| Store | Status | today | distance |
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Last updated Wednesday, Nov 4, 2026
| Citarella | Price |
|---|---|
| Citarella Plain Breadcrumbs | $5.99 |
| Citarella Handcrafted Seasoned Breadcrumbs | $5.99 |
| Wondra Flour | $7.99 |
| Citarella Italian Arborio Rice | $8.99 |
| Citarella Cracked Black Pepper | $9.99 |
| Citarella Mini Blinis 4.76 Oz | $9.99 |
| Saffron | $10.00 |
| Fish Stock | $11.99 |
| Chef-prepared Fish Cakes | $15.99 |
| Wild For Mild | $169.00 |
Citarella is more than a grocery store. In New York, the name has become linked with fresh seafood, polished prepared foods, specialty groceries, and the pleasure of buying something that feels carefully chosen. While many supermarkets compete on size, discounts, and convenience, Citarella takes a different path. It aims to make everyday shopping feel closer to a visit to a European food hall or a trusted neighborhood fishmonger.
The store’s history began with seafood, but its story did not stop there. Over time, Citarella developed into a full-service gourmet market with locations in New York City, the Hamptons, and Connecticut, along with online ordering and delivery. Its rise reflects several important changes in American food culture: the growing interest in high-quality ingredients, the popularity of chef-made meals, and the demand for convenient luxury.
So, what makes Citarella different from Whole Foods, Eataly, Wegmans, and other specialty food stores? The answer lies in focus. Citarella does not try to be everything to everyone. Instead, it builds its reputation around quality, freshness, service, and a strong connection to New York’s dining traditions.
Citarella traces its roots to 1912, when the original business began as a small fish market in New York City. At that time, neighborhood food shops played a central role in daily life. Shoppers often knew the person behind the counter, asked for cooking advice, and selected food for that evening rather than filling a large weekly cart.
Seafood was the foundation of Citarella’s identity. New York has always been a major food city, but selling fresh fish in a busy urban environment requires skill. Products must arrive quickly, remain properly chilled, and be handled by people who understand the difference between ordinary quality and exceptional quality. Citarella’s early reputation grew from this practical expertise.
The store’s name also carries a personal feeling. It sounds like a family business because, in many ways, that is how customers experienced it. The business grew through relationships: with shoppers, chefs, suppliers, and local communities. A customer could walk in looking for salmon, oysters, or a whole fish and receive useful guidance instead of a silent plastic package from a refrigerator case.
Citarella’s modern development is strongly associated with Joe Gurrera, who acquired the business in the 1980s. Under his leadership, the company expanded its seafood expertise while building a much broader food offering. That transition was important. Citarella did not abandon its original identity, but it learned how to place seafood at the center of a larger gourmet shopping experience.
The change reflected the way New Yorkers were beginning to shop. Customers wanted fresh fish, yet they also wanted olive oil, cheese, bread, sauces, desserts, wine, and ready-to-eat meals in the same visit. Citarella responded by becoming a carefully edited food market rather than a simple fish counter.
This approach helped the company stand apart from traditional supermarkets. Instead of competing mainly through low prices and huge aisles, Citarella competed through selection and trust. The store became a place where a shopper could find a special ingredient for dinner, order a prepared entrée after work, or buy food for a celebration.
Citarella’s growth followed the geography of customers who valued specialty food. Its New York City stores became especially associated with Manhattan neighborhoods where residents appreciated personal service and premium products. The company also expanded into areas such as the Hamptons, where seasonal residents and visitors often seek upscale groceries, fresh seafood, and convenient catering.
The store’s presence in the Hamptons strengthened its connection with entertaining. A summer gathering may require lobster, prepared salads, chilled seafood, desserts, and a selection of cheeses. Citarella can serve that entire occasion. It is not simply selling ingredients; it is helping customers assemble a meal, a dinner party, or a holiday table.
The company also developed locations in Connecticut and expanded its reach through online shopping. Digital ordering matters because premium food is no longer limited to people who live near a famous store. Customers can browse seafood, pantry products, prepared foods, and gift items from home. In that sense, Citarella has moved from a neighborhood model toward a regional specialty food brand.
