Walk into Belfiore Italian on 38th Avenue, and you step into a time capsule. For 67 years, this shop has served as a cultural touchstone in Wheat Ridge; its walls steeped in the traditions of Italian-American heritage. Nothing symbolizes this history quite like the stark white, porcelain-enameled steel Deli Case, original from 1964. Gino Scarafiotti, the shop’s current owner and fourth proprietor, laments that the compressor has finally failed.
But replacing it is not a simple task. “The case doesn’t fit through the door,” Gino explains. “The old owners had to take this window out to bring it in.” He points to the large storefront window. A lifelong “townie,” he purchased the shop 21 years ago when he was just 25, stepping into a culinary legacy that his own family had been part of in previous generations.
“My grandmother shopped here,” he shares with a smile. “I used to come in here as a kid, and she would hand me slices of salami over the counter. My whole family grew up eating here.” That deep, personal connection is what drives the shop’s philosophy today: quality, tradition, and customer service above all else. While the shop’s successes are hard-won battles against inferior modernity (think: Ragu and Olive Garden), their commitment to tradition is absolute.
You cannot talk about Belfiore Italian without talking about its sausage. The recipe is the same one used by the original founder, Chick Belfiore, in the mid-60s. Its simple, pure, and perfect. “All that’s in there is pork, salt, spices and natural casings. We don’t put any fillers or water in there,” Scarafiotti notes. While they produce a respectable 30 to 60 pounds of sausage on an average day, the sheer scale of the holiday season reveals their true dominance in Wheat Ridge’s pork scene. “Christmas,” as Gino analogizes it, “is our Super Bowl,” where production ramps up to an astonishing 1,000 pounds.
In 2024, the shop was awarded “Best Meatball Sandwich in Denver” by Westword. Thanks to the dedication of the staff doing things “the hard way”—making their own meatballs, giardiniera, pasta, soups, and sauces… all by hand, every day!
Weekends are the best time for cheese aficionados. Scarafiotti and his staff hand-make fresh mozzarella every Saturday morning. Get there before noon and you may snag a piece that is still warm. This dedication to traditional techniques extends to their imported goods, too, where you can find specialty items like Guanciale (cured pork cheek), a rare ingredient essential for authentic Carbonara that’s nearly impossible to find elsewhere in the Denver area.
What sets the deli apart from others is how it conducts its business. It’s commonplace to treat other establishments as competition, but Gino and his team have built a network of partnerships with their neighbors. Belfiore Italian thrives alongside its symbiotic neighbors, relying on collaboration rather than cutthroat-rivalry. They source their ciabatta bread from Dolce Sicilia Italian Bakery and have a friendly relationship with Joe Jo, the owner of Vinnola’s Italian. “We all sell some of the same stuff, but we all have our own niches,” Gino explains. He emphasized that they send customers back and forth with the goal of building up Wheat Ridge.
Their hyper-local community focus was a strength during the pandemic. Classified as an “essential” grocery store, the community rallied around them, allowing the business to not only survive but thrive by dialing in their customer service technique and continuing to focus and enhance their takeout.
The deli recently expanded into the neighboring space when it became vacant. While the future may look bright, Scarafiotti is careful to protect his quality of life. The new area will be dedicated to expanding their popular lunch service, offering more sandwiches, salads, and soups, but he has no plans to turn it into a full-service restaurant. “I don’t really want a restaurant,” he explains. “I close the shop at six, go home and cook dinner for my family.”
This dedication to family and community is what truly defines success at Belfiore Italian. Gino works alongside his wife and mother; but also his daughter who is often in the shop helping out after school. “I’ve never hated a day of work here,” Gino gushes. “It’s amazing. I got my family helping out… my wife, my daughter, and the gals we’ve hired are basically family.” Belfiore Italian’s customers are not just buying Italian groceries; they are sharing a piece of Wheat Ridge history and a part of Gino’ rich and vibrant life story.
