is an authnetic "only in 'Nawlins" type of place. This small, Italian-American grocery store has a history that reaches back to 1906, when it was founded by Salvatore Lupo, a Sicilian immigrant. It is owned and operated today by Salvatore Tusa, grandson of its founder. Perhaps more well-trafficked than Central Grocery's narrow aisles, the store's sandwich counter is what draws in out-of-towners eager to sample a muffuletta covered with homemade olive salad. And rightfully so—founder Lupo invented (and many would say perfected) the New Orleans muffuletta back in 1910.
Insider Tip:
As the story goes, Salvatore Tusa experimented with several different types of bread before settling on the muffuletta thanks to its easy-to-hold round shape and soft texture.
