When Italian Sausage Co. opened its flagship in Gladstone four years ago, the deli made waves with hefty, double-fisted sandwiches that practically require unhinging your jaw to eat. You can even grab one of their Italian sausages at their vendor space at Arrowhead Stadium. Now, heading into the new year, Italian Sausage Co. is expanding to the River Market, but this time with a big-city edge.
Taking over the former ClusterTruck ghost kitchen at 518 Grand Blvd. (tucked behind Harry’s Country Club), Italian Sausage Co. plans to transform the massive two-story space into its central catering hub. But the real draw will be the walk-up deli. Customers will be able to order the same beloved sandwiches from the Gladstone menu, as well as an East Coast-style breakfast lineup and drinks from an espresso bar. The goal with the walk-up style restaurant is excitement and convenience.
“If you go to New York or Chicago, you walk by these restaurants and see a line outside, it’s buzzin’, and you think, ‘Oh, what’s going on over there?’ That’s the feeling I’m trying to tap into,” says Michelle Brancato, who owns Italian Sausage Co. alongside her husband Joe.
The River Market site’s grand opening is slated for February.
Though the new spot won’t offer indoor seating or retail, Brancato plans to build an enclosed, all-weather 50-foot space along the west side of the building, plus outdoor seating with umbrellas.
“We really want to create a city experience, which I feel like that location really lends itself to,” says Brancato, who grew up in New Jersey and visited New York often. The neighborhood’s walkability and foot traffic were part of the appeal, and with the River Market’s deep Italian roots, especially in nearby Columbus Park, the fit felt natural.
Italian Sausage Co. loyalists already know the hits: the No. 22 with pastrami, salami, burrata cheese and red wine olives infused with James Chang chili oil, and the No. 71 pastrami sandwich made in collaboration with former Chiefs offensive lineman Mitch Schwartz. At the River Market kitchen, Brancato says she’s especially excited to refine their bread program, producing 90% of their breads in-house, which naturally paves the way for bagels and bagel sandwiches as seen in their east coast breakfast menu.
We included Italian Sausage Co. in our Kansas City’s Best Restaurants list at the beginning of the year. Read the list here.
