The story

A Century of Italian Heroes in Red Hook

Some New York institutions become famous by expanding. Defonte’s Sandwich Shop became famous by staying where it started.

Since 1922, Defonte’s has occupied a modest corner storefront at 379 Columbia Street in Red Hook, Brooklyn. The neighborhood around it has changed from a busy industrial waterfront to one of the city’s most distinctive residential and creative communities. The longshoremen who once crowded the docks have largely disappeared, but the sandwiches built to feed them remain.

Defonte’s is known for enormous Italian heroes layered with roast beef, fresh mozzarella, provolone, salami, capocollo, roasted peppers and its unmistakable fried eggplant. Yet the restaurant’s importance goes beyond the size of its sandwiches.

It is a surviving connection to Red Hook’s maritime history, Brooklyn’s Italian-American community and a time when the neighborhood deli served as grocery store, dining room, social club and workplace canteen all at once.

If Katz’s represents the Jewish delicatessen tradition of Manhattan’s Lower East Side, Defonte’s represents another foundational chapter of New York deli culture: the Italian-American neighborhood sandwich shop.

How a $100 Corner Store Became a Brooklyn Institution

The story of Defonte’s begins with an Italian immigrant, a Red Hook dockworker and a $100 investment.

Nick Defonte arrived in New York from Mola di Bari, a coastal town in the southern Italian region of Puglia. Like many immigrants who settled around the Brooklyn waterfront, he found work as a longshoreman, loading and unloading ships along the Red Hook docks.

In 1922, Nick purchased a small Columbia Street grocery store for $100. The shop initially operated much like an early neighborhood bodega, selling coffee, groceries and everyday necessities to local families and waterfront workers.

According to the Defonte family’s account, the previous owner was known by the nickname “Brooklyn.” When a customer entered the store, Nick would call for Brooklyn to serve him. One day, Brooklyn told Nick to handle the customer himself. Nick did, and gradually began taking a more active role behind the counter.

When a dockworker later asked for a sandwich, Nick made one.

His grandson, Nicky Defonte, believes that the first Defonte’s sandwich was a simple combination of ham and cheese with lettuce, tomato and olive oil. Mayonnaise was apparently not part of Nick’s philosophy. As the family recalled in a Brooklyn Magazine history of the shop, Nick preferred to soak the bread with oil.

That first improvised sandwich helped shape the future of the business.

The grocery store gradually became a sandwich shop, and the Defonte family began feeding generations of longshoremen, truck drivers, firefighters, police officers, construction workers and neighborhood residents.

More than a century later, the original Columbia Street location remains the heart of the business.

Built for the Red Hook Waterfront

To understand Defonte’s, it helps to understand the Red Hook in which it was created.

During the early 20th century, Red Hook was one of the busiest freight ports in the world. Ships, warehouses, factories and docks lined the Brooklyn waterfront. Thousands of workers moved cargo between the harbor, railways and industrial buildings surrounding the neighborhood.

The work was physical, irregular and exhausting. Longshoremen needed meals that were affordable, portable and substantial enough to carry them through a demanding shift.

The Italian hero was particularly well suited to that environment.

A long loaf could hold generous portions of meat, cheese, vegetables and oil without requiring a plate or formal dining room. It was filling, easy to carry and could be customized according to what was available behind the counter.

Defonte’s did not develop its enormous sandwiches as a social media stunt. The portions reflected the customers the shop originally served.

Red Hook’s working waterfront eventually declined as containerized shipping moved much of New York’s port activity to New Jersey. Warehouses closed, jobs disappeared and the neighborhood entered a long period of economic hardship and isolation.

Defonte’s remained.

Today, Red Hook has artists, new restaurants, waterfront parks, residential development and visitors arriving in search of its distinctive atmosphere. But inside Defonte’s, the neighborhood’s industrial history is still visible in the food, the photographs on the walls and the customers gathered around the counter.

Four Generations of the Defonte Family

Defonte’s has remained closely connected to the family that founded it.

After Nick Defonte, later generations took responsibility for preserving the shop and its recipes. Nicky Defonte, Nick’s grandson, became one of the most recognizable figures associated with the business. Members of the fourth generation are now also involved.

Vincent Defonte, Nick’s great-grandson, has described the original shop as a third place for Red Hook’s longshoremen—a place where workers could sit, eat and talk while waiting for ships and assignments. Vincent, who also works as a firefighter, helps operate the business, participate in events and manage its social media presence.

