Capriotti's comes to Rehoboth

One of the nation’s fastest-growing sandwich shops has made its way to Rehoboth Beach. Capriotti’s set up shop June 15 at 67 Rehoboth Ave.

Co-owner David Morgan said the Rehoboth Beach shop is the first in several proposed new Capriotti’s locations in Maryland and Delaware.

Although Capriotti’s is now a national chain, Morgan’s roots with the company go back to the beginning.

“My ex-wife, her mother was a Capriotti. We had the first franchise in Newark Shopping Center. It got us off the map.

“When we were married we had the third franchise, the fourth, the sixth and the seventh. And her brother had the fifth,” he said.

After its start in 1976, Capriotti’s slowly expanded around the Wilmington-Philadelphia area before eventually being bought by Nevada businessman Ashley Morris, who expanded operations out west.

Fittingly, the two states with the most Capriotti’s locations are Nevada and Delaware.

After leaving the restaurant business for a time, Morgan jumped back in with the Rehoboth location, which he co-owns with David Carpenter.

“I saw a lot of opportunity for Capriotti’s. It’s a unique sandwich. They made their sandwiches filling,” he said. “I’ve been coming to Rehoboth for years. I wanted to come down here 15 years ago. The spot popped open and we took advantage of it.”

The Rehoboth location is not affiliated with the Capriotti’s in Lewes, which is a franchise under separate ownership. Morgan said Capriotti’s expects to have over 500 locations nationwide by 2015.

Morgan said the building took about five months to renovate before the restaurant could officially open.

While Capriotti’s has an assortment of cheesesteaks and cold-cut subs, Murphy said the most popular item is The Bobbi, a sub made up of homemade turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing and mayonnaise.

“It was Bobbi Capriotti’s favorite sandwich. She used to make that on her porch in her old Italian neighborhood in Wilmington. Kids used to say, ‘What is this?’ She’d say, ‘It’s the Bobbi,’’’ Morgan said.

Customers can order sandwiches on 9-, 12- or 20-inch rolls.

When asked what makes Capriotti’s different from other sub shops, Morgan said, “I think because of the service, I think the quality and I think because of the portions we offer for the price. Quality is our only gimmick.”

Capriotti’s is open year-round, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the off-season.

FMI, call the Rehoboth shop at 302-226-2323 or visit capriottis.com