Capri Deli vs. Claro's Italian Market

The Italian deli is a staple hallmark for any town. They’re each filled with their own charm and personal twists. Everyone’s got a place they swear by; whether it’s because the deli has some special ingredients in their favorite sandwich, or because their family has been there for generations, or even if it’s just because the place appeals to them stylistically. We’re no exception, and we’ve narrowed it down to two of our favorite deli shops. Near our hometown, within the heart of old town Covina, a humbly presented red-brick, old-fashioned market named Claro’s, which is a family-owned chain of Italian markets operating since the late 1940s, sports an old-world Italian charm complete with a butcher’s case of smoked meats, cheeses, and dried spices. Not too far away is Capri Deli, a family-owned deli operating since the 1950s, serving sandwiches, pasta, pizzas, and specialty items.

First Impressions:

Alex: I first visited Capri Deli 3 years ago when I was searching for a French dip sandwich near where I lived. One Google search and a 10-minute drive later, I arrived at a small, unassuming storefront. Although the storefront is bland and doesn’t stand out to any passerby, anyone who drives or walks by without giving this place a chance is seriously missing out. Opening the door and stepping in feels like walking through a time machine, with the exception of the TV screen displaying their catering menu, the establishment looks and feels like it’s from the 1980s. This isn't a bad thing. In fact, it most likely brings feelings of nostalgia and warmth to long time patrons. The first thing you notice when walking in is the long deli counter, where a team of sandwich makers works tirelessly to take and make customers orders, then your eyes are drawn to the deli case, several antipasti and deli meats can be seen through the glass, tempting you to choose something while you grab your meal. There is a small pantry section where they have some D.O.P San Marzano tomatoes as well as some durum wheat pasta, and a fridge section where you can buy some homemade lasagna and meatballs. While we did not eat in the dining room for this review, it has an east coast sports pub vibe, and the walls are filled with memorabilia and newspaper clippings.

The quaint, homely interior of Capri Deli.

Comparatively, I have only been a patron of Claro’s Italian Market for a couple of months now. Stepping into the establishment is like stepping into an east coast Italian supermarket, it's not large (larger than Capri but smaller than a traditional west coast supermarket) but you’ll find all of your Italian staple ingredients, they have a fridge full of different cured meats, cheeses, tomato sauces, bread and pizza doughs, a row filled with every and any kind of pasta that you could think of. A freezer section with plenty of frozen Italian goodies, ranging from gelato to some gnocchi. The middle of the store is split into 2 sections, on the left, you have your deli counter, where you can get antipasti, sliced deli meats and where you order your sandwiches. On the right side, that is where you check out and pay for any other things you decide to get and where you can get some freshly made Italian sweets. The store’s decor is a mix between practical supermarket aesthetics and classic Italian memorabilia and decor. When ordering at Claro’s, you notice that all of their sandwiches and pasta salads are named after members of their family. For me, this adds some uniqueness and helps it stand out from the other delis I’ve visited.

The retro, classic interior of Claro’s Italian Market.

Keane: My first impressions of Capri were, at least for me, entirely underwhelming. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, since lots of traditional or small businesses key off of quality and simplicity, and Capri did not disappoint. As we entered, the smaller size place stuck out to me. The entrance led into a neatly organized little shop, with tables stacked high with tomato cans, shelves of dried spices, and various mounds of other delicious ingredients, all of which enticingly threatened to derail our task at hand. Across from the shop was a subway sandwich-styled serving counter, with an imposing looking menu presented behind it. Resident sandwich expert Alex already had the dishes scoped out beforehand, picking out the meatball sub, the capocollo, and a half-pound of house antipasto; a bowtie pasta with cheese and tomatoes. We took our orders outside to a recently sanitized table and with a sandwich each in hand, we all tried our first bites.

