New market and deli to bring specialty Italian goods to downtown Merced

An Italian-inspired market and deli is set to open in downtown Merced this fall, offering specialty and imported goods while filling a grocery gap for both residents and visitors.

Giancarlo DiTullio and his wife Anaid Martinez, owners of the Bella Luna restaurant at 350 W. Main Street, will be opening The Goods Italian Market and Deli. The market will be located next door to the restaurant, in a roughly 750 square-foot space that previously served as the restaurant’s banquet space which saw its heaviest use during the holidays, DiTullio siad.

Inside the market and deli, patrons will find a selection of imported meats and cheeses, pastas, bruschetta, jams, anchovies and sardines, chocolates, Italian sodas. DiTullio said patrons will even be able to purchase signature Bella Luna items such as the restaurant’s pink vodka sauce and crab ravioli and some various produce.

While the market will offer top tier items, DiTullio said they also want to make sure they offer items that are affordable everybody.

“We also want to make it approachable and affordable,” he said. “It’s not going to be a high-end market where you’re going to have to spend a lot of money to be able to shop. We want it to be approachable to everybody.”

The deli will feature a limited menu with sandwiches and pasta for patrons looking for a quick snack or a small meal on the go. The space will feature a few tables inside the market as well as seating outside.

DiTullio said the idea for the market came out of both personal and community needs. During the COVID-19 pandemic, DiTullio said there were times when he was unable to source some simple ingredients like prosciutto for the restaurant’s menu. With few grocery options within walking distance of downtown, he said he saw a gap in grocery offerings that he felt needed to be filled.

“There really is no grocery store downtown,” said DiTullio. “For folks that are staying at the El Capitan, where can those folks go and walk and pick up something?’” he said.

DiTullio said he also envisions the restaurant’s chefs being able to draw inspiration for dishes from what the market has to offer.

“How cool would if be if I tell my chefs ‘hey let’s put up some specials-go ahead and walk the deli, walk the market get some inspiration and we can feature a special at the restaurant from some of the specialty items that we’re holding in the deli,’” he said. “I think that it will just translate really well with the chefs and with the operation that we have at Bella Luna.”

In addition to food and beverage items, the location will also feature select products from local artisans, including pottery from the nearby Earthworks clay space studio.

Inspired by New York City bodegas and Bay Area delicatessens, DiTullio said he envisions the space as a welcoming spot that feels local and personal for residents and visitors alike.

Work is already underway to renovate the space, with plumbing and other work expected to be completed later this month. DiTullio said he expects the market and deli to open sometime in the fall in either September or October. While the location’s hours of operation have not been finalized, DiTullio said they will likely mirror those of Bella Luna.