We found a great specialty gourmet grocery just knocking around in Northfield, New Jersey

Sometimes you have to go off the beaten path to find that rare gem of a place. That can be especially true when you are looking for a place to eat, and find something that you just don’t see every day. And thanks to the word of a friend…we found that place.

B.F. Mazzeo is a throwback to the old mom and pop businesses in New Jersey. Benjamin F. Mazzeo Sr. sold produce to local restaurants from his truck starting in 1957, and opened the first store in Northfield in 1965, which sold both wholesale and retail. But after some time of focusing on strictly the wholesale end of the business, the retail business was revitalized in the 1970’s.

Nearly 70 years later, the family business has grown and what you see now is a specialty gourmet grocery at 601 New Road in Northfield. It has the highest quality of produce, freshly baked on-site baked goods, party trays, gourmet cheeses and other specialty items, as well as some of the best offerings of prepared foods for easy “grab and go” meals. But they are really well-known for their fresh fruit baskets and gourmet gift baskets.

We are always looking for that place that the locals frequent…the place that doesn’t seem to be too well-known outside of the little community that it sits in. It’s exciting to find that place…like finding that prize in the Cracker Jack box when you were a kid. OK…I still do. But experiencing B.F. Mazzeo WAS like finding that prize.

OK, the place has produce that will put a supermarket to shame. But it’s so much more than that. There are a multitude of specialty items that you don’t normally find in a standard grocery store – from specialty spreads to an olive bar to a do-it-yourself pineapple corer – and everything you could ever want for a charcuterie board.

So much of what they make is actually made in house – from the pies to the breads and even fresh mozzarella. And speaking of making in house…if you’re hungry and don’t feel like cooking…there is a huge menu of prepared foods…readymade meals…that are there…just for the taking!

Some of the meals available include: chicken francese over or without pasta, chicken parmigiana over linguine, eggplant parmigiana, chicken marsala over or without pasta, penne with broccoli and cheese, vegetable lasagna, baked ziti, chicken stir fry, spinach fettuccine with house-made fresh mozzarella and tomatoes, eggplant rollatini, linguine with marinara sauce, spring chicken with roasted potatoes and asparagus, roast chicken over saffron rice, Mediterranean salmon over tomato salad, turkey meatloaf with broccoli and roast corn salad, and fried chicken cutlets.

There are homemade meatballs including those made exclusively from eggplant! There are also a big variety of homemade quiche, various Stromboli (all made with homemade dough), to go along with sautéed broccoli with garlic and olive oil and sautéed spinach with garlic, olive oil, and fresh grated parmigiana cheese.

And the desserts…just too many homemade treats to mention.

It’s a foodie’s smorgasbord!

We both tried a lot of the foods that are prepared by the B.F. Mazzeo kitchen and we were extremely impressed and delightfully full. The freshness and quality were only matched by the creativity of the preparation.

This is a place that you should come prepared with plenty of bags (to bring home the goods) and a huge appetite (to enjoy a really good meal). You’ll thank us. But you should really thank the people at B.F. Mazzeo. So thank you Vince and thank you Chef Jenna!