Sources

For the Flavor Hunters...

At Citarella, we pay homage to the flavor hunters. Those most potent of palate, delighted by anything but “mild.”

"The culinary adventurers who seek out that primal convergence of salt, minerals and oil in their pursuit of the finest, full-bodied seafood."

And at Citarella, we source the freshest fish for those connoisseurs of the bold. Quality seafood packed with healthy Omega-rich oils. Raw or cooked, this is fish that when you lay your teeth into it, it bites back.

Like our fresh anchovies, sourced from the Atlantic waters off the coast of Portugal. These aren’t anchovies packed in oil and destined to be the “umami” in salad dressings and sauces. These are unmistakably fish. Small in stature (consider eight to ten whole anchovies per serving) and big on briny flavor, these are centerpiece-of-a-meal kind of anchovies, ethically sourced from Portugal, and beautiful pan-fried, and eaten whole.

Also from Portugal, far-from-humble (and even farther from what you’ll ever find in a can), wild sardines are silvery skinned, plump, and juicy. These intensely-flavored fish are excellent lightly charred on a hot grill. After a couple minutes on each side, their succulent meat will fall off the bone.

From local waters, we offer full-flavored, aromatic bluefish, Boston mackerel, and very fatty, very rich Atlantic shad fillets (our Citarella fishmongers are among the select few still trained in the intricate, traditional art of deboning a shad). And for the most daring, we also offer shad roe — a seasonal delicacy known as “the sweetbreads of the sea.”

One of the most beautiful fish in the sea, Spanish mackerel boasts tones of dark aubergine, pink, and silver. It’s wild caught off the east coast of Florida and it’s fantastic under the broiler or quickly seared and served with chopped scallions and ponzu sauce.

Sourced from the waters of the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida, plump king mackerel steaks boast a pronounced flavor. They are center-cut across the bone and will take your grill to exotic realms both smoky and savory. Just give each a steak a healthy squeeze of fresh citrus before offering it to the fire.

"It's our philosophy that cooking seafood should never be intimidating. Palates are made for expanding. So, be daring. Experiment."

And take your place among the fearlessly ravenous at Citarella gourmet market—the culinary destination for bold seafood flavor, freshly sourced from the world’s most principled fishermen.