Colby: As Italian delis are relatively uncharted territory for me, having to go to two different ones in the span of a week gave me a good idea of what the experience is supposed to be like. As I walked into Capri, instantly I was welcomed with the smell of herbs and the sight of hungry customers, eagerly waiting for their sandwiches to be made. Looking around, I noticed a sign that stuck out to me. On the sign was a description of what their items are dressed with: olive oil, salt, and pepper; done with pride. What this says to me is that this deli has a dedication to simplicity that permeates through the rest of their dishes. As for my impression on Carlo’s, I walked into the building, the same smells and sights I saw in Capri greeted me yet again. Yet, something was different about the air of the place. Never mind that the store was bigger and more open than Capri; the fact that it was chock-full of old Italian memorabilia makes it feel as if you’re whisked away to a homely shop in an Italian village.

Antipasti: Bowtie Pasta Salad vs. Claro’s Pasta Salad

Alex: Every Italian deli, market, and family has a secret antipasto recipe they swear by. Whether it’d be pasta salad, preserved artichokes, and olives, or even an Italian-American potato salad. Both Capri and Claro have a selection of different antipasti to choose from ranging from pickled olives and peppers to cucumber and potato salads and to what we got, pasta “salads”. From Capri, we decided to go with a simple, bowtie salad with tomatoes and blocks of hard, sharp cheese. Dressed with just some oil and lemon juice it was an enjoyable side to the 2 sandwiches, eating every component in one bite was wonderful, the oily pasta was a great base for the creamy and firm cheese and the sweet and umami tomatoes. However it wasn’t special, it felt like it belonged at the dinner table of an Italian get together rather than accompanying a sandwich. Furthermore, the ratio of cheese to tomato to pasta was quite disappointing. While we did expect the majority of the salad to be comprised of the bowtie pasta, there were hardly enough tomatoes for each of us to have a 2nd taste with all 3 ingredients. Although they were quite generous with the amount of cheese, I want my antipasti to be more acidic and have bright flavors from fresh vegetables.

At Claro’s, we went with their famous house Claro’s pasta salad, filled with onion, carrot, peas, black olives, celery and obviously pasta, this pasta is tangy, refreshing and it compliments the sandwiches. All the vegetables added to how refreshing and light the salad was. Rather than being simply dressed with just olive oil and lemon juice, I believe Claro uses some of their famous home Italian vinaigrette. Texturally Claro’s “salad” was more enjoyable than Capris. The different assortment of vegetables added some nice soft, firm, and crunchy textures and helped every bite feel unique. The ratio of vegetables to pasta was perfectly balanced too. Just enough vegetables to keep it feeling refreshing and enough pasta to make it filling and satisfying to eat.

Keane: So let’s talk salad, or, at the very least, what barely qualifies as a salad. We went ahead and bought some salad from both places, picking out the house antipasto to try an apples to apples comparison. Here at Capri’s, the antipasto was a nice break, with some bowtie pasta and small balls of bouncy, hearty cheese, and seasoned with something that smelled pleasantly of lemon and olive oil. I can’t really complain about an affair like this too much, but it definitely could’ve used more textures and ingredients.

Capri’s selection, from top to bottom: capocollo, bowtie pasta salad, and meatball sub.

Moving onto Claro’s. The house antipasto here consisted of a base of rotini pasta, olive oil, minced celery and carrots, peas, and to my personal distaste, olives. The few bites I had were pleasant, I didn’t immediately hate the olives and the vegetables added a ton of great textural feelings to my mouth and I appreciated the color and diversity in the dish but if I have to complain (and I probably don’t, but I will anyway) besides the vegetables, the pasta was a bit plain and in dire need of some acid or salt.

Colby: At Capri, we ordered a bowtie pasta salad. This salad, to my eyes, appeared simple. There were blocks of cheese, fresh cherry tomatoes, and, of course, the titular bowtie pasta. Upon taste, however, was a completely different story to be told. The cheese was sharp, mildly astringent, but presented a bold richness that was cut by the sweetness of the cherry tomatoes. The secret weapon of this dish was a very subtle lemon and olive oil dressing that coated the bowtie pasta. Its role in the dish was to boost the flavor of the salad’s components, as well as add a refreshing citrusy scent to the overall flavor profile. All in all, this dish was well balanced, and definitely was a wonderfully refreshing way to start off our meal.

