A passion for food runs in the Botto family. Robert Botto Sr.’s parents, Vincenzo and Domenica operated a produce retail company in Philadelphia, running the business from the time of the Great Depression until Vincenzo’s passing. Following in their parents’ footsteps, the Bottos’ sons Henry and Joseph opened a food market in Swedesboro, in the location that presently houses Pat’s Pizzeria.

Catherine and Robert Botto Sr.
Photo Courtesy of the Botto Family

Vincenzo and Domenica’s son Robert married Catherine in 1959, and shortly after, he took over running his brothers’ food market. In 1965, Robert purchased C.W. Brown Foods, Inc., the sausage making company that has operated since 1887 in Mount Royal, and began creating sweet and hot Italian sausages under the brand. Shortly after, the Botto’s Italian brand was born, and Robert began adding a number of specialty items to the label, such as meatballs and tomato sauces, all the while distributing his products to various retail stores in south Jersey. The couple later opened King’s Colonial Market in 1973, with a focus on treating all of their customers as family- as is clear from the family motto, “From our kitchen to your table.”

Robert and Catherine would go on to have four children: Vincent, Robert Jr, Enrico, and Domenic. While Robert Sr. handled the company’s business operations, Catherine ran the market and cared for their four children, with the love and support of family and friends. Sadly, Robert Botto Sr. passed away on February 15, 2007, but his beloved Catherine and their four sons have continued his legacy by maintaining the family business. The new storefront opened in 1997, and Catherine still works in the store today on a daily basis.  Her ricotta cookies and homemade pasta specialties are enormously popular with the market’s patrons- some customers even providing their own casserole dishes for Catherine to fill with goodies such as her delicious lasagna, or her eggplant parmigiana.

Aside from Mama Botto’s amazing entrees, the store is loaded with a variety of treats. The market specializes in gourmet Italian foods, and features an on-site bakery stocked with fresh pastries, breads, and cookies. The produce section offers local fruits and vegetables from area farmers whenever seasonally available, and even has a selection of organic items. The store’s deli area offers an array of lunchmeats and specialty cheeses, and a salad bar offers a wide selection of build-your-own salad ingredients.

The market boasts a wonderful array of fresh seafood items, and the glass cases at the meat counter are filled with freshly cut steaks, ground meats, and their famous Botto’s sausage. One of the store’s top sellers is their variety of Chef Enrico’s homemade sauces, such as fra diavolo, vodka, and classic spaghetti, which Enrico Botto cooks from scratch in the industrial kitchen at Rutgers Camden. Patrons can also purchase gift baskets and gorgeous stoneware dishes, as well as a number of other beautiful Italian gift items, either in store, or via their online shop, located here.

The market features weekly specials to suit a variety of appetites- Mexican Mondays, Italian Tuesdays, Steakhouse Wednesdays, Farm Fresh Thursdays, and Seafood Fridays. Each of these days presents a number of theme-appropriate dishes, such as enchiladas verde on Mondays, or chicken marsala on Tuesdays. In addition, the market offers a catering menu- perfect for parties and special events, as well as a take out menu for those who wish to call in an order and enjoy a delicious meal from Botto’s in the comfort of home. Botto’s Italian Market is located at 1411 Kings Highway in Swedesboro, New Jersey, and the store can be reached via telephone at 856-467-1733. The market is open Monday – Friday: 8am – 8pm, Saturdays 8am – 8pm, and on Sundays from 8am – 6pm. For more information, please visit their website, and be sure to ‘like’ Botto’s Italian Line on Facebook, located here.

Please stay tuned for Part 2 in our Botto’s spotlight series, when we take you around Botto’s Italian Line Restaurant. A special thank you goes out to Enrico and Robert Botto for taking the time to talk to us and show us around the market!