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The U.S. specialty food industry includes about 20,000 stores with combined annual revenue of $20 billion. The trend today leans toward locally-produced artisan products. Salt Lake City is home to a number of such specialty shops, and today I'm happy to tell you about one of downtown's finest: Caputo's Market & Deli.
Tony Caputo has been in the food industry for almost his entire life. He is Italian, and fine cuisine is an important part of his culture. Several years ago he decided he wanted to open a store in downtown. A building across from Pioneer Park became available, so he purchased it and opened Caputo's Market & Deli. At first, Caputo's was intended mainly as a sandwich shop, but it eventually expanded into a specialty food market.
Matt Caputo, Tony's son, now runs the business. He tells me Caputo's is a popular lunch destination — they provide around 500 lunches per day — with sandwiches, pastas, salads and Italian and southern European foods. It also offers Italian specialty items including cheese, meat, olive oils, balsamic vinegars and an extensive gourmet chocolate selection.
A little over a year ago, Caputo's underwent a major renovation. The family purchased the building next door and upgraded the facility. The store now has one of the country's only functioning cheese caves, carefully controlled with temperature and air flow to properly age cheeses. The larger building also accommodates more diners and offers a greater product selection.
Matt says Caputo's Market & Deli is a full-service food atmosphere with enthusiastic employees. He plans to maintain a culture of constant improvement and encourages people to visit the store to learn more about the fantastic culinary traditions of Italy and Europe.