That combination of family continuity and community familiarity helps explain why Defonte’s feels different from a restaurant designed around a manufactured old-Brooklyn aesthetic.

The shop does not need to recreate nostalgia. The history is still present in the family behind the counter.

As Condé Nast Traveler reported, Defonte’s continues to bring together an unusually broad mix of customers, including firefighters, union workers, longtime neighborhood families and newer Brooklyn residents.

The Ingredient That Defines Defonte’s: Fried Eggplant

Many Italian delis serve excellent cold cuts, mozzarella and roasted peppers. Defonte’s separates itself with one ingredient that appears across much of its menu: fried eggplant.

Thin slices of eggplant are lightly battered and fried before being layered into both hot and cold heroes. The eggplant adds texture, richness and a savory flavor that works with roast beef, ham, salami, provolone, mozzarella and natural gravy.

It is not treated solely as a vegetarian substitute for meat. At Defonte’s, fried eggplant is a supporting ingredient that can transform the entire sandwich.

In the Hot Roast Beef Hero, it absorbs some of the natural jus while helping separate the tender beef from the fresh mozzarella. In the Nicky Special, it adds warmth and texture to a sandwich already packed with Italian cold cuts and marinated vegetables.

Visitors who normally overlook eggplant should not remove it automatically. It is one of the elements that makes a Defonte’s sandwich distinctly Defonte’s.

What to Order at Defonte’s

1. The Nicky Special

The Nicky Special is the most complete introduction to the cold side of the Defonte’s menu.

The sandwich combines ham, capocollo, salami, fried eggplant, provolone, hot salad, marinated mushrooms, lettuce and tomato, finished with oil and vinegar.

It is salty, sharp, rich and slightly acidic, with enough vegetables and vinegar to balance the layers of meat and cheese. The fried eggplant and mushrooms make it more complex than a standard Italian combo.

If you can order only one cold hero, this is the place to begin.

2. Hot Roast Beef

The Hot Roast Beef Hero may be the shop’s most celebrated sandwich.

Freshly sliced roast beef is paired with fresh mozzarella, fried eggplant and natural jus. The result is soft, savory and intentionally messy. The fried eggplant absorbs the gravy while the mozzarella provides a mild, creamy contrast to the beef.

This is not a sandwich to eat while walking. Find a place to sit or stand, keep plenty of napkins nearby and expect some of the jus to escape onto the paper.

For many regulars, it is the definitive Defonte’s order.

3. The Sinatra Special

The Sinatra Special is Defonte’s version of a steak pizzaiola hero.

Grilled steak is cooked in seasoned tomato sauce, topped with fresh mozzarella and grated cheese, and finished under the broiler. It combines the character of a steak sandwich, a meatball hero and a plate of Italian-American comfort food.

The name may attract first-time customers, but the sandwich has enough substance to earn its place on the menu.

4. Potatoes and Eggs

Potatoes and eggs is one of the most traditional working-class Italian-American sandwiches served at Defonte’s.

Seasoned potatoes, mozzarella and eggs are cooked together in a cast-iron skillet before being packed into a hero. Virginia ham can also be added.

Compared with the more elaborate specialty sandwiches, the ingredients are humble. That simplicity is part of its importance. Potatoes and eggs reflects the affordable home cooking and meatless meals familiar to generations of Italian-American families.

It is also a reminder that Defonte’s was feeding workers long before oversized sandwiches became online entertainment.

5. The Valentino Special

The Valentino Special combines fried eggplant, provolone and homemade roasted peppers.

It is one of the best choices for visitors who want to experience the shop’s most important ingredients without ordering a meat-heavy sandwich. The sweetness of the peppers, saltiness of the provolone and richness of the eggplant create a satisfying hero on their own.

6. Roast Pork with Broccoli Rabe

Roast pork with broccoli rabe is sometimes overshadowed by the famous roast beef, but it has a devoted following.

The bitterness of the broccoli rabe cuts through the richness of the pork, while cheese and natural gravy bring the sandwich together. It is an excellent choice for visitors who prefer a sharper, less delicate flavor.

7. Macaroni Salad

A sandwich at Defonte’s is already a full meal, but the macaroni salad is a traditional side worth sharing.

Its cool, creamy character works particularly well beside the hot roast beef, Sinatra Special or another sandwich served with gravy.

More Counter Than Dining Room

Defonte’s is a small, no-frills sandwich shop rather than a full-service restaurant.

