Al Ducci's Italian Pantry
(top left) Patti Vunk and Robin Ryan, stewards of this beloved Manchester institution; (top right) The legendary tomato mozzarella tart. If you want the recipe, you’ll have to buy the shop.; (bottom left) Meat lasagna, a cornerstone of the menu for 31 years. “If we don’t have lasagna, eggplant Parmesan, and Saturday pasta, we don't pay rent!” says co-owner Robin Ryan.; (bottom right) Fresh pasta specials change daily
Joy infuses every aspect of this off-the-beaten-track gem, shepherded by two women who humbly carry this tasty torch that Al Scheps sparked three decades earlier.
Robin Ryan and Patti Vunk don’t refer to themselves as owners of Al Ducci’s Italian Pantry in Manchester Center. Rather, they see themselves as caretakers of this beloved entity established by Al and Nancy Scheps in 1991. “The magic of this place is that we haven’t really changed a thing,” says Patti. “We may tweak the menu and add items to the pantry, but what Al created is brilliant and beautiful as it is.” Robin nods in agreement: “It’s like a relay, and it was our turn to take the baton.”
With the purchase of the shop in June 2018 came the recipes. “That meat lasagna has not changed in 31 years,” Robin reports. “And the Saturday Pasta is the same one Al’s mother made: penne with heavy cream, our marinara, and our house sausage. The third must-have-in-stock is eggplant Parmesan. If we don’t have those in the case every day,” she states, “we don’t pay rent, it’s that simple.” Robin works with head chef Jami Brooks, designing the daily, seasonal, and holiday menus and specials. Robin’s forte is ordering cheese and specialty items and responding to food trends and customer requests. An avid home cook, Robin became the soup guru at her child’s Waldorf School on Long Island. That’s where she started to “mantra” the soups she made each day. “I would blend in good energy for the kids while I stirred; it became a meditative process.” “Her chicken soup is phenomenal; people call here instead of the pharmacy,” Patti laughs.
Patti is the warm, gentle soul who greets you upon entering the shop. She lives and breathes connection with her customers, whom she considers extended family. Prior to Al Ducci’s, Patti owned the iconic Dolphin Bookstore on Long Island, where she honed her talent for service. “Everybody adores their smiling encounters with Patti,” Robin notes with admiration.
Longtime deli manager Jodi Bounds and her team arrange the daily specials, displayed in bowls or large platters in or on top of the deli case, and make the superb sandwiches. If you’re a regular, they probably know your favorite soup or sandwich! A summer day may yield arugula pesto orzo or roasted eggplant and tomato stacks oozing mozzarella, and all types of grilled, roasted, or steamed vegetables with olive oil, fresh garlic, and herbs. And of course, plump house-made sweet and hot sausages accompanied by colorful roasted peppers. Robin posts the menu daily on Facebook by 11am so you can start your fantasy.
Freezers are stocked with take-home entrées, soups, sauces, and appetizers, along with focaccia pizza in four flavors. More than half of the cheese case is dedicated to Vermont purveyors. Browse the shelves of imported oils and vinegars, dried pastas, crackers, and jarred condiments, including six varieties of Calabrian chile peppers. “We have a well-traveled clientele who are eager to taste new things, which gives us a lot of freedom to bring in unique, high-quality products,” Robin says.
The two women personally select their array of European and domestic wines. “Neither of us are wine experts, but we know what we like,” says Robin.
Joy infuses every aspect of this off-the-beaten-track gem, shepherded by two women who humbly carry this tasty torch that Al sparked three decades earlier and who still pops in daily to see if anyone needs a hand.
