Defonte's Sandwich Shop

"When you’re over 100 years old, like Defonte’s, you’re allowed to do whatever you want. You can be a little peeved when a customer walks in at 3:15pm, even though you close at 4. You’re allowed to accept cash only, and to ignore the phrase “gluten-free”—though we did see someone get the breadless contents of a sandwich dumped in a takeout container here once. And you're allowed serve something called a “hot salad” that is neither hot nor salad, but actually a cold, crunchy combination of lightly pickled vegetables that balances out even the tallest and most teetering stack of cold cuts. Defonte’s is allowed to do all that stuff—not only because they opened in 1922, but because they still open at 6am every day except Sunday. And because their overstuffed Italian sandwiches remain the gold standard of the sandwich world. photo credit: Kate Previte photo credit: Kate Previte photo credit: Kate Previte photo credit: Kate Previte It’s not just the sandwiches that make Defonte’s great though. It's the full Red Hook experience of eating a Nicky's Special with three kinds of meat by the water at Valentino Pier. It’s standing in line next to someone who drives to Brooklyn from New Jersey every week, just to feast on the Zio Vito. It’s the framed photos of everyone from Gigi Hadid to the entire cast of The Sopranos on the wall. And it's the knowledge that everybody in those photos, or crammed against the counter, has one thing in common: a shared love for Defonte's fried eggplant. The vegetable is sliced paper thin and batter fried, and it retains a crunch on even the sauciest of combos. It’s the kind of magic ingredient that makes you wish everything in life was as simple as a sandwich at Defonte's. In case of confusion or doubt, just add fried eggplant. Food Rundown photo credit: Kate Previte Prosciutto Special For a first-timer, this is a great option—the combination of fresh mozzarella, fried eggplant, and prosciutto showcases three areas where Defonte’s shines. And then there’s some roasted red peppers for good measure. photo credit: Kate Previte Potato & Egg The potato and scrambled egg on a hero tastes like pure nostalgia, and also baby food. (In a good way.) If someone recommends the potato & egg sandwich, they’re probably from Brooklyn, and they probably grew up eating this—possibly before they had teeth. photo credit: Kate Previte Joey D For something with a little more going on that’s decidedly still breakfast, there’s the Joey D. It’s also potato and egg-based, but the addition of saucy steak pizzaiola gives other meaty breakfast sandwiches something to aspire to. photo credit: Kate Previte Nicky's Special One bite of Nicky’s Special and you will be calling a friend and telling them to get their SPF on. It’s a perfectly crafted beach sandwich, with ham, capocollo, salami, plus fried eggplant, shredded lettuce, a spicy pepper spread, and, of course, that legendary hot salad. photo credit: Kate Previte Valentino Special This one’s vegetarian, but before your meat-loving eyes glaze over, you should know that it’s one of our favorite sandwiches here, and the one that brings that fried eggplant into focus. Just imagine layer upon layer of the vegetable, stacked so high you can barely get your mouth around it. photo credit: Kate Previte Golden Boy A great hot sandwich option, this is essentially a vodka chicken parmesan with a layer of prosciutto, because prosciutto (like fried eggplant) makes everything better. photo credit: Kate Previte Chenzo 13 Every sandwich’s cross section at Defonte’s is beautiful, but the Chenzo 13 might be the most colorful of all. Prosciutto, soppressata, mozzarella, roasted red peppers, and broccoli rabe will do that. photo credit: Kate Previte Enzo You won’t find a lot of mayo-centric sandwiches on the menu at Defonte’s, which makes the Enzo stand out. It has roast beef, broccoli rabe, hot salad, and—their words, not ours—”little mayo.” photo credit: Kate Previte Roast Pork Special, Add Hot Salad, Gravy on the Side This might seem specific, and that’s because it is. Someone on Instagram gave us this very thorough recommendation, and unsurprisingly, it’s great. The regular roast pork special has provolone, broccoli rabe, and fried eggplant, but the hot salad gives it a nice pickled crunch. The gravy on the side—served in a coffee cup—means this sandwich travels well." - Willa Moore

"Defonte’s, opened in 1922, was once slinging sandwiches stacked with cured pork to dockworkers in the area. Now the secret of the counter-service joint’s top-notch sandwiches is out to a wider audience. Gorge on the Nicky Special, a mammoth sub containing ham, salami, and capicola, plus fried slices of eggplant, provolone, and hot peppers mixed with oregano and pickled vegetables. Cash only." - Emma Orlow

"Defonte’s is the old school Italian sandwich shop blueprint. They serve big fat sandwiches with names like Italian Stallion and The Zio Vito, there's someone who drove in from Jersey standing in line next to you, and the person behind the counter might be a little peeved that you’re trying to order at 3:15pm, even though they close at 4pm. A visit to this cash-only spot in Red Hook is the best Saturday adventure, and if it’s nice out you can head down to Louis Valentino Jr. pier and eat there.  The Order: Absolutely anything that has a layer of fried eggplant on it—which is most sandwiches here. But we like the Italian Stallion, with fried eggplant, fresh mozzarella, roasted red peppers, and a half inch thick layer of prosciutto. And yes, the macaroni salad is good." - will hartman, willa moore, neha talreja, bryan kim, sonal shah, molly fitzpatrick

"At Defonte’s, a cash-only Italian sandwich shop in Red Hook that’s been around since the 1920s, it’s not just about the big fat sandwiches. It’s also about standing in line next to someone who drives in from Jersey weekly to feast on The Zio Vito, and the person behind the counter, who’s a little peeved you’re trying to order at 3:15pm, even though they close at 4pm. Order absolutely anything that has a layer of fried eggplant on it, but since that’s most sandwiches here, the Italian Stallion is a good place to start. It’s layered with fried eggplant, fresh mozzarella, roasted red peppers, and a half inch thick layer of prosciutto. A lot of places make Italian sandwiches these days. Defonte’s is still one of the best." - molly fitzpatrick, willa moore, will hartman, sonal shah, neha talreja

"Since 1922, this portside Italian sandwich shop has served heaping portions of cured pork on rolls to workers and passersby in Red Hook. The signature sub is the colossal Nicky Special, layered with a trio of ham, salami, and capocollo, plus fried slices of eggplant, provolone, and hot peppers mixed with oregano and pickled vegetables." - Eater Staff