Maryland has a quiet talent for the Italian deli, the kind of shop where salami and provolone get layered on fresh bread by people who have done it thousands of times. These are the counters where regulars order without looking at the menu, and where the cold cut sub is treated like a serious craft.
Some of these spots double as full markets stocked with imported goods, while others just focus on building a great sandwich. If you love mortadella, capicola, and crusty bread done right, this list is your road map across the state.
1. Filippo’s Italian Specialties, Silver Spring, MD
Tucked into the Wheaton area of Silver Spring, this long-standing deli manages to be both a grocery and a sandwich shop without losing focus on either.
The counter turns out subs that regulars swear by, and the cold cut is a favorite alongside the Italian Sausage Melt, meatballs, and a Philly steak and cheese for good measure. Beyond the sandwiches, the shelves hold traditional Italian packaged foods, pizza dough, quality sausages, and canned tomatoes worth stocking up on.
Bakery fans should look for the cannoli and Italian cookies in the case. Prices land in the friendly ten to twenty dollar range per person, and the layout is built for a quick visit rather than a long sit-down.
Hours run Monday through Friday from 10 AM to 6 PM, Saturday from 9 AM to 6 PM, and a shorter Sunday window of 10 AM to 2 PM. Sunday afternoons and Saturdays get busy, so a Tuesday evening stop is your calmest bet.
There is a free parking lot on site.
2. Di Pasquale’s, Baltimore, MD
Few names carry as much weight in Baltimore’s Italian food scene as Di Pasquale’s, a specialty market and cafe rolled into one busy shop on Toone Street.
The selection of imported Italian meats and cheeses runs deep, and the house made Italian sausage has a strong local reputation. Beyond the deli case, you will find fresh bread, pasta, olives, oils, salads, frozen sauces, and produce, plus prepared dishes and pizza from the cafe side.
Sandwiches are the headline act, with soups, meatballs, and Italian subs built on fresh ingredients. The spinach arancini is one of those items that keeps people coming back for more than just the cold cuts.
The shop is open Monday through Saturday from 9 AM to 6 PM and closed on Sundays. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday afternoons draw the biggest crowds, while weekday evenings run quiet.
Parking options are plentiful, mixing free lot spaces with street parking. Delivery and in-store pickup are both available if you would rather grab and go.
3. Pastore’s of Rosedale Inc, Baltimore, MD
Order the namesake sandwich here and you learn quickly why Fridays draw a crowd. The Pastore Italian Cold Cut arrives loaded with Genoa salami, capicollo, prosciuttini, mortadella, and provolone.
It gets dressed the traditional way, with olive oil and wine vinegar, lettuce, tomatoes, mayo, onions, hot peppers, olives, and a blend of grated cheeses. That kind of build is exactly what the headline of this list is all about.
The kitchen keeps things hot and fresh, from Italian sausage links cooked in sauce daily and served with onions, peppers, and cheese on a sub roll, to meatballs tucked into crusty bread. It is an old-school deli and restaurant at heart, with pasta and other traditional meals rounding out the menu.
Hours are tight, running Monday through Saturday from 10 AM to 3 PM only, and closed Sundays. Friday afternoon is the peak.
Prices sit in the ten to twenty dollar range, dine-in and takeout are both offered, and parking includes a free lot plus free street spots.
4. Scittino’s Italian Market Place, Catonsville, MD
Part pizzeria, part butcher shop, part grocery, Scittino’s covers more ground than most delis on this list. The Edmondson Avenue spot in Catonsville is primarily an Italian market, which means it stocks ingredients that are hard to find elsewhere.
House-made sausages and a full butcher counter anchor the meat side, while the deli and carryout counter turns out loaded subs, a BLT, a Reuben, and a sausage roll. Pizza and wings are part of the draw too, and the bakery case keeps cannoli and assorted Italian cookies ready to go.
The atmosphere leans casual and family-friendly, with counter service, seating, high chairs, and a kids’ menu. There is even a full vegetarian menu for anyone skipping the meats.
