Vito's Deli, Court Street In Hoboken Awarded 'This Place Matters'

HOBOKEN, NJ — Vito's Deli, a popular Hoboken destination for sandwiches and Italian delicacies, and Court Street, a quaint eatery on the city's old cobblestone path, are the latest Hoboken businesses to receive the "This Place Matters" designation from the Hoboken Historic Preservation Commission.

Two years ago, when the Commission first decided to recognize 25 of Hoboken's oldest businesses with "This Place Matters" signs, the organizers noted that someday, they might recognize more recent but still iconic businesses from the 1980s.

Now, the group has begun doing so.

They recently placed signs denoting the designation on businesses such as Torna's Pizzeria on Ninth Street, Biancamano Deli on Washington Street, and Singleton Galmann Real Estate on Washington Street. (Read more here.)

More recently, they honored Vito's, at 807 Washington St., and Court Street, on Sixth and Court.

About Court Street, they wrote: "Court Street was opened in a one-story building January 24, 1981 in the same location as the current restaurant, Court Street at Sixth Street. In the beginning, it was sawdust on the floor, a hot dog cart & a small grill. In the late 80s, owner Jack Talbot razed the building, and built the current structure ... Talbot, in early 2015, sold the business to longtime friend and customer Dan Reder, and his partner Kevin Cocca, a former Court Street employee."

The restaurant, which overlooks Hoboken's century-old cobblestone street, has a bar area in the front and a cozy dining room further back. Once a week, they have specials on prime rib and lobster, and offer Sunday brunch. The menu is here.

Read more about Court Street's history here.

On Vito's, they wrote, "Hoboken native, Vito Buzzerio, first learned to make Mutz from Joe at Savelli’s when he was still a student at Hoboken High School. After a decade of perfecting his craft, he opened Vito’s & Son Italian Deli at 806 Washington in 1986. Over the past thirty-five years, Vito’s had received numerous awards for their hero’s, mozzarella, and catering."

They noted, "Don’t believe us? Their Smoked Fresh Mozarella Hero was featured on the Food Network’s 'The Best Thing I Ever Ate!' "

Vito's mouthwatering menu is here.

How The Designation Originated

The full list of businesses being given the designation this year will be announced in the future.

"The inaugural campaign included establishments created before 1979 like Albini Pharmacy (1880), The Elysian Café (1895) and the Brass Rail (1900)," noted a release from the city last month. "This year's campaign will include businesses that debuted before 1989."

The program began in 2019 with the first 25 designees, ranging from Carlo's Bakery (of "Cake Boss" fame) to Piccolo's, but was postponed last year due to the virus.

Read more about the original designees here.

Hoboken's program in 2019 was inspired by a similar campaign by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which had started its own #thisplacematters campaign.

As you wait for the rest of the businesses to be announced, you can even get the t-shirt.
Watch for updates.

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