Claudio’s Specialty Foods

If you live in Philly, buy your mozzarella from here and never anywhere else! It is flat out the best; and the service is fast, knowledgeable, and friendly.

Claudio’s is great. They have good cheese that you can sample, at reasonable prices. I can get a tasty aged asiago here.
Great service too. Staff is helpful and friendly.
If I wanted to buy cheese in the area, this is where I’d go.

Fantastico! The best place for cheese and imported Italian and spaniard products. Great selection of olive oils

I’ve tried Mozzarella from all over. Nothing has ever come close to the quality of Claudio’s. They also have a nice selection of Italian specialties but I’m so focused on the cheese that I tend to ignore the rest.

In Italy, people eat mozzarella the way they eat bread: only the day it is made. Tasting fresh mozzarella for the first time after years of eating what you thought was mozzarella is mind blowing. Nothing compares to the freshness of Claudio’s fresh mozzarella — the shop sells about 1200 pounds a week!!! Claudio can be seen through the glass doors behind the counter of his cheese shop working an industrial-​size mozzarella-​making machine. What’s more, he also makes fresh ricotta and (textured like mozzarella on the outside, but creamy in the middle).
This is a charming shop, with friendly staff and an over abundance of quality Italian products. And they have a website to deliver worldwide!
EVEN KINDER CHOCOLATE!!!

My favorite food store! I buy their pasta, canned tomato products, olive oil, crackers, and of course, cheeses and meats. I stopped making my own pesto; theirs is that good. Anything you want for an antipasto can be gotten there.
The service is great. Even when the store is crowded, the line moves quickly and fairly.
I know that there is another cheese shop a few doors away but I always go to Claudios. As I tell them– the men who sell the cheese, like the cheese itself, should be well-​aged.

Generously, the young man at the counter shared samples of the unbelievably delicious Genoa, parma, and sharp provolone to help me find what my palate was hankering. He also helped educate me on everything I tasted. You will always find a treat, a smile, a story, and plenty of regulars shopping at this wonderful store!

I cannot say enough about Claudio’s. I’ve been going there since 2010. I used to live a block from there, and when I first moved there I got a ball of mozzarella from DiBruno’s and one from Claudio’s. I never even finished the one from DiBruno’s, Claudio’s was that good. I never looked back. I used to go every morning on the weekend to eat cheese and shoot the breeze with the guys. They got to know the cheeses I liked and did not like, and they would always go the extra mile to make sure I got the cheese that was right for me. They are all just really honest and decent and fun guys. The limon ricotta cheese tastes like cheesecake! and the mozzarella Claudio makes is unparalleled in the city in my opinion. I live further south now, but I still regularly visit Claudio’s (although now when I go they give me a hard time for not coming more often). Thank goodness for these guys!

Always a pleasure coming to Claudios! The staff is very friendly and patient. They are always willing to let you sample the meats and cheeses. Some of my favorite items are that I buy weekly are the pepperoni stick, cherry popper filled with sharp provolone, and Olive Oil. The pesto is OMG good! I have put it on pasta, bread, I have even just ate it off a spoon!

If you love cheese, go here.
This place is amazing. They have every kind of anything you could imagine. Pasta, cheese, meats, spreads. Yes, it’s pricey, but you’re getting real stuff, not grocery store stuff. They let you try just about everything, and everything is delicious.
It’s a classic store in the Italian Market and has been around for quite some time.

Great service! Being a visitor to Philadelphia, I feared my ignorance of meats and cheeses would be a bother, but the man at the counter was patient and kind. His knowingness gave me confident in him. So, I asked him to use his discretion, and I am confident with his selection.

Walking into Claudio’s is like walking into another world, like a cross between 1950’s Philly and Italy all at once.
I first walked into this place 10 years ago as a newbie to city life, and walked out without purchasing anything because I was so intimidated by the line and the counter and the interaction with the cheesemongers, but time and personal growth and a deep love for cheese have brought me back over and over again, until now I love the guys here, and I have to say, I think the feeling is mutual. Probably because any sample they give me has a good chance to end up in my bag when I walk out, but I pretend it’s because of my wit and charm. And once when I brought a date here, Ben even told him (and me) how much he’s seen me «blossom» over the years I have been coming here… which was totally unexpected and sweet, and made me love them all the more.
Make no mistake, the guys are as likely to insult you as anyone else in S Philly, but they’ll be passing you samples of mouth-​watering cheeses while they do it, and the end result is pure happiness.
I can’t recommend one cheese here, because they’re all so good! But I will say, don’t ignore the meats — they have a duck prosciutto that is to die for! and a dried beef that makes my mouth sing! not to mention the more commonplace sorpresattas. And the olives! Oh man, it’s about time to come get my fix again!