Open daily, with hours stretching to 9 PM most nights and 10 PM on Friday and Saturday, it is one of the later options here. Weekend afternoons and evenings get packed, mornings stay calm, and there is usually plenty of free parking.
Reservations are not accepted, so just walk in.
5. Santucci’s Deli, Silver Spring, MD
Running since 1990, Santucci’s built its name on cheesesteaks and cold cut sandwiches, and it has been feeding the Colesville Road stretch of Silver Spring for over three decades.
The menu reads like a greatest hits of Italian-American subs, with the ColdCut, Italian Delight, prosciutto, Reuben, brisket, eggplant parmigiana, chicken parmesan, Italian sausage, meatball marinara, and a fresh tomato basil mozzarella. The cold cut sub is a standout, made with fresh ingredients and Italian herbs.
Beyond subs, you will find salads, gourmet pizza, pasta, chicken wings, wraps, and panini, plus desserts like tiramisu and cannoli cake. The gourmet fries have their own local following.
Open every day from 9 AM to 9 PM, it is one of the most flexible stops on this list for timing. Sunday and Thursday afternoons run busy.
Prices stay in the ten to twenty dollar range, and the spot is casual and good for kids. Ordering options cover curbside, delivery, dine-in, and takeout, with plenty of free parking.
6. Gemelli’s Italian Market, Gaithersburg, MD
Walk into Gemelli’s on Darnestown Road and you get the full indoor Italian market experience, complete with a deli and sandwich counter that locals in Gaithersburg rely on.
The selection of deli meats and cheeses is wide, and the counter serves both cold cuts and warm subs alongside pizza and pastries. The prepared foods and imported Italian specialties round out a shop that works as a grocery run and a lunch stop at the same time.
Inside, the small market holds cheese, pizza dough, meats, sauces, pasta, and other Italian delicacies, so you can build a whole dinner from the shelves.
Hours are limited, running Tuesday through Friday from 10 AM to 8 PM and Saturday from 10 AM to 7 PM, with the shop closed Monday and Sunday. Friday evening and Saturday afternoon are the busiest windows, while weekday mornings are quietest.
Delivery, in-store pickup, and in-store shopping are all offered, and parking is free both on site and on the street.
7. Juliet’s Italian Market and Café, Frederick, MD
Downtown Frederick gets its cold cut fix at Juliet’s, a market and cafe on East Church Street where a short wait usually means something worth waiting for.
The menu leans into Italian panini, subs, and salads, with cold cut staples like the Capicola Sub and a Mortadella and Provolone. A Caprese salad and Italian panini keep the lighter side covered, and portions here run generous.
It is also a specialty shop, stocking Italian delicacies, beautiful desserts, and pre-made to-go dinners like lasagna and eggplant parmesan. Grocery and frozen pasta items round out the market side, some made from scratch and some brought in from New Jersey and New York.
Do not skip the gelato or the tiramisu.
The cafe is open Monday through Saturday from 11:30 AM to 5:30 PM and closed on Sundays. Seating is limited, so plan around a lunch rush.
Parking options include free street parking plus paid garages and lots nearby. The vibe is casual, quiet, and welcoming.
8. Mastellone Deli & Wine Shop, Baltimore, MD
Small in footprint but big on reputation, this Harford Road shop is the kind of privately owned, old-school deli that Baltimore County holds close.
The cold cut subs are the calling card, built with fresh Italian cold cuts and cheeses on fresh bread. The Old World sandwich is one to try, and the meatball sub earns plenty of praise on the hot side.
Homemade sausage, homemade pasta, and a seafood salad round out a menu that punches above its size.
Sweets are part of the appeal too, from tiramisu to homemade Italian cookies and cannoli. There is a wine selection to match the Italian pantry goods.
Hours run Tuesday through Saturday from 9 AM to 5 PM, closed Monday and Sunday, with Saturday afternoon the busiest stretch. Note there is no dine-in or delivery, so this is a takeout stop, and there is no restroom on site.
Free street parking is available, and prices sit in the ten to twenty dollar range. Free wi-fi is a small bonus while you wait.
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