As for the pasta salad I experienced at Claro’s, the experience was wholly different. In my attempts to compare the two salads, the only similarity that I could find was that they were salads that contained pasta. But, even that was different, as well. The pasta types used in the salads were completely different from one another; Capri opted to use bowtie pasta, whereas Claro’s used rotini. Claro’s salad is closer to the confines of what can be considered to be an actual (contemporary) salad, in that it contained peas, carrots, tomatoes, olives, and onions, versus simply the cheese and the tomato found at Capri. The flavor profile of this salad was interesting. Despite having more ingredients than the other salad, it was a lot lighter in flavor than its counterpart. My only gripe with this salad, as my friend Keane will state in his section as well, is that there is seemingly little to no seasoning on the pasta. As a result, the blandness of the pasta makes me outright BEG for something to bind it together with the rest of the dish, whether it be acidity or saltiness.

Capocollo vs Great-Grandpa Joe:

Claro’s selection: Foreground (L-R): Great-Grandpa Joe (Capocollo), Meatball Sub. Background: Claro’s Pasta Salad

Alex: The capocollo sandwich at Capri was wonderful, the soft submarine roll had a crispy exterior but nice soft, and pliable interior crumb, filled to the brim with tomatoes, lettuce and the capocollo (a cured, and spiced pork), and garnished with, a simple Italian vinaigrette, salt, pepper and a thick layer of mustard. This simple sandwich was wonderful in every regard. While some sandwiches can get boring to eat due to the lack of different textures and flavors, this sandwich was slightly different with every bite. While assembling the sandwich, the employees at Capri do not evenly sprinkle on the vinaigrette, salt, and pepper, they do it unevenly which adds to the unique eating experience, every other bite was slightly more acidic than the last and that paired incredibly well with the juicy sweet tomatoes and salty and spiced pork. However, the biggest contributor to the greatness of the sandwich was the mustard. While it was just a simple yellow mustard, it added to the overall acidity and flavor profile of the sandwich, it helped to cut down the fattiness of the pork while also adding a slight tanginess to the sandwich. While the Great Grandpa Joe at Claro’s was stuffed to the brim with capocollo, mortadella, salami, cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, and some pickled pepperoncini. Served on a firmer submarine roll. This sandwich I felt was way more complex in flavor. The different types of spiced deli meats all played very well together, while the lettuce and tomatoes added some nice texture and sweetness. However, I believe the shining star in this sandwich was the pickled pepperoncini. They added some slight heat and a strong vinegar and acidic taste. Thankfully, they were a bit conservative with the pepperoncini, and you only encountered them every other bite which was the perfect amount. Any more and it would have overwhelmed the sandwich. However, my biggest issue with the sandwich was the bread. While it worked pretty well with the rest of the components I felt like it was too firm. Rather than being able to swallow the sandwich as a whole, I ended up having to chew the bread far longer than the sandwich filling. This is a major ding for me. In my opinion, a sandwich should be 1 package and all the components need to work together to form a cohesive experience. If the bread, (which in my opinion is the most important part) does not deliver the filling in a harmonious way then the entire experience is ruined. This is not to say that this was a bad sandwich, the sandwich itself with the pepperoncini was very balanced while still being complex and interesting to eat.

Keane: So, I’m a big fan of cold cuts myself and nothing gets my flavortown vibes going more than spicy, fatty meat and an acidic dressing, and Capri’s carpacollo did not disappoint, no siree. I don’t really disassemble my sandwiches but at a cursory glance, it looked like some form of cured ham, shredded lettuce, provolone cheese, tomatoes, and a healthy smear of mustard. The meat was flavorful and rich and salty, and while the lettuce wasn’t doing a lot for me, it was nice to add extra body to the sandwich and as it turns out, the mustard ended up bringing a lot, as the meat demanded some acidic bite.

