The Best New York Deli is in New Jersey - Fiore’s

**Fiore’s House of Quality: A Legacy of Italian Tradition in Hoboken**

Step into Fiore’s House of Quality, an Italian delicatessen nestled in the heart of Hoboken, New Jersey, and you’re transported back to a bygone era—a place where family recipes, timeless traditions, and a deep-rooted connection to Italian-American culture come alive. For over 111 years, this beloved institution has been a cornerstone of the community, serving up authentic flavors that have delighted locals and visitors alike.

### A Family Legacy

The story of Fiore’s begins with John Amato, the current owner, who has been steeped in the family business since he was just 14 years old. His journey at Fiore’s started under the watchful eye of his father, who worked for Mr. Fiore, the store’s founder. By 1965, John’s father purchased the business from Mr. Fiore, who was ready to retire. From that moment on, the Amato family has carried forward the legacy of Fiore’s, ensuring that its rich traditions and high-quality products continue to thrive.

John Amato, now at the helm of the store, reflects with pride on his father’s dedication. “He worked seven days a week, 14 hours a day,” John recalls. “He was a cornerstone of Hoboken.” His father’s hard work and commitment have left an indelible mark on the community, earning him the love and respect of customers and peers alike.

### The Art of Making Mozzarella

At Fiore’s, the crown jewel of their offerings is undeniably the fresh mozzarella. This beloved cheese is more than just a product—it’s a labor of love, a tradition passed down through generations. John and his team approach each batch with the same care and precision that has been handed down from his grandfather, father, and uncles.

The process begins with curd, which is gently heated in hot water to achieve the perfect texture. It’s a delicate balance, much like easing into a jacuzzi—too abrupt, and the cheese might become tough; too gradual, and it won’t stretch properly. Once the curd reaches the desired consistency, it’s shaped by hand into twists or balls, then brined in saltwater to enhance its flavor.

John emphasizes that making mozzarella is about feel, something his father and uncles drilled into him. “It’s just hot water, raw cheese, and then get it to the desired texture,” he says with a knowing smile. The result is a soft, juicy piece of cheese that has become synonymous with Fiore’s.

### A Taste of Italy in Hoboken

Fiore’s isn’t just a store—it’s an experience. Stepping inside feels like entering a time capsule, where old-school charm meets modern-day quality. The walls are lined with decades of history, from the slicing machines used by his grandfather to the wooden chairs that have seen generations of customers.

The store offers a variety of Italian delicacies, from mortadella and prosciutto to gabagool and smoked mozzarella. Each product is crafted with care, reflecting the Amato family’s commitment to preserving authentic Italian flavors. Their antipasti selection includes everything from olives and hot peppers to roasted peppers and homemade sausage—a testament to the store’s dedication to tradition.

### The Fiore’s Community

Fiore’s has been a gathering spot for Hoboken’s diverse community for decades. Regular customers become like family, and the store has welcomed its fair share of famous faces over the years. John recalls a time when his uncle delivered a package of mozzarella to Teterboro Airport, which was then flown to Las Vegas for Frank Sinatra during his performances at the Sands Hotel.

The store’s reputation for quality has drawn customers from far and wide, many making pilgrimages just to experience the taste of Fiore’s mozzarella. “You really can’t get it anywhere else,” John notes with pride.

### A Commitment to Quality

Fiore’s philosophy is simple: do things the same way, over and over again, and do them right. This commitment to small-batch production ensures that every product meets the high standards set by generations of Amato family members.

The store’s dedication to quality extends beyond its products to its customers. Whether it’s a quick sandwich for a local or a special order for a famous artist, Fiore’s goes above and beyond to deliver an unforgettable experience.

### Reflections on Family and Tradition

As John reflects on his journey, he speaks fondly of the family that shaped him—his father, uncles, and grandfather. Their wisdom and guidance have been his compass, helping him navigate the challenges of running a family business.

“I’ve learned through the years from my dad and my uncles,” John shares. “They told me what to do, how to do, what to feel.” These lessons have not only shaped his approach to making mozzarella but also instilled in him a deep respect for the legacy he carries forward.

### The Future of Fiore’s

Despite the challenges of running a family business, John remains committed to preserving the traditions that make Fiore’s special. He takes pride in knowing that his children will one day carry on the Amato family legacy, just as he has done.

For now, John continues to work alongside his team, ensuring that each sandwich, salad, and slice of mozzarella reflects the same care and dedication that have been the hallmark of Fiore’s for over a century. As he looks back on his father’s wisdom, he feels a sense of fulfillment in knowing that their hard work and sacrifices have laid a strong foundation for the future.

