Gioia's Deli – The Hill

Gioia's makes its hot salami, salam de testa, in house from pork-head meat, beef and a mostly secret spice mix. It's a fresh, boiled sausage, so it comes off the log warm and soft, closer to pâté than to the dry salami in a deli case. The Riverfront Times describes it topped with Provel, the soft St. Louis processed cheese; an earlier RFT write-up suggested pepper jack, lettuce and tomato, and told readers to think of the bread as "a handy carrying case" for the salami.

This is the original shop on The Hill. Gioia's has since opened in Valley Park, Creve Coeur, Maryland Heights and Winghaven (O'Fallon), all on the same phone number. At this one, hours are Monday to Saturday, 10 to 4, closed Sunday.

Gioia's own site calls the deli a St. Louis institution since 1918 and a James Beard Foundation "America's Classics" winner; the Riverfront Times reported the James Beard honor and names Alex Donley and his mother, Cathy Donley, as the owners.

Sources: gioiasdeli.com (address, phone, hours, locations, house-made hot salami, "since 1918", James Beard claim; checked 2026-11-02); Riverfront Times Staff, "A Food Lover's Guide to the Hill", 2024-03-29 (1934 Macklind; hot means warm, not spicy); Riverfront Times, "21 Classic St. Louis Delis and Sandwich Shops", 2025-04-11; Riverfront Times, "#83: Hot Salami at Gioia's Deli", 2010-05-10; Riverfront Times, "Gioia's Deli named an American Classic by James Beard Foundation" (undated; ingredients; Provel; owners).