I was feeling a bit of a sense of deja vu as we sat down, two sandwiches and a box of pasta in hand once again, ready for yet another test of a cold cut sampler and a signature meatball sub. The Carpacollo here was a lot like the one from Capri’s, just without the mustard and with a bit more tomato. I was thinking to myself as I took my first bite that this would be a problem, just because the deli meats get really well balanced by something sharp like mustard or vinegar, which this seemed to have neither. It wasn't until I tried it that I was pleasantly surprised by, oddly, a few pepperoncini hidden within the greens of the lettuce, bringing acidity and a complementing spice to the whole affair without taking center stage. Notably, the bread had a bit more of chew which I’m a personal fan of for most sandwiches, but there was some form of oil or vinegar dressing which soaked into the bread and a fluffier and more robust loaf would have been more appreciated. Despite this, the rest of the sandwich was solid, built on a strong flavor base, and decorated with just the right amounts of seasoning and contrast.

Colby: For a first-time Italian deli-goer such as myself, I’d be left wondering what the hell a capocollo is. From first impressions, it sounds like a type of pasta dish. This was, admittedly, my initial guess going into it as well, until the other two corrected me and told me that it was, in fact, a sandwich. Even looking at this sandwich, it appears very average and nondescript. It has some color, but to some, it looks like just a regular sandwich with meat and lettuce in it. Going into it, I didn’t have many expectations for it. Boy, was I surprised. You should have seen the look on my face when I took the first bite. My eyes were shimmering from euphoria. Everything about that sandwich blew my mind. The spiced, cured pork (which is apparently where the sandwich gets its name from), the sweet tomatoes, the cold, crisp, refreshing layer of lettuce, and the soft, but not gummy bread. It was by no means a boring sandwich, despite the simple, unassuming exterior. The real star of the show, however, was the mustard. One simple, thin layer of mustard. The acidity of the mustard cut through the strong saltiness that deli meats normally have, as well as giving the whole sandwich, overall, a rich, but not overpowering tang that boosts the overall flavor profile of the sandwich. Going to Claro’s, I wasn’t so sure how my prior experience could be topped. “If that last sandwich was as good as it was, how good is this one gonna be?”, I was thinking. My mind was blown, yet again. The bar that had been set by Capri was broken and set even higher. That’s how good I thought it was. The similarities ended at the inclusion of lettuce and tomatoes. Instead of one layer of meat, there were three (salami, mortadella, and capocollo). Instead of a soft submarine bread used at Capri, Claro’s opted to use the same type of bread, but firmer. Lastly, instead of a layer of mustard, there was a layer of pepperoncino. The pepperoncino was the deal maker for me, the thing that put me over the edge in saying that this was the better sandwich of the two. Although they were conservative with the amount that they put into the sandwich, it did a lot in cutting the richness of having *three* types of meat in the sandwich, as well as adding a subtle astringency towards the overall flavor profile of the sandwich, giving it complexity in its flavors. Really, with this type of sandwich, it’s just like a Transformer. Not only does the taste transform when you least expect it, but there is also more than meets the eye.

Meatball Sub vs Meatball Sub:

