I know exactly when I was first introduced to Sig’s Place Deli & Catering. It was 12 years ago in early November in the days after my mother-in-law passed away.
It was a time of great sadness and grief, and friends and family did what they could to offer their condolences — often that meant bringing food. My job that week became coordinator of food intake.
I wrapped trays of lasagna and sandwiches, broke down Edible Arrangements so they could fit in the refrigerator and kept a rotation and inventory so nothing got lost in the shuffle. I had never been so aware of the role food played in the process of mourning.
Each tray of cookies or each savory pie came with the knowledge our friends and family were thinking of us and wanted to keep us nourished during the hard times. It was all so kind and generous (and delicious).
One delivery arrived from friends who lived in Newport. They sent a tray of Mac and Cheese along with an assortment of sandwiches from a place called Sig’s Deli. I quickly stored them in the refrigerator alongside the other trays of gifted foods and put them in rotation to break out at the next family feeding.
What I didn’t realize at the time was our friends were gifting us a Newport classic with roots that date back to the 1930s. All I knew was when I heated up the Mac and Cheese, it was next-level kind of comfort food. We scooped it onto our plates alongside the other morsels of grief-food put out for snacking.
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One by one, everyone who took a bite noticed how good the mac and cheese was. What is this? Who sent this? Who made this? It takes a lot to standout in a smorgasbord of delicious funeral eats, but Sig’s did. That’s when I became a massive fan.
Sig’s origins date back to the 1930s, when Austrian immigrants Sigmund and Tillie Margolis opened the grocery store at the corner of Atlantic Street and Carroll Avenue in the Fifth Ward in Newport.
Today, however, Sig’s Place Deli & Catering is making memorable sandwiches, paninis and heat-at-home meals at its spot on Aquidneck Avenue in Middletown. Owner Shawn Margolis, Sig’s grandson, and his wife Paula opened the deli location in 2010, naming it Sig’s to honor the legacy of his grandparents and his parents, Morris and Brenda, who ran the Newport store until they sold it in 2008.
They still use many of the recipes Brenda created for classics like American Chop Suey and Lasagna. Sig’s in the Fifth Ward became a classic Newport institution. Sig’s Place in Middletown is well on its way to being the very same.
While the building is unassuming, it’s nestled in a space that makes it easy to get in and out. Inside, you find a couple of tables where you can eat a sandwich, but most of the space is devoted to making great food.
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Shawn is usually donning the apron, jumping around the kitchen making the sandwiches to order, while Paula manages the orders and register, greeting every customer with a smile.
There’s a feeling of welcome here. It’s in the hospitality and it’s in the comfort of the food. It just feels like home. No doubt it’s part of part of Sig and Nellie’s legacy to their children and grandchildren about treating their customers well.
Above all, you get good food. Their sandwich menu covers all the bases. From the corned beef sandwich to the Italian, made with just the right amount of meats, cheese and seasoning, you can’t go wrong.
I’m partial to the Thanksgiving sandwich made with Sig’s own roasted turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce. The BBQ pulled pork sandwich is made with fresh, slow-cooked pork and, while messy, it makes for a satisfying lunch.
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If you want to jazz that up a bit, opt for the Cuban Panini, which is made with the BBQ pork, fresh ham, cheese, mustard and pickles and then pressed in their panini grill. They make really good paninis here and are worth the wait for the extra grill time.
You can’t go wrong with the Sig's Mac n Cheese w/Tomato and Bacon panini. That’s right — mac and cheese in a panini!
There’s much more available, too. Sig’s deli coolers are filled with all kinds of heat-at-home options. If you want to bring home some Mac and Cheese, they have containers ready to go (and you’ll not regret it). But they also have homemade Chourico & Peppers, individually portioned turkey dinners, stuffed shells, and salads and slaws.
Craving Oriental Spaghetti made famous at Salas’ Restaurant? Sig’s makes one that’s pretty close to the original. There’s nothing better than stopping in for a sandwich for lunch and picking up a meal to bring home for dinner.
And don’t forget the sweets! They’ve got a freezer full of hand-packed ice cream, homemade cakes, cupcakes and other sweet treats ready to take home.
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Besides its daily offerings, Sig’s is a great place to get those trays of food for your next gathering or event. You’ll be a hero if you show up with a tray of the famous Sig’s Mac and Cheese! A tray of Sig’s sandwiches can be be ordered ahead and is easy to pick up for your next business meeting.
With the holidays coming, look to Sig’s to help. From homemade pies to side dishes to roasted turkeys, Sig’s can make your holiday feast the best one ever.
Sig’s will always hold a special place in my heart. In those saddest moments of our lives, it’s something special when the comfort of a bite of food becomes a long-lasting memory. Those are the kind that the Margolis family have been creating for over 90 years.
With Shawn and Paula continuing the tradition, there are many more tasty memories ahead.
Dan Lederer is a Middletown resident with 30 years experience in the food service industry throughout New England. He continues to work locally behind the scenes within the industry and remains a devoted fan of all things restaurant and hospitality related. His column appears on newportri.com and Thursdays in The Daily News. Cheers!