Central Grocery's Muffuletta Market reopening plans for 2024

A muffuletta is built layer by layer, and the revival of this French Quarter landmark for the city’s famous Italian sandwich was also a slow, methodical process, one piece at a time.

That’s how bad the damage was after Hurricane Ida caused a neighboring building to collapse in 2021, sending a flood of bricks crashing into the Decatur Street market.

But now the end is in sight and signals a new beginning for a market that has existed since 1906. The reopening is now planned for late summer, confirmed Tommy Tusa, one of the family owners.

He said Central Grocery is currently going through the city’s permitting process, reconstruction is in the final stages and more staff is being hired.

Central Grocery, the historic Italian deli in the French Quarter, as it looks in July 2023. It is being rebuilt after catastrophic damage from Hurricane Ida in 2021. (Staff photo by Ian McNulty, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune) Ian McNulty
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“We are getting very close to the goal and it is looking really good,” said Tusa.

The newly opened Central Grocery is intended to be reminiscent of the old one in many ways and reflect an important decision made during the reconstruction. The extent of the damage left a blank slate with four brick walls. In the first year after Ida, there wasn’t even a roof.

But instead of remodeling or remodeling the old store, the Central Grocery family is rebuilding it in the same style as people remember it, complete with the long counter where many a Muffuletta learned the world and shelves all around full of imported Italian groceries.

STAFF PHOTO BY MATT ROSE Making a muffaletta at Central Grocery. Thursday, February 24, 2005 Restaurant Guide Matt Rose▲

Now, Central Grocery’s Muffuletta is actually easier to get than ever, with a network of local retail stores selling the sandwich and online service Goldbelly shipping it nationwide.

Here you can find Muffulettas from Central Grocery today:

Sidney’s Wine Cellars, 917 Decatur St.
Zuppardo’s Family Market, 5010 Veterans Blvd.
Rouses in the CBD, 701 Baronne St.
Purchase Pace’s in Covington, 125 E. 21st Ave.
Buy it in Mandeville, 631 N. Causeway Blvd.
NORCO Fresh Market, 217 Apple St., Norco
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, at Moisant Market (near Concourse B, behind security)

Even if Central Grocery reopens, those other retail stores will remain open, Tusa said.

Central grocery store

923 Decatur St., planned reopening in late summer 2024