This was a location I went to on a food tour. There was a grocery store in the front that served Italian offerings, and, in the back, there was a place for sandwiches and subs being made. We were served the Italian stallion sandwich. It was only available as part of the food tour. It was a roast beef sandwich on Italian loaf bread with an olive salad present. This was alright. The bread and olive salad was the highlight for me. The roast beef was just alright to me. I thought it could have been a little more flavorful. It was extremely tender though. Will I go back? Sure. read more

J. Viviano & Sons - Italian Stallion Sandwich - Imported Food Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

I've been here a number of times...to pick various items up. Well tonight, I just had their tomato basil spaghetti sauce. They make themselves....and dang is it a great sauce. I added a bit more garlic....and a couple of tablespoons of sugar. But even straight out of the jar...this sauce is a winner! read more

J. Viviano & Sons - Imported Food Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

If you're looking for ingredients for a beautiful lasagna or some homemade pizza or an epic cheeseboard, this is the place to go. Their deli counter will slice up the meat & cheese to your liking, and you can add olives or fresh bread or a nice bottle of cava or Chianti. The aisles are narrow and it can get a little crowded around the holidays, but that's all part of the experience. Need some 00 flour? Maybe semolina? Viviano's got you! Balsamic vinegar or olive oil? They have entire shelves dedicated to them. Imported tomatoes? Yep. The you head to the checkout with your treasure and they'll ring you up and put it all in a box for easy transport. read more

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Wonderful Italian-neighborhood grocery. Offers a large selection of wine, cheese and shelf items necessary for making an Italian meal. Staff were helpful. Parallel parking on street out outside. Enjoyed the smells of the fresh bread and spices. read more

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I went to visit and the store was closed for shooting a commercial. The website had no information on it so I went to DiGregorios. Not great customer service there. read more

Still best from the ole days, just very nice staff. Miss seeing John and the rest. Amazing how many people come from all over to shop here.

Has a good selection of Italian food. It can be slow at the deli line there is only one or two restaurants people at the deli. Check out can be slow. The cashier was licking her fingers to open the plastic bags which is not sanitary! read more

I love this Italian grocery so much. Entering the store is like getting a big hug from my Nonna. The delicious aromas that hit you are priceless. My family has been shopping at Viviano's for decades and I have very fond memories of my grandma speaking in Italian while she shopped. Bulk pasta wrapped in paper, huge tins of olive oil, Sicilian olives, olive salad, sliced to order prosciutto di Parma, the shopping list goes on and on. Shopping for ingredients for her famous sfincione heightened anticipation of a warm and wonderful afternoon at her home. Sneaking a taste of olive salad and stuffed cherry peppers on the ride home was fun too! I recommend Viviano's over every other Italian grocer for their authenticity, tradition, selection, and customer service. Even though they remain true to their roots, they have also embraced change and added wine tasting, fresh sandwiches and in-house made food to go. As always you can also find a small selection of Italian made gifts and items like pasta makers and pottery. read more

J. Viviano & Sons - Imported Food Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

Our GOTO when we go home to visit Family and get all of the provisions we cant get at home - especially their tomato basil sauce and proven cheese. You just gotta go there! AND all of their staff are so very helpful - like the old times. Love them read more

Greatest little Italian market on the Hill, service is top notch and the selection is fantastic

Our first stop in St. Louis (scratch that, second---first was Forest Park) was, at the recommendation of friends who are St. Louis natives, was "The Hill" neighborhood. There's a lot to see and do and it's a nice and recommended stop. We were hungry when we got there, but not yet ready for dinner at one of the sit-down Italian restaurants in the area. So we popped in this nice grocery store and snagged a fresh salami sandwich from the deli counter. It was HUGE so we split it with some chips and it was delicious. Grabbed a bottle of wine from the excellent selection for later. There's a lot of great, quality stuff here and we'd be regulars if we lived in the area. read more

I stopped at Viviano's on a Thursday afternoon. I was on the hunt for ground Calabrian chili peppers. This was my second stop and no such luck. I enjoyed walking around though. I could have picked up a few things but I had already picked up a few at one of the other markets and sometimes I have a bad habit of overbuying so I refrained. No doubt I'll be back. I should have gotten some of their pecorino cheese because the Schnucks I ended up at didn't even have pecorino but that's a whole other story! *Amazon Prime delivered my ground Calabrian peppers 48 hours later on a Sunday during the Memorial Day weekend with free shipping. It's almost passé to shop brick & mortar. read more