New York shaped Citarella’s character. The city is crowded, fast, and demanding, but it also rewards businesses that understand quality. A Manhattan customer may want restaurant-level ingredients without traveling across town. Another customer may need a polished meal in minutes. Citarella fits both needs.
New York shoppers also tend to be adventurous. They may buy a familiar fish one day and ask about an unusual shellfish the next. A strong seafood counter can turn that curiosity into confidence. Staff members who explain how to cook a product, how much to buy, or which sauce will work best become part of the store’s value.
That personal interaction is difficult to reproduce online. It is one reason Citarella’s physical stores remain important even as grocery delivery grows. The store offers a sensory experience: the sight of a well-arranged fish display, the smell of baked goods, and the quick decision to take home something that was not on the shopping list.
Seafood remains the heart of Citarella. Depending on the location and season, customers may find fish, shellfish, oysters, crab, lobster, smoked seafood, and other ocean products. The selection typically appeals to both experienced home cooks and shoppers who want a simple, reliable dinner.
Freshness is central to the brand promise. Seafood is a demanding category because customers notice quality quickly. Texture, smell, color, and handling all matter. Citarella has built its image around careful sourcing and professional preparation, although availability naturally changes according to season, supply, and location.
The store also offers meat, poultry, cheese, charcuterie, produce, bread, desserts, sauces, oils, pasta, canned goods, and frozen specialties. This expanded selection allows Citarella to function as a one-stop gourmet market. A customer might start with a piece of fish and leave with everything needed for a complete meal.
Prepared food is one of Citarella’s most important growth areas. Many shoppers want food that feels homemade but do not have the time to cook every night. Citarella answers with prepared entrées, salads, soups, side dishes, sandwiches, and desserts.
This is where the store competes strongly with restaurants. A restaurant provides a finished meal, but a gourmet market can offer more flexibility. You can buy one entrée for yourself, several dishes for a family, or a large order for guests. You can also combine prepared food with fresh ingredients and create a meal that feels personal.
Catering adds another layer. Holidays, office events, birthdays, and weekend gatherings all create moments when customers need dependable food without managing every detail themselves. Citarella’s catering business allows the brand to become part of important occasions. The store is not only where people buy dinner; it is where they solve dinner.
Citarella’s success comes from a clear formula: specialize first, then expand carefully. The company did not begin by trying to imitate a giant supermarket. It built authority in seafood and used that authority to introduce other categories.
Trust is especially valuable in food retail. Shoppers may not know every type of fish, every cheese, or every imported ingredient. They want to feel that someone has already made sensible choices. Citarella’s curated shelves reduce the noise. You may pay more, but you are also paying for selection, convenience, presentation, and the confidence that comes with a strong store reputation.
The brand also benefits from atmosphere. Citarella stores feel more intimate than large supermarkets. The experience is closer to visiting a collection of specialist counters under one roof. That impression matters. People often remember where they bought a beautiful piece of fish or an excellent dessert, especially when the shopping trip becomes part of a celebration.
Citarella is not usually the first choice for shoppers seeking the lowest possible grocery bill. Premium seafood, imported ingredients, prepared meals, and specialty products can cost more than supermarket alternatives. However, price is only one part of the value equation.
For some customers, the higher cost saves time and reduces risk. Buying a well-prepared entrée may be cheaper than dining out. Choosing a carefully handled fish may prevent a disappointing meal. Ordering catering can remove hours of shopping, cooking, and cleanup. The value depends on what the customer needs that day.
Citarella works best when shoppers want quality with convenience. It is less suited to someone stocking a large pantry on a strict budget. That distinction helps explain both its appeal and its limits.
Whole Foods Market is one of Citarella’s most obvious competitors. Whole Foods offers a broad range of groceries, including produce, meat, seafood, bakery items, prepared foods, natural products, and household goods. Its stores vary in size, but many are designed for complete weekly shopping.
Citarella is narrower and more specialized. Its seafood department often feels more central to the shopping experience, while its prepared foods and gourmet products create a refined, urban-market atmosphere. Whole Foods generally offers greater national reach and a wider selection of everyday groceries. It may also provide more options for shoppers focused on organic and natural product standards.
Whole Foods is often better for a full household shop. Citarella is often better for a special meal, premium seafood, entertaining, or a quick prepared dinner. One feels like a large modern supermarket; the other feels like a focused food destination.
