Indulge at Maggio’s

If Mark Maggio is one thing—besides an excellent cook—he’s a survivor. The veteran of more than dozen restaurants over his thirty-two year career, from food-court locations to fine dining establishments, it’s safe to say that he knows his way around Baton Rouge’s food scene. His latest venture, Maggio’s Delicatessen, started out as a small, self-run catering company in October of last year; but just last week Maggio opened the doors to a retail space on Old Hammond, where customers can walk in and order delicious deli-style Italian and Cajun food in a variety of options. “I’m trying to cover every choice,” Maggio says, and it seems he really has considered all the angles. Walk into Maggio’s and you can order your food to-go either piping hot and ready to eat immediately, or cold and packaged for re-heating for later consumption. If you choose to stay and chow down on mouthwatering meatballs and muffulettas, you’ll be charmed by the deli’s cozy dining area. But it’s the food that matters most here: authentic (and delicious) Italian. “It’s fine-dining quality for deli prices,” Maggio says of his cooking. He plans to introduce a rotating menu of specials once the new place settles into a routine, but the standbys like chicken parmesan and seafood-stuffed eggplant will be consistently available. When the weather starts to cool, he plans to expand the menu to include gumbos and etouffees. He’s also still offering catering services, and since he’s currently the only employee, he’s able to keep things flexible. During his first week, a customer called and asked if Maggio could stay open a half-hour after his usual 8 p.m. closing time so that he and some out-of-town guests could try his spaghetti and meatballs—a request Maggio was only too happy to accommodate. Check out a photo gallery of Maggio’s by clicking here.