Seriously - what's not to love? A couple of weeks ago we were celebrating a special occasion at home, and I wanted to have a nice dinner with minimal effort. The idea popped into my head to stop by The Hill for a frozen, homemade lasagna, and J. Viviano was where I landed. I'm so glad I stopped into this place because I got everything I needed and more. The staff here is so friendly and willing to help you find whatever you need! I grabbed a cart, which is tricky because it's a bit cramped inside, but necessary because you're going to want a lot. For dinner, I grabbed a frozen lasagna, a loaf of bread, Italian wine, and cookies for dessert. Since I was already starving, it only made sense to get a meatball sandwich to go from the deli counter. Where else can you get a great, authentic, Italian lunch, while picking up dinner at the same time? The lasagna was a huge hit and I couldn't have loved my entire visit more than I did. While I was there, I grabbed some mushroom ravioli for another day along with a jar of marinara sauce, and it made for a perfect lunch on a cold winter day a few days later. This place is a perfect, family-owned, local business. Support them and your entire family will thank you! read more

Double check your prices before you leave the store. As you can see in the photo same product, 2 different sizes, same price sticker. read more

J. Viviano & Sons - Imported Food Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

I'm not such a big Viviano's fan, the place seems more like a tourist stop now than a speciality Italian grocery store. It also seems a little grungy lately, so my recommendation is to go down the block to DeGregorial and check them out. read more

Next time you are preparing an Italian dinner, get out of the pasta aisle at your favorite grocer and take yourself to J. Viviano & Sons on The Hill. You will be amazed at the variety of ingredients to help you create a truly authentic Italian meal. They've got it all and at prices you will not want to resist. I have always been a fan of their typical ingredients; tomato sauce, paste, spices, fresh cheese and etc. etc., but this last visit I experienced something totally new. I tried their frozen ravioli and was shocked how well it went with our awesome homemade sauce. They are made and frozen in house, so it is almost like you made the pasta yourself. I'll keep it a secret, if you do. The staff is always friendly and helpful. If you have questions, do not hesitate to ask, they'll give you ideas on that masterful meal. As we were leaving, at a perfect time. A huge charter bus pulled up in front and droves of little cute silver haired ladies headed to the front entrance. I had no idea, Viviano's was a tourist stop. read more

Went there yesterday for 2 sandwiches at $25 plus tip for me and wife for Valentine's Day. When I got home to eat I realized they were pre-made at least a day old. Wilted lettuce, soggy, and not made the way I asked. Nasty. What a disappointment. So many places to choose from on the hill and this place doesn't compare to any of them. What a joke read more

what a great great little shop!! based on recommendations of fellow yelpers, I cam by here to pick up some proscuitto di parma. The shop, though small, is very warehouse-y, and stocks all kinds of pastas and olive oils and canned sardines and such. staff is super friendly and helpful read more

J. Viviano & Sons - Imported Food Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

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Historic, Authentic Italian shop. From ownership to the staff it's ran like your Italian mom & pop store. Love everything about it, the grocery selection, deli,cheese, bread, and wine. You name it they got it! Don't shop anywhere else when your on the hill. read more

Definitely check this place out. My husband is a huge italian food lover (he is part Italian) and he was in heaven. Some notable things: the shelves of homemade pasta sauce from the same neighborhood. The homemade pasta in the freezer in the back. The spices. The cookbook at the counter. The list could go on and on. We took home a couple of things, some sauce and wine and the cookbook. We weren't headed "home" so didn't think we could take pasta or meat or anything but I can't wait until our next trip back. I will get dry ice if I have to pack things that way. The two most notable things that I can say about this place are this, the store itself if very reminiscent of "old world" stores. Things are where they should be and the aren't as "aesthetically"pleasing if you will. And the service is amazing. They are friendly, polite, and knowledgable. It is family owned and you can defiantly tell. They were giving cooking tips to people in front of us (that I listened to) and can't wait to try. This is definitely a spot we will be visiting anytime we are even driving through. read more

The very best meatball sandwich!! Try it you won't be disappointed!! The staff is friendly and helpful.

I love coming here for my bulk spices! It is always well organized and clean, and the cashiers are always friendly.

