Cheese Shops We Love: Di Bruno Bros.
Location
The original Di Bruno Bros shop is located in the Italian Market
930 South 9th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19147
Family Matters
Di Bruno Bros is a family-owned business that opened back in 1939 at Philadelphia’s Italian Market. It has since grown into five retail locations, a catering business, a sit-down cafe and bar, and a bottle shop.
Vice President Emilio Mignucci’s grandparents started the company after learning the ins and outs of retail while working for a Greek family in the immigrant neighborhood of South Philadelphia. They eventually saved up their money to buy the 300 square foot shop across the street which would soon become the first Di Bruno Bros.
Mignucci took over the business with his cousins when his grandparents were ready to retire at the end of 89. “We knew that if we didn't take it over, their business would just go away,” says Mignucci. “They worked too hard for too long to build something that deserves to live on much longer.”
The mission here has always been about providing a unique experience to the customers and helping to make their day better. “When my grandfather gave me the keys to the shop he told me people don’t have to shop here, they choose to shop here,” says Mignucci. “It's our responsibility to welcome them into our kitchen and to give them this experience.”
Mignucci goes on to add “it’s all about joking and having fun with people,” while also providing an "emotional connection between the consumer and the products.” He has traveled around the world to work with cheesemakers in Spain, France, and Italy to understand their process and learn about their products to sell them to his customers. “I want to help people to understand the makers behind the product that they're enjoying.”
The Store
The original Di Bruno Bros is located in Philadelphia’s Italian Market neighborhood. The company describes the 300-square foot space as a “European-inspired shop” with a cheese counter, charcuterie station, and antipasti bar. Floor-to-ceiling shelves are packed with various goods, items including pasta and jams, and many coming from artisanal producers and small makers from around the world.
Top-Selling Cheeses
This raw cow milk cheese from Italy — aged by Parmesan affineur Giorgio Cravero — is one of the shop’s most popular cheeses both for a snack and as freshly grated. “Being a three-year-old cheese, it's aged in a cooler temperature so it's not very warm,” says Mignucci. “The flavor is long-lasting with more tropical fruit notes like pineapple.”
This pasteurized cow milk cheese is made in Holland by a husband and wife team and matured at a higher temperature that helps retain moisture and makes this gouda extra creamy. “It’s a little sweeter and more caramelized,” says Mignucci. “It’s very light with an essence of smoke and has a great Yin and Yang of sweet and almost a salty finish.”
This raw sheep milk cheese is made on a Spanish ranch that dates back to 1878. “This is a true farmstead Manchego,” says Mignucci. “The cheesemaker is the farmer who grows great soil and grass so the sheep eat well.” As a result, this cheese has welcoming earthy notes and a “toasted crusty bread finish.”
Also Look For
Di Bruno Bros also has a new Bottle Shop on 9th Street next to its shop, offering a variety of wines, which will soon include three releases of the company’s very own. Experts can help customers pair wine with their choice of cheese and charcuterie.