WE'RE AT Defonte's of Brooklyn. My name is Anthony Demonte, and I got the Cenzo 13 in my hands right now. Guys, anything else? Baby, Good morning, buddy. Sometimes I have a line out the door waiting for me to unlock it. Ronnie, any parlay lately or what? What's going on?

My name is Larry Demonte. I'm not a Defonte. I used to work here when I was 16 years old, and I learned the business. Hey, what's up, my friend? How you doing? How's everything? What's up, buddy? How you doing? All right? Good. Good.

My partner is Nicky Defonte. His grandfather was the original owner. Nicky has been keeping the legacy alive for years, and it's great to see him still passionate about the business. He's a true family man, just like his father before him.

Nicky's father was the one who started Defonte's back in the day. He built this place from scratch, and it's amazing to think about how far the business has come since then. We've changed with the times, but we still have that same old-school Brooklyn feel that keeps people coming back. It's a unique experience, and I'm proud to be a part of it.

When you walk into Defonte's, you can almost smell the history in the air. The aroma of freshly made sandwiches, the sound of sizzling meats on the grill – it's all part of the experience that keeps people coming back. We've been doing this for years, and it's amazing to think about how many people have walked through those doors.

We make everything fresh in-house, from the bread to the cheese. Our mozzarella balls are made by hand, and they're a favorite among our regulars. It's hard work, but it's worth it to see the smile on someone's face when they take a bite of one of our sandwiches.

How's everything? How you doing? How's everything? Good seeing you. What's up, Jonathan?

I've been coming here for over 50 years. The school was right across the street when I was in the seventh grade, and we would sneak over here to get deli sandwiches. They'd always remember my name, and I'm so grateful. It's amazing to think about how much the business has changed since then.

You look good, Larry. How you feel? Yeah, all right, brother. Considering. Yeah. Thank God. Hanging in there, pal. My dad would even bring me here and have sandwiches all the time. And it's a lot of laughs. We still have a lot of fun with each other.

Hey, how're you doing, pal? Good to see you. How's Nikki? Good. He's good. I will always remember him fondly. It's good to see you, brother. Good to see you.

You see people come in here, they walk in the own place. They just love that vibe. They don't feel out of sort. They feel like part of the family. Third grade, right? Nice. It's that old feeling – that old feeling like it's still old-school Brooklyn – that keeps people coming back.

We've had our fair share of celebrities come through these doors over the years. The Sopranos, Tony Sirico, and even some movie stars have all walked in here to try one of our famous sandwiches. It's a great honor to have such a loyal following.

People come from all over the city to taste what we have to offer. We've been in this business for so long that people talk about us. They come in, they try it out, and they love it. And when they leave, they smile – they're on camera! It's not just a meal; it's an experience.

Oil and vinegar, our secret sauce. It's a favorite among our regulars, and we're always happy to oblige. We've had cousins come visit us at the Motherlands. They love trying all of our different sandwiches and drinks.

We're making a Cenzo Special – after my big bro. The business picked up more with him doing social media. He's been doing that, and he's working in the store, and he's been doing very well. It's going to be $17.50, brother. Thank you very much. Appreciate it.