Eataly offers a different kind of competition. Its stores combine retail food, restaurants, cafés, bakeries, cooking products, and cultural experiences centered on Italian cuisine. Shopping at Eataly can feel like walking through a lively indoor marketplace in Italy.
Citarella is less theatrical and more direct. Its identity is not built around one national cuisine. Instead, it presents a broad gourmet selection with seafood at the core. Eataly is the stronger choice for Italian specialties, fresh pasta, regional cheeses, and an immersive food outing. Citarella is often more practical for fresh fish, prepared American and international dishes, and fast neighborhood shopping.
The two brands overlap in premium pricing and gift-worthy products, but they create different moods. Eataly invites you to explore. Citarella helps you choose.
Wegmans has earned a loyal following through large stores, extensive selection, competitive pricing in many categories, strong prepared foods, and a reputation for customer service. It can serve an entire family’s grocery needs in one trip.
Compared with Wegmans, Citarella is smaller and more concentrated. Wegmans usually provides more household products, bigger produce departments, and broader value for routine shopping. Citarella offers a more specialized experience, particularly for seafood, gourmet foods, and upscale catering.
If you are planning a week of family meals, Wegmans may be more efficient. If you are hosting a seafood dinner or looking for a polished prepared spread, Citarella may feel more tailored. The difference is similar to choosing between a well-stocked department store and an expert boutique.
Fairway has long been associated with New York grocery shopping, especially in neighborhoods where customers want strong produce, specialty foods, and a lively market atmosphere. Its identity is broader and often more value-conscious than Citarella’s. Fairway can be a practical choice for everyday groceries while still offering premium items.
Balducci’s occupies a closer space to Citarella because it focuses on gourmet groceries, prepared food, specialty products, and upscale service. Both stores appeal to shoppers who want more than basic supermarket choices. Citarella, however, has a stronger seafood signature and a particularly recognizable New York fish-market heritage.
Dean & DeLuca also belongs in the conversation, especially because it helped define the luxury gourmet market in the United States. Its brand became famous for elegant presentation and rare foods, but its retail presence changed significantly over time. Citarella has remained more firmly connected to operating food markets and serving regular neighborhood customers.
Citarella represents a broader American shift toward food as an experience. Customers increasingly care about where products come from, how they are prepared, and whether shopping feels enjoyable. Grocery stores now compete with restaurants, delivery apps, meal kits, and specialty websites.
Citarella benefits from this change because it sits between several categories. It is a grocer, a fishmonger, a prepared-food kitchen, a caterer, and an online food retailer. That combination gives it resilience. If a customer does not need a full grocery trip, the same person may still need a dinner, a gift basket, or seafood for a celebration.
The company also shows how a local reputation can become a lasting brand. Its roots are tied to New York, yet its appeal reaches visitors, suburban shoppers, seasonal residents, and online customers. The store’s challenge is to grow without losing the sense of expertise that made it special in the first place.
Citarella’s future will likely depend on balancing tradition with convenience. Customers still value the physical store, but they also expect smooth online ordering, reliable delivery, clear product information, and flexible pickup options.
Prepared foods will remain important as people manage busy schedules. Seafood will continue to define the brand, but responsible sourcing and transparency may become even more important. Shoppers want to enjoy premium food while understanding how it reaches the counter.
Citarella can also grow through gift programs, holiday catering, corporate orders, and digital cooking guidance. A store with deep seafood knowledge has an opportunity to teach, not just sell. Recipes, preparation tips, and simple explanations can help new customers feel comfortable trying unfamiliar products.
Ultimately, Citarella’s strength is its point of view. It believes grocery shopping can be selective, personal, and delicious. That idea may sound simple, but in a crowded market, clarity is powerful.
Citarella’s history is the story of a small seafood business that became a respected gourmet food brand without giving up its original character. Its New York roots, seafood expertise, prepared foods, catering, and carefully chosen groceries have created a distinct place in the United States market. Compared with Whole Foods, Wegmans, Eataly, Fairway, and Balducci’s, Citarella is not always the cheapest or the broadest. It is the specialist: the store you visit when freshness, service, and a memorable meal matter more than filling the biggest cart. For many shoppers, that focus is exactly the point.
