From an Italian Deli to a Home Recipe Wholesaler

Chris and Matt Lombardi recall growing up around the kitchen.

It's how it often happens with large families - children inheriting recipes and cooking tips from parents and grandparents as they bustle around the stove.

But in the case of the Lombardi brothers, owners of Aberdeen’s popular Lombardi’s Italian Kitchen on Route 34 South, the kitchens happened to be family food establishments.

“My brother Matt and I have been in the food business our whole lives,” said Chris Lombardi. “Our Grandfather had pizzerias in Brooklyn in the 1970s, our Dad and Uncle had delis in Staten Island in the 1980s and 1990s. We decided to open our operation in New Jersey in 2004 as we saw the development of Monmouth county boom. We have grown from an Italian deli to an Italian deli, pizzeria, caterer and wholesaler."

And for the past seven years, Lombardi’s progression is due to one reason: their customers.

“We have grown into all of this through customer requests,” said Chris. 

When Lombardi’s Italian Kitchen first opened, it had a one page catering sheet. It has since expanded into a 10-page booklet. And pizza wasn’t a Lombardi’s menu item back in 2004 but at the customers' request, the brothers added it.

It’s now their hottest item, especially their margarita and Grandma Sicilian pies, according to Chris. 

“We listen to our customers’ needs and try and accommodate them as best we can. We even wholesale our pizza, specialty sauces and mozzarella - the Lombardi’s Italian Kitchen specialty item - to places like Whole Foods, Delicious Orchards and Sickles Market, to name a few.”

For its clientele, Lombardi’s Italian Kitchen offers 16 varieties of ravioli, 11 different sauces, fresh pastas, specialty items and deserts. Lombardi’s also has a unique, 4-price option BBQ Party Package – chef and grill included.

And the growth continues. The duo added on-line ordering a year ago.

“There is always room for improvement in all facets of the business,” said Chris. “We are always trying to improve the operation, because in the end the more you can satisfy your customer in the fast paced world, the more they will come back.”