Some journeys don’t require a plane ticket or even a suitcase—just a bit of time and a full heart. This past Tuesday, I embarked on one of my favorite quick getaways: a drive back home to Utica. Since returning to Central New York a few years ago after 25 years in Las Vegas, the 48-mile drive feels like nothing. Having access to these cherished ingredients and items, once so distant, now means the world to me.

First stop? Joe’s/Pellettieri Joe’s!
Affectionately known to some as “Spaghetti Joe’s,” it’s more bar than restaurant these days, serving food only on Tuesdays and Saturdays. The legacy is loud and proud—and the flavors haven’t skipped a beat. Walking in is stepping into a memory: tin ceilings above, the soft neon glow of the Matt’s Brewery sign, and walls lined with decades of old photos and memorabilia that tell the story of the neighborhood. Hand-drawn menu boards from years past now hang as decoration—a tribute to another era. The current menu lives on a simple whiteboard, a practical update that still fits right in with the no-frills, all-flavor charm.

By 11:45 a.m., the place was already hopping. The smell of garlic and tomatoes filled the air, and the bar was packed with regulars. We settled in for a Utica-style lunch: tender, melt-in-your-mouth braciole, stuffed cherry peppers, long hots, crusty Italian bread, antipasto, and a couple of “buckets” of ice-cold beer (bucket = pint). It was simple, soulful, and absolutely perfect. Every bite tasted like tradition.

After lunch, I made my usual pilgrimage to Chanatry’s Hometown Market. And yes—pilgrimage is the right word. This isn’t just a grocery stop; it’s a treasure hunt for all the ingredients I can’t easily find at home, or can’t find at the same quality (or price point).

Here’s just a peek at what came home with me:

• Cora products (hot cherry peppers, crushed tomatoes, whole peeled tomatoes, spices)
• Avico’s Utica Grind Red Pepper Flakes
• De Cecco Paccheri
• Escarole, dandelion greens, long hots, broccoli rabe, sweet peppers
• Karam Pita
• Fine and coarse bulgur
• Dino’s hot sausage
• Stella D’oro cookies
• Lupini beans
• Crusty Italian bread from two different Utica bakeries
• Symeon’s seasoning
• Tomato Pie
• And of course… a jar of Turkey Joints (If you know, you KNOW!)

These aren’t just pantry items. They’re the flavors of my childhood, the foundation of family meals, and a connection to my roots. They remind me who I am and where I come from—one recipe at a time.

Utica’s food scene is something special. It’s built on the traditions of Italian-American immigrants who brought old-world recipes and made them their own. Dishes like Chicken Riggies, Tomato Pie, Utica Greens, Mushroom Stew, and fried meatballs aren’t just delicious—they’re part of the region’s soul. And they’re part of my family’s story, too.

Sometimes, the most meaningful travel isn’t about discovering something new—it’s about returning to what’s always been there. This trip wasn’t just about lunch or groceries. It was about reconnecting—with flavor, with memory, and with home.

Utica is, and always will be, a part of me.