We name some of our sandwiches after people who have passed away. Then when they say The General, I think of my father. And when they order the James Cagney, I think of Danny and Vito that I actually worked for when I was a kid. Always.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: en“We’re at Defonte’sof Brooklyn.My name is Anthony Demonte,and I got the Cenzo 13in my hands right now.“Guys, anything else?”“Baby.Good morning, buddy.”“Sometimes I have a lineout the door waiting for meto unlock it.”“Ronnie, any parlayslately or what?What’s going on?”“My name is Larry Demonte.I’m not a Defonte.I used to work herewhen I was 16 years old,and I learned the business.”“Hey.What’s up, my friend?How you doing?How’s everything?What’s up, buddy?How you doing?All right?Good.Good.”“My partner is Nicky Defonte.His grandfather wasthe original owner.Nicky came to me and said,listen, my father and my uncleare going to retire.Why don’t you comein the business?You know the business.And then me and Nickytook it over 24 years ago.I built the business up,brought it to the next level.”“Ready?Was that quick enough?”“No, but you could add it.You want to add mayonnaise?Yeah, sure.You got it.Large or small?Small.”“The energy is alwayshigh at Defonte’s.Happiness, love, andfood is Defonte’s, a.k.a.The motherlands.We’ve been hereover 102 years.Look at that finished product.So when you comeinto Defonte’s,you feel like you’re family.What’s up, primo?”“Yeah.”“Since I was born, I’ve beeneating off this business,so it feels great tokeep the tradition going.Thank you very much.Yes, thank you.Have a great day.”“People get overwhelmed whenthey come in because of howmany choices you have here,but everything is A-1.”“People come in, theyhave choices, at least 50,all different types.My favorite is the roast beef.I like it with yellow cheese,lettuce, tomatoes, pickles,and mayo.That’s my favorite.”“Which one meansthe most to you?”“The Cenzo.The one I named after my son.”“Anybody next over here?”“Cenzo 13 you want, right?”“Yeah.”“Cenzo 13.”“Yeah, I kind of don’t know.I walked in, and thenit was on the wall.And he was like, I madea special for Vinny.”“His nickname, theyused to call him Cenzo.His name is Vincenzo, Vincent.And my lucky number was 13.And he used to always,if he was in baseball,he would pick 13.He played football,he picked 13.So it became hislucky number, too.He passed away threeyears ago, and it’s tough.My father used toalways say to me,your kids are piecesof your heart.So I have a piecethat’s missing now,but I’ll be withhim one day again.”“Cenzo 13.You got it, brother.”“Thank you.”“That special sells themost for cold sandwichesbecause my dad put all of hisheart into that sandwich.”“I wanted to invent a realItalian sandwich for him.We put Sopressata, broccolirabe, roasted peppers,fresh mozzarella, hot peppers,prosciutto, balsamic glaze,and olive oil.People love it.”“Is this yourfavorite sandwich?”“Yeah, my favorite.”“Yeah, but everything’sfalling on the floor.”“Watch your back, Jerry.Come on, Jerry.”“Yeah, his colorfulpersonality.You know, he wasreally a funny kid.And when you open it up, yousee the burst of colors thatcome out of there, betweenthe meats and the red peppersand the green from thebroccoli and the white fromthe mozzarella.”“So when the Cenzo firstcame out, it was very fresh.And people ordered it, and Iwould sometimes get the chillsand be in a bad spot.But as time wenton, I got stronger.Now people order it, and itjust makes me feel like he’swith me.So much alike --we were like yinand yang, so muchalike and so muchdifferent in waysthat we balance eachother out perfectly.When I talk about my brother,I don’t say my older brother.I say my best friend.And I feel like partof me is missing.”“Somebody’s free,we got to fill up.”“They used to make everythingfresh back in the day.You go to a lot of delis,they buy the containers.It’s already made.So we kept the tradition.We do it every morning fresh.Everything here is homemade.”“O.K., Vic.Ready.Now you work it.You got to get onefinger, one finger.When it starts going likethat, it’s almost ready.Now I make the balls.And that’s what’sfresh mozzarella.”“There’s so much that goesinto this behind the scenesin the kitchen and the hardwork that the guys put in thatreally make us who we are.It’s worth it to me.It’s a little hard work,but it’s worth it.”“How’s everything?How’re you doing?How’s everything?Good seeing you.”“What’s up, Jonathan?”“Still come infor the potato.”“Good seeing you.Good seeing you.”“How long have youbeen coming here?”“Since the ‘70s.What’s that?Over 50 years.”“The school was rightacross the street.I was going tothe seventh grade,and we would sneak over hereand go get a deli sandwich.And I’m not kidding you.I was about thishigh, being seven.And they’d always remember myname, and I’m so grateful.”“You look good, Larry.”“Thank you.”“How you feel?”“Yeah, all right, brother.”“I mean, considering.”“Yeah.Thank God.Hanging in there, pal.”“My dad would even bring me,come here and have sandwichesall the time.And it’s a lot of laughs.We still have a lot offun with each other.”“Hey, how’re you doing, pal.”“Good to see you.”“How’s Nikki?”“Good.He’s good.I will always.”“It’s good to seeyou, brother.”“Good to see you.”“You see people come inhere, they walk in they ownthe place.They just love that vibe.They don’t feel out of sort.They feel like partof the family.”“Third grade, right?”“Third grade.”“Nice.”“It’s that old feeling --that old feeling like it’sstill old school Brooklyn --that keeps people coming back.We changed with the times, butwe still have that same oldfeeling.”“Have a great day, pal.”“Bye, Frankie.”“The best in New York City.”“I have employees here.18 years, 15 years, 20 years,so we must be doing somethingright, that they don’t leave.”“Peoples.”“Peoples.”“Hey.What’s up?”“All the Sopranos,they’ve came here.-- came here.A lot of movie stars and stufflike that because the place isvery known, and it’sbeen around a long time,so people talk about it.And they come in, they tryit out, and they love it.Yeah, you can go.Smile.You’re on camera.”“Yeah, yeah.”- :“Oil and vinegar.”“Cousins came to visitat the motherlands.”-“Thank you.”“Great to meet you guys.”“Thank you.”“Have a good one.Take care.”“We’re at the motherlands.We’re going to makea Cenzo Special.The Cenzo Special,after my big bro.“The business picked up morewith him doing the socialmedia.So he’s been doing that, andhe’s working in the store,and he’s beendoing very well.”“A lot of people say whenyou mix family with business,it’s not good, but we’rethe complete opposite.It’s a pleasureworking with my pops.”“It’s going to be$17.50, brother.Thank you very much.Appreciate it.”“I name some of the sandwichesafter people who have passedaway.And then when they sayThe General, you know,I think of my father.And when they orderedthe James Cagney,I think of Danny andVito that I actuallyworked for when I was a kid.I always think of my son, butwhen they order the sandwich,I think about him.”\n"