Groceria Merante

Stopped by Oakland's Italian Grocery: loaded up on olive oil, Ricci's Italian sausage, biscottis, deli cheeses, spices and delicious meatballs They have a ton of good stuff here: fresh produce, cuts of meat, fresh pasta, desserts, seasonings and herbs, cheeses, hot meals, deli trays, etc., but no ice so bring a cooler and ice if you plan to load up.

Pitt loves sandwiches as much as they love BEERAs much as Shakespeare fans love KING LEARAs much as The Alley loves decor with DEERAs much as my ex gf loved to CHEERAs much as "As Folk" was preceded by QUEERAs much as beachgoers love the PIERAs much as Marky Mark starred in FEARAs much as NY Bagels come with a SMEARAs much as Titanic made me shed a TEARAs much as sheep don't love a good SHEARAs much as Los Angeles skies stay CLEARAs much as Barbi loves her new VENEERAs much as Barbi loves her movie CAREERAs much as the earth loves being a SPHEREAs much as Britney loved my SPEARAs for the best wiches in Pitt? The MERANTE GROCERIA!WHAT!Pennsylvania is about to maybe rescue our election and get rid of Putin's b**ch, and now Pittsburgh is rescuing deli sandwiches with this incredible place that you absolutely must visit when in town.This has always been one of the best places to get sandwiches in Pittsburgh, and it only continues to get better and better, with perfect bread and amazing imported meats, and great cheeses, and expertly-made deli sandwiches.What to get: proscuitto, capicola, hot sopressata, mozzarella, lettuce, tomato, and hot fried peppers.Why: Because Meghan and I told you to.Sometimes they're less than friendly and sometimes they're extremely friendly, it just depends on the day and the person. The most recent time I came here the woman working the counter was amazingly friendly, and even gave me for some free stuff, which was amazing and delicious. They commented on how great my porn Barbi looked.I love it here a little too much, in fact, and despite Pittsburgh being such a great food city with at least 55 five star places that I can think of off the top of my head, if I was going to tell you to eat at only five different places in Pittsburgh, this would be one of them.If it were relocated to New Jersey or New York City, it would still be one of the best delis around and I cannot give a higher compliment than that.I have to thank Meghan, because it was her review that led me to order that exact sandwich (which you can see pictured below), and it's one of the best Italian sandwiches I've ever had outside Hoboken, NJ. That's not a joke, btw. Hoboken does make the best in the world - try Fran's and Andrea Salumeria.But here in Pitt, where sandwiches are a huge big deal, this is the best of the best. Forget all that Primanti hype, and come and try one of these. The peppers certainly are the best part, although the prices are damn amazing too. Huge cheap sandwich that will fill you up - a half is more than enough - with nice, typically Pittsburghese service, on a tiny little back street in Oakland that seems a world away from the hustle and bustle of the nearby college campuses.One of the best sandwiches I've ever had.Sorry to Rante about it. I'm just going to shut up and sit here on my Gross Rear until you go and try it.Also you should be aware, the nearby Gross-eria Mere-ant is pretty Gross and is owned not by a human, but by a mere ant. It's not as good as the Groceria Meerkat, which was featured on Meerkat Manor. However, this establishment - Groceria Merante - is better than both of them, despite actually being owned by humans.When I come to Pittsburgh, I peak like DANTEThe girls are so good looking and they know what they WANT-EBut when I want a sandwich here, I up the ANTEAnd come and get Prosciutto from GROCERIA MERANTEIf you have a problem with me maybe you're just SALTYYou can stay home reading some Emily BRONTEOr call up Miyagi and then learn some KARATEI'm just going to head on out to GROCERIA MERANTERapping might not be my talent, singing is my FORTEI've sold CDs from New Zealand to Zaire* to ZIMBABWEGranted some of my reviews are sometimes pretty NAUGHTYBut put a huge long cylinder in your mouth at MERANTE!WHAT.

I'm an Italian born and raised in Brooklyn. This place is my go-to for Boars Head cold cuts and other Italian delicacies. Friendly and welcoming staff. Highly recommended.

Amazing! I stop by around 3-4 times a month for veggies, dough, pasta, bread etc etc. really anything you can ask for at a corner store. Surprisingly large selection of groceries and spices, plus a great deli counter that I would love to utilize more. Prices on par with giant eagle or lower, and a much easier and faster shopping experience if you live in Oakland. The sandwiches are killer and the owners are super kind. They always greet me by name and make for a good interaction to brighten my day! Can't recommend them enough--stop by if you are in the area or looking for buying essential groceries or a great sandwich.

I want to address the sandwiches but first a few other things. The store is very small but every inch is packed with Italian food and produce. Frozen pasta meals, stuffed ravioli, stuffed shells, meatballs etc. There are sauces and spices and so many varieties of cheeses. If I were a nearby student I'd eat italian all the time. The deli section is also terrific full of italian meats,cheeses, and other Italian products. As so many reviewers have mentioned, the staff was very helpful and friendly.Now for the sandwiches which we heard were the best in Pittsburgh. Maybe we could have had something made to order but that didn't seem to be an option. We selected sandwiches that were made and in refrigeration. These $8 sandwiches were small and not well filled. We made a special trip for the grocerias sandwiches which have been described here as the best, and raved about by other online sites. They were not. Major disappointment but we still left with a bag of other things and deli products to make our sandwiches next time. If you are cooking your own meal this is a great place to go.

This is probably one of my favorite local Italian grocers with the exception of the ones in Bloomfield.Always a nice selection of the freshest foods. Meats, cheeses, figs, pasta, sauce, bread and more.An Oakland staple that we're lucky to have.

I stop by at least once a week, usually to grab some local and budget friendly produce - zukes, peppers, onions, tomatoes, berries, apples, greens and fresh herbs. Always a variety. As you explore the cozy space, you'll find the foundation ingredients to any Italian dish - sauces, spices, a fridge full of cheese! They also have a freezer section of pastas and dishes if you don't feel like cooking for yourself. In the back, they have a deli section that won't only provide meat, but homemade sandwiches as well. In agreement with many of the existing reviews - big fan. The staff is always friendly and willing to help you find anything you might be looking for. It is VERY affordable and definitely a gem you could easily overlook. Being a tiny space and given the current circumstances, they only allows 3 customers in (with mask) at a time. I haven't found myself waiting out there for more than a couple minutes, but having to wait longer would still be well worth the visit.

Merante's has been my go-to for local, quick groceries in Oakland. The family that owns this place is super nice. I am welcomed every time I come in. They even gave me a nice, brand new reusable bag this winter. They have delicious frozen gnocchi, ravioli, and tortellini. The frozen tiramisu might be the best I have ever had, and you get a decent portion size for $8. They have a rotating stock of produce that is always very reasonably priced, and a great selection of dried pastas, spices, and more. My favorite thing about Merante's is the refillable olive oil bottles that they sell. You get a discount if you bring back your bottle to refill after buying it here the first time. The olive oil is pretty cheap and it is delicious! The only downside is that they are only open during regular business hours, so it is hard to get to, but this is the nature of a small, locally-owned grocer.

I've been coming here as a Pitt college student for almost 3 years now! They have the BEST produce that is always fresh and ripe! I would get my basics here like bread, condiments, fruit, vegetables, hummus, eggs since it is affordable and right in south Oakland! They do have some special Italian desserts, snacks, etc!! Also the staff is always friendly and welcoming!

A wonderful little Italian store! Always fresh and delicious food! Everything I have bought from here is delicious, it's very high quality! I especially like the fresh lunch meat, cheese and the tiramisu. Everything is my favorite!