### Conclusion

Fiore’s House of Quality is more than just a store—it’s a piece of living history, a testament to the resilience and passion of the Amato family. From its humble beginnings in 1913 to its current status as a beloved institution, Fiore’s has remained a beacon of Italian-American tradition.

As you step into Fiore’s, you’re not just entering a store—you’re stepping into a story. A story of family, heritage, and the unbreakable bond between a community and the place that feeds their souls. For those lucky enough to experience Fiore’s, it’s more than just a meal—it’s an encounter with history, tradition, and the warmth of a family that has called Hoboken home for generations.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enThis is the type of placethat Tony Sopranowould have sat in the backand eaten some gabagool,some mortadella,and picked on the mozzarella.This is old school.This is 1950s back here.Come to Mama, guys.I got you.The only thing differentis there’s less gangstersin here now than there was back then.We have people that comefrom far, far awayto experience the taste of the mozzare.la.The texture is perfect, right now.I'm ready to form mymozzarellas out of it.I'm going to stretch it one last time.-Is that the smoke mozz?You're the best.We’re a small store in the backroads of a small town.But we’re very fortunate that our reputation, our quality, our productdraws people in to this location.My dad means the world to me.He taught me everything I know.-It’s a family, you come in a few times,they get to know you.-Mike Gay, $2.75.-You have a great day.It works.Hi, my name is John Amato.This is my wife, Jane Amato.-Hello.I work at Fiore’s House of Quality.I am now the owner of the store,it’s an Italian delicatessen.We're located in Hoboken, New Jersey.The store was founded in 1913,so that's 111 years, right now.And I've been working theresince I was 14 years old.Hello, Fiore’s.Sure, a whole corned beefand mozz.Would you like a little mustard on it?Our number one productis our fresh mozzarella.Then we have a lot of otherItalian delicaciesmortadella, prosciutto,gabagool.We have all the staplesof the Italian family.The mozzarella is...it's delicious.It's soft.He really, really knowshow to make the mozzarella.They go by feel.It's delicious.And people just keep coming back,because you reallycan't get it anywhere else.This place is synonymouswith Italian-American tradition,especially since Hobokenis the birthplace of it.They jumped off the boat andHoboken was where it all began.Famous actors wouldcome in here all the time,just want a sandwich,just want a piece of mozzarella.I remember one time,my uncle had me take a packageto Teterboro AirportThat had to be flown out toLas Vegas, to Sinatra,while he was playing over in the Sands.And I brought mozzarella from here,which got to Las Vegas in five hours.It was incredible.Sinatra needed his fix.Which means,“Two stars fell into the ocean.”But, we used to sing that all the time.Entering Fiore’s is likeentering the 1950s.We're doing it the same way.Small batches bringing out the bestwe can out of the products that we sell.That's our philosophy.Do it...Do the same thing overand over and do it right.-Next!-Over here.Welcome to the store.Over here, we have our antipasti.We have olives, octopus, hot peppers.Roasted peppers isone of our biggest sellers.This is our main slicing machine.This is where we startto prepare all sandwiches.On this counter here, we havebasically all our homemade stuff.This is our mozzarella salad.This is oil, basil and tomatoes.This is our homemade smoked mozzarella.This is our dry scamorza.Dry mozzarella,mainly used for cooking.This is our homemade sausage.It's all pork, salt, pepper, fennel.Very simple.Excellent.In this room is wherewe make the mozzarella.Mozzarella is the family legacy.What I'm doing here isI’m passing it through this guitar.This way,when we start to cook with hot water,it cooks each piece.Making mozzarella isa very simple process.It’s just hot water, raw cheese,and then get it to thedesired texture that you want.I've learned through the yearsfrom my dad and my uncles.They told me what to do,how to do, what to feel.And I just kept going with it.All right, so what we're doing iswe’re getting hot water,and we’re going tointroduce it to the curd.We don't want to shock it.We don't want to make it too hot.It's kind of like a jacuzzi.You want to go into ajacuzzi nice and easy,and then you want thehot water to come on.My grandfather used this paddleHe used to be the mozzarellamaker with my Uncle Doc.Everything in this placehas been used by my father,my uncles, my grandfather.So a lot of history is right here.What I'm doing is I’mbringing the curd together,it’s right where I want it to be.So I'm bringing all the little piecestogether, and I'm making it smooth.So this way I can form it into a twist.We make twists.I'll make some balls, also.I got it to the temperature wanted.Now, I'm going to remove the hot waterto stop the cooking process.The texture is perfect, right now.I'm ready to form mymozzarellas out of it.I'm going to stretch it one last time,Make everything nice and smooth.The final stage we dois when we add the salt.We dip it in a salt water brine.So that’ll add a little moretaste to the mozzarella.Whole milk taste.Just very delicious.It's just a very juicy piece of cheese.We're doing something right.You know, when we see customers andwhen we give thema taste of the mozzarella.And it's that wow factor, you've seenmany people go,“Wow, this is great.”So it's a nice feeling to see that.That gets us going.I'm going to give you a pieceso you can try right now.