Authentic, delicious, old-style Italian deli. My East Coast-Italian husband and I (and our kids) LOVED the experience. The food was all excellent...each sandwich awesome, even the vegetarian one is killer. The sausages: just how my husband remembers them from his childhood. The cookies are housemade and so so good. read more

I love this old-world store. And it smells divine every time I go. It's been at this location since 1979, but Viviano's has been around since 1949. There is all manner of Italian dining ingredients, plus many ready-made (and frozen) pizzas and filled pastas. Olive oil, canned tomatoes of all kinds (sauce, paste, whole, diced, crushed) and sizes, capers, olives, spices, pasta in all shapes and sizes, a fabulous meat and cheese counter, sauces, bread, and so much more. It's a great place to shop for your next homemade Italian dinner. Also, you can order online. Check out the website, http://www.shopviviano.com/, to see all the offerings. read more

Out of the three Italian groceries I visited on the Hill, this one was my favourite. What a great selection! And also the prices seem to be better here (Nutella was the cheapest here out of all them). And they had fresh bread, whereas the other two didn't? Am I missing something here...Italian grocery stores that don't sell bread? Maybe there is some secret bakery that is the reason for this, but I only saw one the day we were there and it was closed. So I was really happy to find nice fresh bread at Viviano's! Sadly about 90% of the things I was most interested in had to be either refrigerated or frozen, and I was not able to keep them that way for a week (road trip). But if I am ever back in town I will bring the cooler and do a little stocking up! read more

Real Italian. I don't know if Viviano's qualifies, but in a town where there's pasta boiling on every corner, this place has a look, feel and smell like it could be on a backstreet in Rome. A lot of the goods here are packaged on premises or within walking distance. It's all about fresh here, plus I love just looking at the artwork on fhe cans of olive oil - probably about 50 varieties. Prices are reasonable, too. There are always some cheeses and meats to sample, and a selection of wines under $10. Okay, I'm not familiar with most of these wines, but that's probably my fault from spending too much time in the big box stores. I've been here maybe six or seven times, and always come away impressed that the folks working here understand a smiling face makes a difference. Be sure and stop by if you're on the Hill. read more

I love J. Viviano's for so many reasons. Their olive bar is amazing. If you love olives, this is the place for you. Their cheeses are incredible quality and they are cheap! You can get parmigiano reggiano for substantially cheaper than at your average grocery store. They make their own ricotta and it is fantastic. You can get amazing italian meats as well, proscuitto, panceta, salami, etc... I also love their frozen pasta sheets for lasagna and ravioli. Until I learn to make my own pasta, I will buy their sheets and tell people I made them (Kidding...). I only wish they had fresh or frozen balls of pizza dough that you could roll out. All they have is premade pizza shells, which you can't use for other things like calzones or other dough-y delicacies. They don't have fresh bread either, which is a little disappointing. The staff is always friendly and helpful and you usually get a free box of pasta upon check out, which is a nice little gift. read more

The best new sandwich in Saint Louis is naturally on The Hill, but surprisingly its in a grocery store that has been open for 60+ years. Meet "The Soprano"..... toasted muffelatta bread packed full with breaded strips of eggplant - fried to perfection - Roma tomato's, fresh slices of mozzarella, fresh basil and olive oil. This giant sandwich comes with a side for 8.99. It is without a doubt one of the best most unique sandwiches i have ever had. Ask for Joey and let him make your day - you won't be disappointed. read more

A friend recommended Viviano's to me the other day because I was cooking an Italian dinner and needed some specialty ingredients. I stopped by over lunch and found a parking spot right out front (bonus!) and got to shopping. Now I'm not Italian so I was a little concerned that I'd have trouble finding what I needed or else would feel out of place - but that wasn't the case at all. The store was really easy to navigate and there were a few employees around that were there to help answer questions but weren't at all overbearing. I was able to find all of the specialty ingredients I needed for my dinner (along with a few other things) and was in and out in 15 minutes. I'll definitely be back here when I'm craving some specialty Italian ingredients that you can only get in a store like this. read more

I felt that I had to write a review as I have been to this store twice in one week! I had set out to try and make tiramisu for my first time and could not find all the ingredients I needed at my local Schnucks. I went here and like every other review says, it was a great experience. I also of course found my marscapone and lady fingers. What has yet to be mentioned however, is the prices and wine selections. I of course thought I would pay more...after all little shops tend to charge more. Shockingly, I was not over charged! I was at Trader Joe's a few days later and checked out their price on marscapone and it was more expensive! I also ended up stocking up on some wine as I was amazed with the prices! They had a sale on some reds that was 2 bottles for $7! That was an offer I could not have passed up! Great experience! Oh...and as I mentioned I went twice in one week...turns out my first try at tiramisu was not as great as one would have thought!!!! read more

