Papa’s Food Market – Since 1927!

December 2020: New owners!

Original 2016 Post

Tucked away on a little side street in Wilmington Delaware you'll find Papa's Market. Don't let the residential location scare you off - they've got a parking lot across the street. And don't let the Market moniker scare you off, as Papa's is Much More than a Market.

Papa's has been serving the citizens of Wilmington's Little Italy neighborhood since 1927, offering up all sorts of Italian delights - both homemade and imported. Some come from as far away as Italy, while other items are from just over the state line Pennsylvania (home of Scaramuzza and Springfield pastas. Yum!)

They're also handy for picking up last minute produce and fruit, groceries, snacks, deli trays, gift baskets and a whole lot more.

Papa's has been family run since it was opened almost 90 years ago by Pietro "Pete" Papa, a father of 12. Through the years it has been run by many of his children, with youngest son Ralph Papa the last of Pietro's children to run the store.

Sadly Ralph passed away just last year, but his wife Rosemarie is keeping the shop and the traditions going strong.

Rosemarie still makes the lasagna herself every week ("It sells out all the time", she notes) and all of the salads and prepared foods are made in-house, like this delicious looking tomato pie (A regional treat for you out-of-towners to try!)
Another thing that makes Papa's stand out from the crowd is that they are also a butcher, cutting meat to order and making their own sausages. Decades of food prep has worn curves into the butcher blocks, a testament to the personal service you get here.

Not in the mood for a side of beef? Never fear, they make a mean and heavy sub here as well. Just ask at the deli counter.

Regional dialect note! While Delaware is Pennsylvania's neighbor, Mod Betty was relieved to find that they call subs subs here, and not hoagies, so I didn't mistakenly mess up when I ordered a sub :-)

I could not wait to get home to eat my Italian sub, so I opened it in the car, and it was a sight to behold. I told Retro Roadhusband there would be half a sub left for him later that day, but somehow by the time I got home there was only a quarter left. Oops!

If this looks too rich for your blood, don't worry - get it anyways. Papa's has you tummy covered with imported Galeffi Effervescente - perfect to soothe your stomach after a spicy meatball.

It's places like this that make a neighborhood and a city special, so when you're in Delaware make a detour to Little Italy and pick up a few treats at Papa's - some for now, some for later. Who says a ceramic bowl or imported pasta from Italy can't be a souvenir from your visit to Delaware? Not Mod B!