Kansas City-area deli opens new location, this one with walk-up window
Cars rushed down Grand Boulevard on Friday, blowing a slight breeze onto a small group of customers standing on the sidewalk.
While patrons waited in line, employees behind a rectangular hole in the brick wall piled baguettes high with pastrami, salami, garlic aioli and other fixings.
The Italian Sausage Co., a deli that started in Gladstone four years ago, opened its walk-up window in the Rivermarket on Friday at 518 Grand Blvd., just in time for the warm weather and the World Cup.
The new location, formerly the kitchen for delivery company ClusterTruck, is completely outside and features about a half-dozen picnic tables on the side of the building. Customers look at the menu posted on one window and order from the other.
A manager at the window told The Star the deli’s most popular items include the No. 5 (mortadella, salami, provolone, ham, Swiss, red wine vinaigrette, chopped olive salad on a toasted seeded loaf) and the No. 7 (ham, capocollo, genoa salami, pepperoni, provolone, lettuce, onion, tomato, pepperonicini, shredded lettuce, arugula, house-made garlic aioli, mustard, oil and vinegar on an Italian seeded loaf).
But its Italian sausage is the star. Owner Joe Brancato Jr. is the third generation in his family to make the no-fillers, no-gluten, no-preservatives, no-MSG sausage.
His family operated Brancato’s Market at 4019 Independence Ave. for several years until 2002, according to the company’s website.
The Italian Sausage Co. opened its Gladstone location at 7319 N. Oak Trafficway in 2022.
For now, the new location will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays. Hours will eventually extend.
At some point, it will begin offering breakfast and coffee, the manager said, though they’re still finding their sea legs.
A few blocks west at 426 Delaware St., the old “Trolley Tom” has been transformed into a grab-and-go deli and restaurant. Car No. 551 sells desserts, burgers, sandwiches and more.