The Angie behind Angelina’s Cafe & Deli

Now in its 26th year, Angelina’s Cafe & Deli at the corner of California and 22nd Avenue is a cornerstone of the community. Neighbors stop in for rich espressos, meaty sandwiches and great salads. I sat down with owner Angie Rando recently to find out more about the origins and history of this favorite Richmond District cafe.

The building where Angelina’s resides was purchased by her parents, Tony and Marie Rando, back in 1977. Originally, another couple rented the space to open a deli, but once Angie was done with college, she realized that she might be a good proprietor. She jokes that “the previous owner was cranky and I didn’t know much about business but I just knew, if I wasn’t cranky, and had good sandwiches, that it could do well.”

Even if Angie didn’t have formal business or culinary training on her side, she did have history. Angie’s family lineage includes dual sets of grandparents that owned their own businesses. Hailing from Sicily and Southern Italy, they came to the United States and eventually opened shoe repair shops and grocery stores.

As a child, Angie would help out her grandfather at his Ortega Market in the Sunset. The market is no longer there but it set the stage for Angie’s future as a business owner. “When you grow up behind the counter you just think this is how it is,” she says.

Angie says she knew early on that she would one day be in business for herself. “I knew I always wanted to have my own business because when I was in school, especially in high school, I would cut school to go to work.”

But even with the family resume, getting the deli off the ground was a challenge. It was two years before Angelina’s was breaking even. “It was a lot harder than I thought and I’m really thankful to have had my parents behind me,” she says.

After five years of nothing but Angelina’s, Angie needed a break. With her sister working alongside and her father keeping the books and generally consulting on the business, she needed some space. She left Angelina’s in her sister’s hands and went off to try new ventures, including opening a tea shop in Ghirardelli Square and, gasp!, living in Bernal Heights.

As the tea shop faltered, Angie’s father called and suggested she take the deli back over from the current tenants who had bought the business from her sister. Angie was unsure but after returning to work for a day in the cafe sweeping up and bussing tables, she realized she missed it.

Named after her paternal grandmother, the original vision for Angelina’s Deli was all about pasta salads. Twelve of them to be exact. But Dolores, a family friend and mentor, convinced Angie to branch out into other types of salads and sandwiches.

The selection of foods at Angelina’s has evolved through customer demand over the years. “People would come in and ask for soup and after the twelfth time, I decided we should probably offer soup,” Angie jokes. But not every new item in the deli panned out. “We put gelato in but my dad did a cost analysis and decided we were eating more than we were selling,” she recalls.

In the early days, Angelina’s didn’t even have a full kitchen. The staff used a hot plate to boil water to cook the pasta, and most items were made from cut up vegetables and fruit. In wasn’t until her sister’s tenure that a full stove was installed. Now, the kitchen buzzes all day long as staff prepares fresh food for the deli and Angelina’s Catering clients.

Like the deli menu, the catering business evolved from customers wanting the same great salads and sandwiches for their home or office events. Angelina’s caters for private parties and local businesses including the Botanical Garden and the de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park, as well as for businesses in the Presidio.

But the real bread and butter of Angelina’s is the people that walk through the door. Parents come with their babies, people meet up with friends, kids ride up on their bikes, and even dogs can stop by for a drink of water and free biscuit. “Everyone has their own story, that’s what I love about it,” Angie says.

And she adds, “I love the construction workers! Thank god for them, they have big appetites!”

There is a certain magic about the little deli on the corner. Angie can’t put her finger on it but says that she hopes it comes from her goal to provide “a happy, positive place that feels like your relatives’ place.”

As you wait in line to place your order, you can’t help but notice pictures and other items that commemorate her heritage. Photos of her merchant grandparents line the walls and a corner nook holds an assortment of Italian-themed novelties.

“The Italian stuff is my Mom’s,” Angie says. Her mother used to sell items to Italian organizations, including t-shirts that read “Kiss me, I’m Italian” or “Love me, I’m from Liguria!”. They don’t sell much of the Italian paraphenalia, but her Mom continues to dust the shelves and mind her piece of the shop.

Angie’s father, Tony, also lends a hand wherever he can. While he no longer does the books for her business, he’s the first person Angie calls when something breaks. He also manages the Laundromat next door, which has been a consistent provider for the family.

“Thank god for the Laundromat or there wouldn’t have been any money for Angelina’s,” Angie recalls from her early days in business. When customers encourage her to shutter the Laundromat in favor of more space for the deli, she jokes “No, we should get rid of the deli and put more washing machines in!”

These days, Angelina’s almost runs itself with a capable staff and kitchen crew that keep the deli stocked and catering orders on schedule. Which leaves time for Angie to brush up on her cooking skills. She’s currently enrolled in a 22-week course at Tante Marie Cooking School.

But don’t worry, that doesn’t mean a complete overhaul of Angelina’s menu is coming. “If we ever got rid of the lasagna and the meatballs, people would revolt,” Angie chuckles. Her favorite item is the fruit salad because it’s always full of a variety of fresh, seasonal fruit. Angelina’s reflects how Angie herself approaches food. “The deli is sort of how I like to eat – a little bit of everything.”

When she’s not in cooking school or working, you might find Angie in Sausalito where she kayaks and paddleboards. “I love being out, seeing the seals, pelicans… It’s amazing that it’s all just five minutes away.”

In the neighborhood, her favorite spots include Burma Superstar, Japonica, and Blissful Bites Bakery which provides some of the desserts that are offered in Angelina’s.

Even after 26 years, Angie still enjoys working in the deli. “I just love it,” she says. And despite having owner and proprietor on her resume, Angie says, “I feel like I’m the keeper of the place. It’s not really my place, it’s more like a community place.”

In 2008, Angie appeared on Channel 7’s View from the Bay to share her ingredients for a perfect picnic, which you can watch in the video below. And don’t miss Angie’s recipe for the perfect pita sandwich.

Sarah B.