Central Grocery, famous for muffulettas in the French Quarter, updates reopening plans

You build a muffuletta one layer at a time. Bringing back this French Quarter landmark for the city's famous Italian sandwich has been a slow, methodical piece-by-piece process too.

That’s just how bad the damage was after Hurricane Ida in 2021 caused neighboring building to collapse, sending a torrent of bricks crashing down on the Decatur Street market.

Now, though, the end is in sight, signaling a new beginning for a market that’s been in business since 1906. Late summer is now the projected reopening, confirmed Tommy Tusa, one of the family owners.

He said Central Grocery is now working through the city permitting process, and the rebuilding is coming down to final steps and hiring more staff.

“We’re getting really close, and it’s looking real nice,” Tusa said.

The renewed Central Grocery that opens is meant to evoke the old one in many ways, reflecting an important choice made during the rebuild. The scale of damage left a blank slate of four brick walls. There was not even a roof for the first year after Ida.

But instead of rethinking or revamping the old place, the Central Grocery family is bringing it back along the same lines as people remember, complete with the long counter where many a muffuletta has met the world and racks of imported Italian groceries all around.

In the meantime, the Central Grocery muffuletta is actually easier to get than ever, with a network of local retail outlets selling the sandwich and the online service Goldbelly shipping it nationally.

Here’s where to find Central Grocery muffulettas today:

• Sidney’s Wine Cellar, 917 Decatur St.
• Zuppardo’s Family Market, 5010 Veterans Blvd.
• Rouses in the CBD, 701 Baronne St.
• Acquistapace’s in Covington, 125 E. 21st Ave.
• Acquistapace’s in Mandeville, 631 N. Causeway Blvd.
• NORCO Fresh Market, 217 Apple St., Norco
• Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, at Moisant Market (near concourse B, behind security)

Even when Central Grocery reopens, these other retail outlets will continue, Tusa said.

Central Grocery

923 Decatur St., projected reopening late summer 2024

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