Bernard Scafidi stood in front of the sandwich menu, smiling. “That’s me,” he said, pointing to No. 12 — The Bernie. “I don’t know how they knew it, but I can see my brothers and sisters in some of these too.”
Bernard, who is 83 and lives two hours west of Newton, made the trip to Scafidi Bros. Market & Deli (1134 Beacon Street at Four Corners in Newton Highlands) to taste the sandwich named in his honor. What he found was more than lunch — he found a tribute to his family that spans generations, captured in meat, cheese, and memory.
Scafidi Bros. opened in April after a 17-month journey from concept to reality. Owners Ted and Andy Scafidi — brothers, longtime chefs, and lifelong family men — built the restaurant as a tribute to their roots.
The menu features 18 signature sandwiches, named for their father, Anthony, and his 17 siblings – Ted’s and Andy’s aunts and uncles. Several sandwiches memorialize aunts and uncles who died younger than 2 years old.
One sandwich represents the only relative still very much alive — and hungry: Bernie. He says the sandwich ingredients represent him and some of his siblings perfectly, although Ted and Andy admit that was a “happy accident.”
The brothers’ father, Tony (#11 The Anthony), and their uncle Bernie, grew up in Waltham, in a house where sharing a bed was the norm and joining the military at 18 was a requirement to make room for younger siblings. “Three in one bed, long lines for the bathroom,” Andy said.
Now, the family’s legacy spans from Waltham to Concord, Roslindale, Westwood, and southern New Hampshire — and they’ve all come to Newton to grab lunch. “When we announced we were opening, the family really came out to support,” Ted said. Some relatives they hadn’t seen in years showed up just to wish them luck. One of their cousins even comes in weekly for a sandwich.
“It’s a homage to our family,” said Ted. “We weren’t always close, since there’s so many of us— like 46 grandchildren — but our mom was the glue that kept these reunions going.”
That glue still sticks, with over 400 relatives showing up to reunions. “If I’m worried because my cashier or cook doesn’t show, I just call up one of our siblings or a cousin, and they’re here in a heartbeat,” said Ted.
Even some new workers have turned out to be family. It was an odd coincidence when their young cashier, Christian Binder, found out after already working there that he also has a Scafidi connection. His childhood babysitter, who was like a mother figure to him, turned out to be part of the extended family. “She’s basically my mom,” he said. “So working here feels like coming around full circle.”
With so many relatives, Ted and Andy say it’s normal for someone to come in here saying one of the sandwiches is named after their great-grandfather. “We meet new family members all the time,” said Ted.
Despite their large family that could single-handedly keep them running, building the restaurant was far from easy – from small business loans and unreliable contractors to an “Opening Soon” sign dangling on the door since 2023. “People started wondering if we were running some kind of illegal operation in the back,” Andy joked.
Once the doors finally opened, Newton locals — many meeting the Scafidis for the first time — helped shape the business. “We’ve had great support from nearby Jewish communities,” Ted said. “People stop in, ask about ingredients, give feedback — so we listen.”
While Ted is the seasoned chef — 35 years in the kitchen — Andy got dragged into the barbecue business by his brother over two decades ago. Together they’ve opened a business that reflects both tradition and adaptability.
The shop uses bread from local bakeries and Boar’s Head meat, and plans to source produce from the Newton Farmers’ Markets starting in June. “We call ourselves locally sourced, because as much as we can do locally, we do,” Ted said.
Affordability was a priority. “We didn’t want to come in and gouge people,” Ted said. “We’d rather make a few bucks per sandwich and keep people coming back.”
Still, rising costs loom. With new tariffs on imported goods, even the aluminum plates they use are getting more expensive. Their solution? Stock up now, and adjust without raising prices. Ted’s experience in catering helps: “Today’s fresh bread becomes croutons tomorrow, and that becomes chicken cutlet breading. You’ve got to think ahead so nothing goes in the trash.”
That openness has shaped the evolving menu. The Scafidis quickly swapped out underperforming items and added more vegetarian options — like the caprese-style Marie, made with tomatoes, mozzarella and basil, and a new eggplant sandwich. They also serve rotating specials and old-school Italian dishes like spaghetti and meatballs, eggplant parm, and meat lasagna.
Even the branding is a family effort. Their sister-in-law, a former JCPenney designer, created the logo and slogan — “Love the taste. Taste the love.” When their cook bailed on day two, she jumped behind the register.
The shop is just the start. Downstairs is a basement the brothers plan to turn into a catering prep area — a return to their roots. They’re also working on delivery options through DoorDash and Uber Eats, and hope to serve beer and wine once their license is approved.
But for now, they’re keeping it simple: six days a week in the kitchen, one day off. “We don’t even text on Sundays,” Ted said. “I don’t want to know anything about him [Andy] on Sunday.”
As Uncle Bernie holds the sandwich bearing his name, surrounded by younger generations in a space filled with family photos, it’s clear that this shop isn’t just about food — it’s about preserving a family legacy one order at a time.
“It means the world to us,” Ted said, watching his uncle grin at the menu. “This is what it’s all about.”
Alexyss Lopez is a senior majoring in Journalism at Boston University and working with Fig City News via her department’s new initiative, the BU Newsroom program.