In March, Francolini’s Italian Deli will open in Uptown. Tara Francolini, who has worked in New Orleans’s restaurant industry for years, is partnering with a local bakery to bring the kinds of Italian sandwiches she grew up eating in New Jersey to NOLA.

Steeg Law was privileged to assist Francolini’s, LLC in negotiating its lease for the new space on Tchoupitoulas Street.

Food writer, Ian McNulty, interviewed Ms. Francolini for The Advocate about her exciting new addition to New Orleans’ restaurant scene. Read the article below.

Italian deli Francolini’s is coming Uptown, and its sandwiches are rolling now

Tara Francolini, a New Orleans restaurant business veteran, saw a niche in the local market. It was part of her own cravings for the Italian sandwiches she grew up eating in New Jersey and the northeast. She also knew one key factor could be a deal breaker.

“It’s the bread,” Francolini said. “It can make or break the sandwich, and I’d rather not open than serve sandwiches on bad bread.”

A local bakery partnership is making the right bread available, and a new Italian deli is taking shape Uptown with a roster of sandwiches of the sort we just don’t get much of in New Orleans.

Francolini’s Italian Deli (tagline: “Not everything from Jersey sucks”) is slated to open in March at 3987 Tchoupitoulas St.

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