Restaurants & Bars
Popular Family-Owned Deli Closing In Wallingford, Sold To New Owners
The owner announced that the deli has been sold, and the family-owned business is coming to an end.
WALLINGFORD, CT — A popular family-owned deli with deep roots in Wallingford is closing at the end of the week, the owner announced Wednesday.
Cousins Café and Deli, located at the former home of Gigante’s Too at 817 East Center St. in Wallingford, has been sold.
Owner Tina Hughes opened the deli five years ago, taking over for her cousin Grace Giuletti, after Gigante’s Too closed.
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The original Gigante’s Deli, which was located at 117 Church St., closed in April 2020 after nearly 50 years in business. Giuletti announced at the time that the restaurant closed because her brothers decided to retire.
Gigante’s Too had temporarily closed at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, and Giuletti had planned to reopen. However, Giuletti announced in May 2020 that she made the “difficult decision to join my brothers in retirement.”
Find out what's happening in Wallingfordfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Hughes carried on the family tradition until she announced this past August that she put Cousins Café and Deli up for sale due to “personal health issues.” She said she would keep the restaurant open, with some revisions to the hours and menu, until the business sold.
Hughes wrote in an update on Facebook on Wednesday that the deli has been officially sold.
“There will be a new owner coming in and therefore, this will be our last week,” the post reads. “We will be here until this Saturday the 22nd.
“With that being said, I think it is only right to take a moment and reflect on all we have accomplished the last 5 years. Without my family, my daughters, and my customers, this deli would not have been able to flourish the way it did— especially through opening during a pandemic.
“It has been a bittersweet experience being able to run and operate my own small business, and it is emotional that it has now come to an end.
“Grazie por tutti”
For more information about Cousins Café and Deli, visit its website here and on Facebook here.
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