Alex: The meatball sub is what made me fall in love with Capri in the first place. Done quite simply, it is just meatballs, marinara, cheese on a submarine roll, (however Capri does offer to serve the meatball sub on garlic bread which is what I recommend). Interestingly Capri chooses to smash the meatballs in the sandwich which makes for a bit of an easier and cleaner eating experience. Since the meatballs are smashed up, there is no risk of a meatball falling out of the bread and making a mess of your clothes. However, due to this crumbliness, the meatball is a bit mealy and feels like something I would get with a classic spaghetti and meatball. This isn’t a bad thing but I think it takes away from the uniqueness of the sandwich. The marinara sauce for me is the best part of this sandwich. Sweet and umami filled, the sauce is on the smoother side, while still having a nice and thick texture, paired with the same submarine roll as the capocollo sandwich, I actually think the soft yet crispy bread couldn’t stand up to the wet and saucy sandwich. While the sandwich did not fall apart, the bread didn’t feel like it was contributing to the overall experience of the sandwich and felt more like a vessel for the meatballs to be delivered to my mouth, which was a pretty big ding for me. Claro’s meatball sub, on the other hand, stole my heart. The meatballs themselves were round, plump, firm, juicy, creamy, and tangy. They tasted like they were made to be in that sandwich. The configuration of the sandwich was important too, by putting the cheese in first, then the meatball and then sauce, it made it so the last thing you tasted was cheese, and the tangy sharp provolone helped reset the palate in anticipation for more rich meatball and sauce. While the sauce at Capri was on the smoother side, Claro’s was definitely chunkier, richer, and creamier. Rather than being the dominant flavor in the sandwich, it played a supporting role and ultimately helped bring a cohesive eating experience. Claro also chooses to wrap the sandwich in some wax paper and aluminum foil. This helps to “steam” the bread and slightly melt the cheese from the warm meatballs. This “steaming” process helps bind all the components together, soften the bread, and make a cohesive sandwich. While I criticized the choice of bread for the Great-Grandpa Joe, I think that it worked so much better in this application. Due to the “steaming”, the bread becomes softer while still retaining its chewy texture, making it much more palatable and enjoyable.

Keane: Let’s start off as usual with Capri’s, and picking up right after my first Carpacollo of the day. The meatball sub had notably crushed the meatballs to better fit in the sandwich, and this definitely did wonders for the logistics of fitting it in my mouth and the cheese was melty and fragrant, but otherwise, I’d have to say the sandwich was mostly average. The sauce was sweet and served hot but just a bit plain for me, I found myself wanting more complexity in the sandwich. The meat was definitely plainer than I would want and the cheese sorta muted the flavors more but overall I left generally happy.

Now, when we came to Claro’s Great-Grandpa Joe, I was a little bored by the similarities in appearance with just about every sub I’ve gotten. The sandwich was a pretty standard assembly of a generous helping of large, in house meatballs glazed with a rich tomato sauce and some neutral, melty cheese. As I took my first bite, it was notable that these meatballs were well spiced, something tasting of mild citrus and fennel and chili flakes. While the sauce wasn’t anything super exceptional, the texture of the meat was a bit smoother than your typical crumbly meatball sub, which can range anywhere from classic meatball to meatloaf in the shape of a ball. The cheese was a lot less pronounced than at Capri’s but in this case, the chewier and denser bread worked really in the favor of the sub since it could hold and support more sauce and meat and generally hold everything together. The flatter shape was welcome since the meatballs ended up adding a ton of girth to the thing, which could be either a good or bad thing depending on you but overall I loved this sandwich.

