Edgewood Market: Serving Edgewood for 54 years

Don Fowler
Posted 2/8/12

Steve and Gregg Suvagian remember when their father opened the Edgewood Market back in 1958.

“We were young then,” said Steve, “and now we’re well older.”

The brothers took over the …

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Edgewood Market: Serving Edgewood for 54 years

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Steve and Gregg Suvagian remember when their father opened the Edgewood Market back in 1958.

“We were young then,” said Steve, “and now we’re well older.”

The brothers took over the store from their father in 1981, carrying on the tradition of serving the working families of northern Edgewood, Johnson & Wales students and Warwick and Pawtuxet Village commuters on their way from work. There is a picture on the wall of the snow piled up around the market during the blizzard of 1978.

“That’s us in front of the store,” Gregg said. “I had hair and a beard then. We stayed open during the blizzard and helped feed the neighborhood for many days afterward. We gained the trust of the neighborhood, and many of those families still shop here.”

While the business started out as a local market, selling the customary bread, milk, deli items and staples, the Suvajian brothers have expanded into a full service deli and pizza parlor, with a few tables and a large take-out business. Using only the freshest meats, Steve said that it is not unusual to sell 40 burgers in a given day.

A lunch hour at Edgewood Market finds people lined at the counter for their humongous subs and delicious pizzas, while others relax over their daily specials, all freshly made in-house, like shepherd’s pie ($4.99) or their delicious chicken cutlets. The chicken cutlet parmesan tray is one of the many favorite catering dishes, along with a variety of pasta, chicken wings, antipasto and cold cut trays.

Subs are made on delicious fresh bread from Silver Star bakery, ranging from American cold cuts ($5.50/$7.50) to turkey, ham and cheese ($6.95/$8.95).

“Finish a small and you’ll be full. Finish a large and you’ll be worshipped,” Steve tells everyone.

And then there are their famous Boffa Super Subs. Joyce and I shared the 30-inch sandwich one day, and it was all we could do to finish it. The fresh roll was loaded with ham, salami, mortadella, provolone, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, hot peppers, oil and vinegar ($14.95).

“We have many people from Pawtuxet Village who love our pizza,” Steve said.

And we know why after ordering the vegetarian, made with their own fresh pizza dough and loaded with veggies, cheese and a sweet, tasty sauce. ($9/$16.95). The small was enough for the two of us.

Using the best ingredients such as chicken from Willow Tree, deli meats from USFoods and bread from Silver Star are important to Steve and Gregg, as they treat all of their customers like old friends…and most of them are.

They take an occasional ribbing for all of the Yankees memorabilia on the wall, but quickly point out that the Red Sox are also represented. There are news articles about their customers, including the local police and fire fighters. They point with pride to a Rhode Island Magazine article about a famous local chef whose favorite spot for a sub is Edgewood Market.

If you are waiting for a pizza, roam around and check out the photos and items on the walls and shelves, including a section dedicated to The Three Stooges.

Stop by Edgewood Market Pizza & Deli at 1043 Narragansett Boulevard, just over the Providence line in Cranston. Order a pizza, a grinder or a meal and pick up your milk, bread, lottery tickets and whatever else you need.

Steve and Gregg will make you feel at home in one of those rare family-owned establishments that maintains its local flavor, keeps its prices reasonable and contributes to the local economy.

They are closed Sundays (“We’re getting older, and need to spend a little time with our families,” Gregg said. You’ll find them there six days a week from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Call ahead at 941-5060, or visit them on line at edgewooddeli.com.

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