Business Profile: Dante’s III, Yorktown
About 17 years ago, culinary history changed forever in Yorktown when Dante Renzi went wacky. To be more precise, he invented the Wacky sandwich.
During an interview last week at Dante’s III at 1804 Front Street, Renzi recalled the historic moment.
“A customer came in and he said, ‘Could you do this, this, this and put that on the bread for me?’ I said, ‘I could do that,’” and the Wacky was born, Renzi said. “I said to him, ‘yea, that’s a wacky sandwich.’”
The very next day, he put a Wacky sandwich sign on his deli, which was at the time located on Route 202.
“It’s the legendary sandwich of Yorktown,” said Renzi, a 67-year-old Cortlandt resident.
The basic Wacky consists of two fried eggs with ham, bacon, cheese, and last but not least, home fried potatoes on a Kaiser roll. There are other Wacky sandwiches, which feature such additional elements as sausage, pepperoni or steak. The Wacky sandwiches are sold all day.
Renzi said he wanted to share his Wacky sandwiches outside of his current deli. “I trademarked the name. I’m thinking of going on and franchising that at other stores,” he said, adding the restaurants would serve egg sandwiches all day.
Renzi, who has owned Dante’s III on Front Street in Yorktown for 14 years, has a long family history in the deli business. Renzi’s family has been in the business for 47 years with two former establishments at other Yorktown locations and one formerly in Yonkers.
“It goes back to my mother and father, Gilda and (late father) Danny,” Renzi said, adding he worked part-time behind the counter at the original Yonkers location. When his father died in 1970, Renzi and his wife, Judy, went into business with his mother. Today, his daughter, Kim, works behind the counter and grandson Lorenzo also helps out with such tasks as taking telephone orders.
“I thought it was a good spot,” Renzi said. “We had a bunch of businesses down the street.”
Aside from his Wacky sandwiches, Renzi said another factor sets his establishment apart from other local eateries. “We cater to a lot of kids, high school kids, junior high school kids,” he said. “What we’ve done with this store is we’ve made it a safe and friendly environment for children.”
Renzi said his deli does not sell tobacco products, alcohol or lottery tickets. What Renzi does offer, aside from his celebrated sandwiches, are a section of hot foods, particularly Italian specialties.
“We give good food at a good price and I’ve always got a smile on my face,” he said.
The deli is open from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day.