-$15.Here, we're going to be saltingsome roasted peppers.We're going to be using them,marinating them later on.We’re going to add oil and garlic.Well, my grandfatherfirst came here from Italy.He actually jumped ship,at that time it was called.He came here illegally,but it was during a snowstorm.So all he had was just a lettertrying to getto his cousin's place in Hoboken.The sacrifices that they made backthen was just amazing.Hoboken has beenvery great to our family.My father worked hard his whole life.He worked for Mr Fiore, like I saidin 1950 at 15 years old, delivering.One of his well known clientsat the time for Mr Fiorewas Dolly Sinatra,Frank Sinatra's mother.In 1965 he purchased the businessfrom Mr Fiore, who was ready to retire.From that point on,my father was able tocarry on the businessand grow the business.He worked seven days a week.He was doing 14 hours a day.He was a cornerstone of Hoboken.-He was well known.-Well known and well loved.-Well loved.And the store's been very good to us.And the hard work,the sacrifice of all the generations.We always do it for the kids,and I'm doing the same for my kids.-$9.75, please.-Can I get a little side of mustard?-Yeah, sure.This town, Hoboken is a townthat's loaded with characters.Hey, how ya doin’?Everybody has nicknames,they're all very funny in their own way.I ordered the Italian special.I get the prosciuttini, the soppressataand the hot ham with the smoked mozz.-That's my game sandwich.-Sold.You sound like a salesman, but it’s good.It's not really what the doctor ordered,but it makes me happy.And I'm going to diewith a smile on my face.You know what I mean?I don't overdo it.I have heart disease, four stents.But I still come here because, I’ve been coming here from like 1980-something.So I moved to Hobokena couple of years ago nowand I think as soon as we were here,I think we'd been herelike one day beforesomeone asked us,“Oh, have you been to Fiore’s yet?”We were all little kids coming down here,especially in the summer.Come down and get a sandwich.But it’s always about the mozz.Today’s special is the corned beef.Do you like corned beef?All sandwiches comewith mozzarella on it, okay?Every day we doone special.Today’s special is the corned beef.Our corned beef is like butter.We slow boil itfor about an hour and a half.You could do the fork test,if the fork goes in nice and easy,she's ready.All right, we’re gonnamake a whole loaf ofcorned beef and mozzarella,today’s special.First, we’re gonna startwith the Italian bread.It’s a brick oven bread.You can't beat a brick oven bread,it’s one of your best.We’re gonna add ourfresh mozzarella to it, homemade.That's like the foundationof almost all our sandwiches.We’re gonna layer it on there nicely.Now, I’ll slice the corned beeffor the sandwich.All right, we’re gonna puta little mustard on it.Just a smear of mustard.German mustard to gowith the Italian mozzarella,and the Irish corned beef.The German mustardkeeps everybody in place.Simple sandwich.That's what we do.That’s it.That’s a good sandwich.Hey, how you doing?How may I help you, sweetie?Working withfamily is the best.It doesn't actually feel like work.Like I said my father,we lost last year.My two uncles we lost in 2020.That’s when I started to work,before that,it was just hanging out with my family.We have friends that come inand just to hang out here,we have like a little clubhousein the back, basically.And the days just pass.-You know, the Amato family's beautiful.In the beginning, of course,you know, I'm Asian, I'm Filipino.And I was a little bit nervousto meet my father-in-law back then.But really, they acceptedme with open arms.They were nice, lovingand just accepted me.They're very family-oriented,the Filipinos are very family-oriented.It's a great family to be part of.One thing about like our familyin a family business,you always feel their presencein the store.My grandfather, my two uncles,my father nowand I know they're proud of me,because they told mewhen they were alive.Even like when my father was 88,and he was like,“You can do it.I know you can do it.And you've been doing it for us.”And it’s a warm feeling to have,working in the same store orsitting in the same chairwhere my father's sat.We have an old wooden chair.I remember my grandfathersitting in that old wooden chair and,you know, we're doing it for the family.And one common goal,to work for the store,to bring out the best,and to provide for our families.Thank you.Take care, enjoy.That's what our mission was,so it was all good.\n"