Stopped by Viviano's after a trip to the botanical garden and was glad I did! This is the kind of place that can seem intimidating before you go - ethnic groceries can do that to you if you aren't the ethnicity in question, thus feeling like you're an outsider when you walk in. Because I went with someone who had been there many times, I felt more confident than if I had walked in alone. Any fears I had disappeared when I walked in. There were lots of folks there, and they weren't all speaking Italian! It was easy to find things and a pretty cool place overall. They have all sorts of Italian staples - olives, olive oil, roasted peppers, cheese, meats and pastas GALORE. They have a lot of different filled pastas in the freezer as well as an entire aisle of it. I saw several types I hadn't heard of and got some to try. I also got some spinach tortellini, which was yummy! Along with that, I got pesto sauce. There were a lot of different sauces, some interesting (like butternut squash sauce and bruchetta topping). I also noticed they have a huge selection of spices that are CHEAP so this is definitely a place to shop if you like your spices like I do. The only place I've found that's as good in prices is Global Foods, so if you live in the city this would be a good place. They also sell wine. I'll be back for my Italian cooking needs! read more

Coming here is like revisiting some of my childhood, as I'm sure it is for others. My family has been coming to Vivianos for decades, and I always stop by when I'm in St Louis to get whatever I can take home with me. I always like their house pastas, great selection of olive oil, and their house garlic salt is a must. read more

I don't know if we've ever, EVER visited Saint Louis without doing the same re Viviano. Over the years, we've picked up anything from stuffed cherry peppers (which sometimes don't make it out the door) to mile-long spaghetti to ravioli makers...and always, always, we get a box or so of the locally made sauces, of which there are many varieties. Spend a DAY or MORE on The Hill. Hit up all the markets you can. Comparison shop, if you want. For THIS is, in fact, Little Italy. Thanks to the amoebocytosis of NYC by Chinatown, theirs is now Miniscule Italy. I have to drag myself out of here before I drink and eat straight out of the vats in the deli. Mangia! Buy More! Mangia again! read more

I've been looking for a good quality bocce set for years, and when I saw one in the window at Viviano's, I felt compelled to stop in. I left the store with a beautiful bocce set, a free bag of penne, and a sincere desire to come back and peruse the selection further (if only I hadn't been in a rush!). The gentleman who helped me out was incredibly nice, and I'm sure that I'll be making my way back down to The Hill to give this store more of my business. read more

This is an Italian grocer. I loaded up my two small children and went here today in search of some San Marzano tomatoes. I walked out with a whole lot more than that. Great atmosphere. Friendly people. Good prices. Some cheap wine. We'll be back. read more

What a gem this place is! This place is filled with mouth watering Italian foods from top to bottom. We noticed that in the very back there was a seating area so we went too the deli and ordered sandwiches. The gentleman who served us was incredibly warm and friendly and spoke to me if I were a friend and not just some tourist. Oh, and by the way, the sandwiches were amazing! read more

J. Viviano & Sons - A huge BLT served on fantastic bread that is soft on the inside and crunchy on the outside. Very unique bread, i loved it! - Imported Food Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm, Viviano's! Ok, here's the deal: if you want to get real Italian groceries, then you need to come here. Viviano's has everything your little heart will desire. I felt like such a geek, because I didn't know what half of this stuff was. The guy working here was nice enough to help me out, but I didn't want to rely on him too much - that would ruin the FUN! The result is my husband now loves coppacolla, which turned out to be a salami type thing. Oh, and their basil tomato sauce is wonderful, just so you know! read more

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A wonderful Italian grocery for anyone looking for authentic and hard to find Italian ingredients. They have a nice deli counter, fresh meats, bulk spices, kitchenware, a nice refrigerated and frozen selection. Also lots of dry goods such pasta, sauces, oils and canned goods. Fair prices too. read more

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For all of you who love imported foods because of their adorable packaging, Viviano's will surely make you smile. Today I found myself checking out with some yummy Italian cookies, basil and mozzarella flavored potato chips, some fancy Italian sodas that came in really neat glass bottles and Orangina. When I finished, the woman put all of my goods into a brown box to be carried out. So chic! A little slice of Europa. read more

I love the Hill in St. Louis and John Viviano and Sons grocery store. I attended law school in St. Louis and I would go to Viviano and Sons to shop. Great people. Very friendly and welcoming to customers. The owners and staff were always very engaging. I am happy that I am able to order online since I live in California. I am glad that the grandchildren of the founders are keeping and expanding the great tradition and enriching the history of this St Louis icon. read more