Italian delicatessens

The area is not short on good Italian delicatessens. Litteri's is probably Washington's oldest Italian grocery, a dark and mysterious emporium found in the middle of the wholesale food market at 57 Morse St NE, 202 544 0183, with a good, reasonably priced stock of olive oils, among other treasures. You can find San Marzano, the finest canned tomatoes, more cheaply here than at Whole Foods. But check the sell-by dates on their olive oils. They've been known to be offered past their best.

Vace, 3315 Connecticut Ave NW, 202 363 1999 and 7010 Wisconsin Ave, Bethesda, 301 654 6367, makes its own mozzarella, pasta, pizza dough and sausages and has a freezer full of home-made dishes as well as shelves of dried goods. Its Sopressatta - both Mild and Hot - is good. But its Coppa has sometimes spent too long on display. The giant green olives give other large selections a run for their money.

The Italian Gourmet, 505 W Maple Ave, Vienna, 703 938 4141, is a good Italian deli with home-made pasta dishes in its freezer, as well as a range of olive oils with character. They sell good salamis, a lovely Parma cotta (cooked ham), capicola and good sausages.

Mamma Lucia's, 2409 University Blvd West, Wheaton, 301 949 2112. Eleanora Lazzaro ('Mamma Lucia') in black dress, apron and a rosary, runs a restaurant that could come right out of Italy, serving homemade pasta dinners, soup, pizza and calzone. But you can also buy canned goods and frozen home-made meals to take home.

Other good delis are Italia, 8662 Colesville Rd, Silver Spring, 301 588 6999; Marchone's, 11224 Triangle Lane, Wheaton, 301 949 4150; and Santucci's, 10107 Colesville Rd, Silver Spring, 301 593 8338

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