Love this place. Love my Mots & my Tom hehe all these guys are super funny and they know their stuff.

Holy Amazing.
Serious truffle cheese for only 29.00? Shut your mouth, add some grilled olives, and I can die peacefully.
Add a splash of humour from the guys behind the counter, and you got a formula for success.

Friendly service: the guys are super nice and super friendly.
Excellent products: Their pesto was the best I have had.
They have everything cheeses, pasta, anchovies etc… all good.
I’m so glad I stopped by.

Wow, what a fantastic shop filled with specialty cheeses, meats, pasta, sauce and all good things Italian (and non Italian). I’m a huge fan of their house made mozzarella, it’s just amazing! They hve a huge variety of meats and cheeses adn you can sample anything (within reason) before you buy it. One hidden gem is this lemon baked ricotta from sicily… just do it. Friendly service, tons of options and quality products.

Claudio’s is a specialty supermarket full of yummy imported Italian goods. Mmmmm. While they aren’t as meat and cheese focused as Di Bruno Bros, they offer a lot of the same items, but also a more extensive grocery section.
I personally really appreciate the fresh olives they have — so many different types! The regular green ones are the best I believe, but I also enjoy the gorgonzola-​stuffed ones. They also had this delicious spiced string cheese stuff. They also have a wine collection which is kind of cool.
But the best part is that Claudio’s has a mozzarella machine and they make their own mozzarella that you can buy. How amazing is that!?! We had a taste of some of the fresh stuff, and it was really good. Have a try!

Oh, Claudio’s, where to begin. For the past few years, I’ve frequented the Italian Market for everything from fruits and veggies to fish and bread ends. But it wasn’t until I actually moved to Philly that I ventured into the store. I’ve reviewed the actual Italian Market in the past, and have said that each store and shop is deserving of their own review. And Claudio’s is more than deserving.
It is almost impossible to walk down 9^th without noticing the huge meat and cheese packages hanging from the ceiling. Admittedly, it was somewhat intimidating when I first walked in. There were names I couldn’t pronounce and foods I’ve never seen before. Everyone seemed like they knew exactly what they wanted, and there appeared to be a routine. In an impatient city like Philly, I’m always conscious of how touristy I may look!
But nonetheless, everyone was incredibly friendly. The guys behind the counter are more than helpful, and they’re aware that many customers don’t know the cheese world extends beyond cheddar and american. Countless times I’ve witnessed them giving out meat and cheese samples (sadly, none to me).
The selection beyond the meat and cheese includes all types, colors, shapes, sizes, packages, etc. of pasta. There is a wide array of oils, and an even more specific display of olive oils. Other items include breads, sauces, crackers, and a massive jar of nutella (you are reminded not to attempt picking it up).
My advice: It’s called a specialty store for a reason; You’re paying for the quality you get. Keep your friends close, and your budget closer.

Back in my days of excessive cheese consumption, I would go to Claudio’s on the weekend and set myself up with a loaf of crusty bread and various cheeses to last the week.
While, the amount of cheese I eat has greatly reduced, a recent trip to Claudio’s made me remember why I loved the place so much to begin with.
There are so many options. Need feta? They’ll give you a sample of three to choose from. The same goes for everything else. I prefer the small, family owned business to their commercialized competitor located down the block.
I’ve officially made the decision to stop buying pre packaged «cheese» from the grocery store, and only go to Claudio’s.
While you are there, pick up some baked lemon ricotta. You don’t need it, but you definitely want it.

As soon as you walk in, your olfactory sense is overwhelmed by the pungent, stinky odor of cheese — they have a great selection of soft and hard cheeses as well as a section for jams and tapenades, crackers, oils and more Italian goodness.
The cheesemonger (can I call him that?) was super friendly and offered us samples of all the cheeses we were interested in — we ended up settling on an aged Gouda (recommended to us by the staff) and a softer, milder Port Salut cheese.
If you’re a fan of pairing your cheeses with fruit… we also grabbed a pound of fresh champagne grapes from the produce stand across the street for a dollar — such a good deal!