Customers order at the counter, watch the staff assemble their heroes and either take the food to go or use the limited standing and seating space available. The walls are filled with photographs, memorabilia and reminders of the people who have passed through the shop.

The atmosphere is informal, direct and conversational. Staff members greet regulars, debate sports and continue working while the line moves through the narrow room.

The shop’s size is important to its character. There is little separation between the people preparing the food and those waiting to eat it. The counter functions as the restaurant’s kitchen, stage and social center.

For the best experience, avoid treating Defonte’s like a carefully choreographed destination restaurant. Look at the menu before reaching the counter, know whether you want a hot or cold hero and be prepared to move when your order is ready.

Daniel Defonte’s Way

In June 2023, the section of Columbia Street outside the sandwich shop was ceremonially co-named Daniel Defonte’s Way.

Daniel Defonte, a later-generation proprietor of the shop, was remembered for his role in both the family business and the surrounding neighborhood. Friends, family members and longtime customers gathered outside the store for the unveiling.

The street name represents more than the longevity of a restaurant. It recognizes the relationship between one family and the neighborhood it served for generations.

For a business founded to feed Red Hook workers, having the street outside bear the Defonte name is a fitting form of recognition.

A Neighborhood Changes, but the Counter Remains

Defonte’s has survived extraordinary changes around it.

The shop began during the height of Red Hook’s working waterfront, endured the disappearance of many port jobs, remained through decades when the neighborhood struggled with poverty and disinvestment, and continued operating as Red Hook became increasingly desirable and expensive.

The customer base has changed, but it has not been entirely replaced.

Firefighters and union workers still stop for sandwiches. Longtime residents return with their families. Food writers and visitors make special trips to Columbia Street. Newer residents encounter a business that existed long before many of the buildings, restaurants and cultural spaces now associated with modern Red Hook.

Defonte’s has adapted enough to remain relevant without abandoning the food and identity that made it important.

That balance is difficult to achieve. A restaurant cannot survive for more than a century by refusing every change, but it can lose its meaning if it changes too much.

Defonte’s has found a way to keep moving without leaving its original corner behind.

Essential Tips for Visiting Defonte’s

• Arrive hungry. The heroes are large and can often be shared.
• Bring cash. Defonte’s has traditionally operated as a cash-only business.
• Try a sandwich containing fried eggplant, even if it would not normally be your first choice.
• Visit earlier in the day. The shop opens early and generally closes by late afternoon.
• Check current hours through Defonte’s Instagram account before making a special trip.
• Expect counter service and limited space rather than a traditional sit-down dining experience.
• Hot sandwiches with natural jus can be messy, so take extra napkins.
• Consider exploring the Red Hook waterfront before or after your visit.

Location and Transportation

Defonte’s Sandwich Shop is located at:

379 Columbia Street
Brooklyn, NY 11231

Red Hook does not have a subway station of its own, which is one reason the neighborhood still feels physically separate from much of Brooklyn.

The B61 bus travels through Red Hook along Van Brunt Street and Columbia Street. Visitors can also take the F or G train toward Carroll Gardens and continue by bus, bicycle or on foot.

NYC Ferry service to Atlantic Basin is another option, followed by a walk through Red Hook. The ferry route offers a particularly fitting arrival for a deli whose history is so closely connected to the waterfront.

Transportation schedules and service patterns can change, so check current directions before visiting.

Why Defonte’s Matters

Defonte’s is easy to celebrate for its sandwiches. They are large, distinctive and immediately appealing on camera. But size alone does not explain why the shop matters.

The deeper story is one of continuity.

An Italian immigrant purchased a small corner grocery store in 1922 and began making sandwiches for men working on the Brooklyn waterfront. More than a century later, his descendants are still behind the counter, serving versions of those sandwiches from the same Columbia Street location.

The docks have changed. Red Hook has changed. Brooklyn has changed.

Defonte’s remains.

It is not a recreation of an Italian-American neighborhood deli or a modern restaurant borrowing the visual language of one. It is the actual institution—still feeding workers, families, regulars and anyone willing to make the trip.

Katz’s tells part of New York’s deli story through pastrami, rye bread and the Lower East Side. Defonte’s tells another through Italian heroes, fried eggplant and the Red Hook waterfront.

Both demonstrate the same essential truth: in New York, a deli can be much more than a place to buy a sandwich. It can become a record of the people and neighborhood around it.