Colby: Somehow, prior to the development of this article, I have never had a single meatball sub in my life. It’s always eluded me, for one reason or another. “It looks too messy to eat.”. “Clearly, it’s unhealthy.” Excuse after excuse. It wasn’t until Alex enlisted me to come along with him and Keane to compare these two Italian delis, that I really gave myself a chance to try out a meatball sub for the first time. So, what you’re about to read is my firsthand experience with two slightly different takes on meatball subs. The one I had at Capri was small, compact, and had the customary slathering of tomato sauce, as well as a thin, almost invisible layer of provolone cheese. The sauce was light, with natural flavors of tomato coddling the lightly seasoned meatballs, complemented by the subtle, yet sharp and nutty provolone. The already soft bread was somehow not made overly soggy by the amount of sauce on it, which assuaged a running concern of mine; that the sandwich would be made too mushy by the wet tomato sauce. My one and only nitpick with this sandwich is that it appears that the meatballs were made using lean meat. This translates to a rather mealy, chewy meatball, which, although still tasty, felt more befitting alongside spaghetti than a sandwich. Conversely, the sandwich I had at Carlo’s used firmer bread, larger meatballs, and was, quite literally, *drenched* in marinara sauce. Yes, it was slightly harder to eat (more so because it barely fit in my mouth), but the complexity in flavor was so much more intricate. We were debating on what was hidden inside that ball of meat. Alex suggested there was ricotta, Keane suggested there were chili flakes, fennel, and hints of citrus in it. Whatever the case, I was enthralled by it. Not knowing exactly what was inside the meatballs was part of the fun. The umami from the sauce (which was notably stronger and more intense than the sauce from Capri, as well as chunkier, which made for a more satisfying texture) and the rich, plump meatballs paired together well with a small layer of provolone cheese, which played the same role, save for one difference; the sandwich was constructed in such a way where the cheese is the last thing you taste, which, as Alex notes, serves as a palate resetter and makes the sandwich not too overwhelming to eat. I definitely recommend both, but I believe that Claro’s had a slight edge here.

Conclusions:

Alex: While I did enjoy the Capocollo sandwich at Capri more, my winner is Claro’s. Ultimately my decisions were based on eating experience and flavor, I preferred the meatball sub and antipasto at Claro’s more. While Capri may have made me fall in love with their sandwiches, Claro’s stole my heart and ran with it. I find myself going back to Claro’s once a week or once every 2 weeks, while I only visited Capri once every couple of months. The complexity and thought that goes into everything they make is apparent and is reflected in the taste of the food. That's not to say that you shouldn’t give Capri a chance, they’re selection of hot sandwiches greatly outnumbers the ones offered at Claro’s and that's where I think it shines. This was a very close battle and it was hard to make this decision but ultimately Claro’s came out on top.

Keane: I gotta vote in favor of Claro’s. I love the simple aesthetic Capri’s was presenting but overall, there was a more traditional and more complex style in Claro’s shop and this was well reflected in the food. The capocollo fared pretty similarly but I’m a sucker for chewy bread and a sucker for pepperoncini in my sandwiches. They came out with high-quality meat on both sides and I love that Capri doesn’t go easy on their condiments but I think I like more robust sandwiches and stronger flavors. This carries over into my decision for the meatball sub comparison too. I think I see the simplicity approach Capri was going for but that isn’t really my thing, and the sub at Claro’s was a bit of an experience for me. The antipasto was a lot closer, I liked that the dressing for Capri was more pronounced and I thought the cheese was doing wonders for it but I think Claro’s won me over in the end despite the plainer flavor profile. Something with the crunch of the vegetables and the effort put into it just makes me appreciate it more. It all comes down to personal preferences, but for the beautiful ambiance of the store, and the generally tastier food, I’m definitely coming back to Claro’s again soon.

Colby: My vote goes to Claro’s. I believe that Capri’s unwavering dedication to simplicity bit them in the foot, in the sense that everything ended up feeling more restrained compared to Claro’s. Claro’s is unrelenting and does not hold back at all, more befitting for those like myself who prefer stronger and more robust flavors in their food. In the capocollo, this was shown by the layer of pepperoncino and the decision to have three different types of meats on the sandwich. In the meatball sub, this was shown by the attention to detail put in both assembling that enigmatic meatball and the way the cheese was laid onto the sandwich. I respect and admire Capri’s approach to simplicity (and it definitely works to fantastic effect on dishes such as the bowtie pasta salad), and very much enjoyed my experience eating there, but ultimately, to my personal tastes, I prefer Claro’s. However, I believe this definitely was an incredibly close battle, without a doubt.

Address

Capri Deli: 713 E San Bernardino Rd, Covina, CA 91723

Claro's Italian Market: 159 E College St, Covina, CA 91723

Price:

Capri Deli: $24

Claro's Italian Market: $22