VIA SFORZA - deserving of a pandemic award
PANDEMIC GOLD STAR AWARD WINNER
The beautiful outdoor grocery store Via Sforza’s was built within a few weeks of the onset of the pandemic. It was open every day 9am - 4pm.
When most people think of Via Sforza on the Post Road West, they picture the beautiful stone-clad restaurant serving fine Italian food. So how did they so quickly morph into an outdoor food and gourmet market offering groceries to their customers - while alleviating any fears of having to shop in an indoor crowded supermarket?
In mid-April, 2020, Via Sforza owners posted on their Facebook page news that a curbside grocery would be coming soon. They asked their customers what kind of foods they’d like to see being offered outside. The comments section was immediately flooded with requests: fresh fruits, Via Sforza’s homemade bread, VS’s gorgonzola cheese and balsamic dressing, paper goods, deserts. Somebody even requested yeast, and Via Sfroza obliged.
After just a few weeks, Via Sforza built a beautiful wooden structure fully equipped with refrigeration, a deli serving gourmet meats, and tons of counter space. The long, slanted shelves along the back wall housed baskets of ripe fruits and veggies so all customers could see their full line of offerings—while maintaining the required 6 feet of social distance from the server on the other side of the counter.
My family went almost daily for fruits, milk, flour and more. I can still remember my mom’s excitement when she came home with her latest grocery store treasure - commercial home sanitizing spray - at a time when Lysol was absolutely nowhere to be found!
We think this was a brilliant idea and very worthy of a pandemic hero award!
Via Sforza even equipped the shop with outdoor heaters to keep their patrons warm while they deliberated which yummy offerings to swoop up.
Today, in place of the grocery store, the restaurant uses that space to increase their outdoor dining capacity. The parking lot has been transformed to a beautiful dining area surrounded by huge ceramic pots filled with flowers, wooden lattice dividers and shimmering outdoor lights. With such delicious Italian food, a beatiful outdoor garden feel, and top-notch service, we should all be heading to Via Sforza tonight!
Aside from the grocery items, my family was big supporters of the restaurant as well. Their incredible veal parmigiana, sauteed artichokes and thin and crispy pizza were a weekly favorite at the Felner-household. Delicious!
