The gourmet warehouse in the United States promoting high-quality Italian food

There’s an unusual atmosphere in New York over the past two months. Between the arrest of Luigi Mangione, yet another school shooting in Wisconsin, and the looming Trump tariffs, the holiday spirit feels somewhat subdued this year. Helping to lift spirits was The Los Angeles Times, which highlighted Gustiamo in its “Tasting Notes” column, describing it as an essential resource for food enthusiasts. This enterprise, founded 25 years ago by a true Neapolitan, champions authentic Italian products.

“For 25 years, we have been independently importing goods from about thirty fantastic producers who prioritise integrity, treat their employees well, and respect the principles of Made in Italy. Our mission, which we hope others will join, is to make our American customers happy while serving as a bastion of Italian excellence in the U.S., bringing benefits to Italian regions,” says Beatrice Ughi, the dynamic founder of Gustiamo.

The large warehouse on West Farm Road in the Bronx, part of a commercial area filled with food-related businesses, serves as Gustiamo’s headquarters. Stocked with only the finest Italian products, its sales are conducted through a website that the Californian daily calls “the Italian culinary resource every chef should know.”

Bringing Italy’s best to the U.S.

In 2023, Ughi was honoured with the title of Cavaliere of the Italian Republic. In the 1980s, she worked in financial auditing for Ernst & Young before making a life-changing career move a decade later. At that time, a small Italian start-up called Esperya invited her to lead the launch of their U.S. platform specialising in the online sale of traditional Italian food products—at a time when “e-commerce” was an unfamiliar term. That experience eventually ended, but Ughi stayed in the U.S., along with many of the producers she had collaborated with. “Each of them is also a friend with whom I share a personal bond. I believe wholeheartedly in the absolute value of what I sell.”

The importation of Italian food products to the United States and Canada began in 1999 as an online store selling Italian delicacies. Over the years, Ughi has cultivated strong relationships with farmers, distillers, bakers, and pastry chefs. Today, Gustiamo employs about a dozen people, many of whom are graduates of the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Pollenzo, while others are warehouse workers from the Bronx. In addition to its online store, Gustiamo offers a robust wholesale programme.

A company deeply committed to transparency and fair pricing, Ughi and her team focus on quality, providing chefs and home cooks with authentic products that highlight craftsmanship, legitimacy, and superior taste.

Mission: improve the quality of Italian food in the U.S.

Gustiamo’s website offers about 300 products, including preserves, pasta, grains, legumes, balsamic vinegar, and jams. Sales are conducted exclusively online, but the restaurant supply business accounts for a significant portion of revenue. Customers who rely on Gustiamo also receive comprehensive support to navigate local bureaucracy—securing FDA certifications, for instance, is no small feat. Without these, the U.S. market remains inaccessible.

For those overseas longing for the flavours of Italy, Gustiamo offers a pre-tariff culinary shopping spree. Shoppers can choose from hand-harvested sea salt from Trapani Sale, sourced by Vincenzo Gucciardo without machinery, or capers from the family-run business La Nicchia on Pantelleria, a long-standing partner of Gustiamo for over 20 years.

Among their standout offerings is an impressive selection of extra virgin olive oils, such as Il Tratturello from Molise, Vicopisano from Tuscany, and Antichi Uliveti from Sardinia, which earned tre foglie (three leaves) in the Oli d’Italia 2024 guide by Gambero Rosso. There’s also the limited-edition Pressure olive oil, offered in collaboration with Massimo Bottura. All profits from its sales are donated to Food for Soul, Bottura’s non-profit organisation. Additionally, every bottle of Pressure sold provides 15 families with a weekly selection of fresh produce and a multi-course meal served with dignity at the Refettorio Harlem.

What you can buy on the website

Entire walls of the warehouse are stacked with tins of peeled tomatoes. These include Sabatino Abagnale’s products and the heirloom “Lungo Giallo di Capaccio” yellow tomatoes cultivated near the temples of Paestum by Azienda Agricola Maida. There are also pacchetelle of Vesuvian piennolo tomatoes from Azienda Agricola Sapori Vesuviani of Pasquale Imperato.

Coffee comes from the Veronese roaster Giamaica Caffè, and there’s a wealth of products like sott’oli, organic honey, anchovy essence, pine nuts, dried porcini mushrooms, sauces, and preserves—all of the highest quality.

Parmigiano Reggiano from red cows aged 24 months is a must, as is the “Noto Romana” almond variety, saved from extinction by Corrado Assenza. This story was featured in Netflix’s Chef’s Table: Pastry.

Unlike almonds typically found in the U.S., these Sicilian almonds grow with minimal water, resulting in a more intense flavour. They are a key ingredient in the granita served at Caffè Sicilia in Noto. Ughi brought Assenza to Los Angeles as a guest chef for two events: a dinner in collaboration with Silvia Carluccio’s cooking school Impastiamo and another at Lulu, David Tanis’s restaurant at the Hammer Museum. At both events, the meal’s highlight was granita made from these almonds.

When Laurie Ochoa, the author of the article and food editor for The Los Angeles Times, visited the Bronx warehouse, she witnessed a daily ritual: a convivial spaghetti lunch shared by everyone, with Ughi serving plates and leading the toasts.