Josie & Tony's Italian Deli & Supper Club Launches Lunch in Norwalk

Last week I had the opportunity to check out Josie & Tony's newly launched lunch menu. The restaurant which opened just over a year ago for dinner, offered a lunchtime deli service featuring hot and cold Arthur Avenue-style sandwiches made on local Wave Hill bread, homemade mozzarella, fresh pastas, cured meats, assorted desserts and beverages. The lunch menu features all of the previously available sandwiches and most of the dinner menu dishes at an approachable price point. 

There’s a special je ne sais quoi about Josie & Tony’s, named after owner Joshua Mesnik’s grandparents, with its old school vibe that offers a touch of formality without any pretention. The white table clothes, the framed Hershfield artwork, the black and white photos and whimsical Hershfield-like cartoons of friends, family and patrons grace the elegant walls that perfectly fit the “dinner club” aesthetic. This isn’t just a restaurant, but a beautifully executed dining experience.

My party of three and I sat down to peruse the menu, eyeing various selections from the starters, pastas, entrees and sandwiches… The decisions were hard. We began with the Citrus Tuna featuring yellowfin tuna, mandarin and blood oranges, black sea salt and Habanero.  Elegantly plated, the tuna and citrus is, in my opinion, the perfect meal starter, light and refreshing with a well-balanced flavor profile that incorporates sweet, salty, sour and spicy. Another great, light appetizer is the Chilled Seafood Salad made with shrimp, calamari and octopus, celery, onion, olive oil, lemon and habanero. Vibrant and refreshing, this dish combines the gentle tang of the lemon with the light heat from the habanero that embrace the gentle flavors of the seafood. 

Josie & Tony’s Caesar Salad is truly memorable as I’m still thinking about it several days later. Made table-side with Romaine, their homemade dressing, topped off with a 24 month aged Parm and croutons promises to satisfy all your Caesar cravings.

We then moved on to the sandwiches, one hot and one cold. If you’re looking for something to sink your teeth into, if you’re craving a really good, really satisfying sandwich, you’ve come to the right place. The Italian Dip (The Frankie) features a slow cooked porchetta, broccoli rabe, cherry peppers and dipping jus on Wave Hill Focaccia that just hits right with so many layers of flavors and textures. The Chicken Parm (The Tony) is made with Mozzarella, red sauce, almond pesto on a Seeded Semolina roll and is just what you want when you’re craving Chicken Parm. The pesto brings it to another level. This is pure decadent comfort. 

From the sandwiches we moved on to the Bucatini Carbonara which was on point. A delicious dish featuring the porky, smokey guanciale, farm fresh eggs, a nutty Parm and black pepper is truly decadent. If pasta is what you’re wanting you’ve come to the right place. The Eggplant Parmesan, done Sicilian style (not breaded), is served with linguine in garlic and olive oil. A simple, rustic dish delivers clean, bold flavors that’s hearty yet not heavy. The simplicity of the linguine offers a nice balance.

Please, please, please save some room for dessert – or get some to go at the very least. The Rainbow cookies, made with raspberry jam and topped with melted chocolate were everything. I mean everything. If you’re more of a Cannoli type, you really don’t get better than these, homemade cannoli shells, mascarpone, ricotta, chocolate chips and pistachio. 

Round up your work fam and grab your friends. Whether you’re local to Norwalk or not, let me direct you to Josie & Tony’s for lunch (or dinner!) where there’s something for everyone.

Josie & Tony’s is located at 20 North Main Street in South Norwalk