Since opening three months ago, Deleo’s Café and Deli has been edging its way into the hearts and palates of Florissant diners. 

General Manager Jake Hall got inspired for the idea after visiting the original Deleo’s Café and Deli in Estes Park, CO. He and his friends had been considering starting a business, and while on vacation in Colorado, they found what they were seeking in Deleo’s.

Hall said that he and his partners bought the brand, rebranded it and decided to bring it to St. Louis, more specifically to Florissant.

The original Deleo’s closed down late last year when the owner retired.

Florissant has allowed for the café to build community partnerships with businesses, such as next-door neighbor T R Gater's Pub by providing a late-night menu. He's hoping to continue to do similar ventures with others down the road. 

"I want more community-based partnerships," he said. "If we can keep the money here [in town], the better we'll be."

Scoping the Menu

If you were familiar with the former occupant of the Deleo's space on Lindbergh, Fortel’s Pizza Den, you might be surprised to find that the inside of Deleo’s doesn't seem to resemble the old pizza place at all. 

These days, the location boasts a couch area, reserved dining room space and a large counter area. Plus, customers are lured in by the tempting aroma of the marinating meats for the day’s sandwiches and salads as they enter through the first door. 

Hall said that in buying the original brand, they didn’t change a thing, so the menu features a number of sandwiches, wraps and salads with names pertaining to movies or movie characters such as The Dirty Harry, The Pastraminator and The Babe.

You might notice that Deleo’s isn’t the traditional deli most people might expect, but Hall looks forward to changing that perception. 

He said that he’s looking forward to selling imported meats and cheeses in bulk, and he’s hoping to put a deli case into the front.

He’s also getting ready to start a breakfast menu on May 14 and live music on weekend nights.

Plus, he hasn't ruled out the possibility of expanding the business. 

"We are aggressively looking to grow as debt free as we can," he said.