Bertucelli's La Villa Gourmet Italian Delicatessen in San Jose, California

Bertucelli's La Villa Gourmet Italian Delicatessen is located in the Willow Glen district of San Jose, California. Referred to as La Villa by residents, it has been around for a number of years. I first heard about them in 1992, when a coworker brought in some raviolis for a potluck.You will find it crowded on most days because it is one of the best places to get take out Italian in the South Bay.

While you stand in line, you get to look at all the desserts that are on display on either side of you. When I walked up to the counter, I made a decision to buy some cannoli's for my family, besides the ravioli lunch that I had planned for myself.

The L-shaped counter display sits straight ahead and to your right, where you get to see various types of pastas, meats and salads. The delicatessen was packed on the day that I went, so I decided to make my order to go. You may eat outside on their patio, in plain view of the shoppers moving to and from the various shops and restaurants on the strip.

I took my food home and devoured it. The raviolis were just as I had remembered them. Later that evening, I brought out the cannolis for dessert. They reminded me of the cannolis I had eaten in Philadelphia.

After going there one time and dealing with the crowd, I decided that the next time I would place my order online or over the phone and pick it up. Their choices are so plentiful that it is almost overwhelming, especially in the hot foods section.

While they have plenty of traditional Italian food, I also found some unusual dishes (at least to me), such as the Eggplant Arancini and cabbage rolls. They have a special section on their website for ravioli orders that is straightforward and allows you to specify which date you would like to pick up your order.

La Villa offers a catering service for business meetings and family celebrations. The catering menu includes hors d'oeuvres, gourmet platters, tossed green salad or Caesar, six types of entrees, desserts and wines.

LaVilla is closed on Sundays and Mondays. They are open Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 9:30am to 6:30pm, Thursdays and Fridays from 9:30am to 7:00pm, and Saturdays from 9:30 to 6:00pm.

Location:

1319 Lincoln Avenue
San Jose, CA 95125
408-295-7851
Fax: 408-295-3363
www.wglavilla.com