Phantom Gourmet: Food & Fun At Prisco's In Bridgewater
BRIDGEWATER - The name on the door may say Prisco's Market and Deli, but it's so much more. It's a mini golf course with batting cages; a sub shop and ice cream stand; a country store and garden center. Located off Route 18 in Bridgewater, Prisco's is a family-friendly spot with something for everyone.
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Owner Stephen Prisco opened the place back in 2006 and has been expanding ever since, creating a roadside creamery, an 18-hole mini golf course, batting cages, basketball courts and a giant specialty store in the center of it all, which has just about anything and everything you could ever want. There's old school candy, old school signs, toys, puzzles, and so much more.
While there are thousands of knickknacks to take home from the gift shop, when it comes to the sandwich counter, there's only one thing you need to try: Prisco's mouthwatering meatballs, made with a time-tested recipe passed down from Stephen's grandmother and made by his wife Nancy.
"I grew up with that sauce and meatballs pretty much every Sunday," Stephen reminisced. "Many people say that it reminds me of my grandma's sauce or my Nana's gravy. It's just sweet sauce. Little bit of cheese with some good beef, and slow cooked, and you mixed it together with our sauce, forget about it."
You can get these hand-rolled beauties stuffed into a squishy sub roll, but Stephen recommends having them as is.
"I would say the best way to have a meatball is just straight up with a little pecorino Romano cheese sprinkled on top. Lots of people come in for our meatball sub or our meatball calzone and I often say to them, you ready for a nap?"
If you do want to be put into a food coma, there are plenty of options, from overloaded Italian and chicken parm calzones; to giant sheets of Sicilian pizza; to sandwiches stuffed with all of your favorite things, like steak and cheese overflowing with meat, and crispy chicken parm smothered in cheese. The Venice Sandwich takes thin sliced roast beef and tops it with sauerkraut and horseradish. And for the best Italian you've ever tried, order The Touch of Italy.
"Touch of Italy's my favorite sandwich of all," Stephen said. "It's all Boar's Head cold cuts. There's mortadella and salami, a little capicola, tomatoes and lettuce and pickles and Nancy's mixture of oil and vinegar. It's the classic Italian sandwich."
Just down the way at Prisco's Country Creamery, they scoop more than 50 flavors of ice cream. But before you dig into dessert, you have to try one of their juicy burgers, or some of the creamery's finger lickin' fried chicken served with an ultra-crispy coating.
From there, the options are endless, whether you want to chow down on a banana split by yourself, or split something called the Giant Sundae with your friends.
"It's about 15 to 16 scoops of ice cream," Stephen explained. "We've seen two or three football players have a hard time taking them down. It's something that's not for the weak and meek."
When you're done taking in all of those crave-worthy calories, nothing will work it off like shooting some hoops, taking a turn at bat, or teeing up at Prisco's mini golf course. With every smiling customer, Stephen finds himself loving his job every day at Prisco's.
"I love people. I love food. I love candies, and I just love to see people being happy. And I think when you mix the good food with the good candies and the old retro stuff that brings people back to their childhood, you know, life's getting busy. And this is a place where they can come and chill and relax and have some great food and good times."
You can find Prisco's Market & Deli at 8 Romney Road in Bridgewater, and online at priscosmarket.com.
Watch Phantom Gourmet on Saturdays and Sundays at 10:30 and 11 a.m. on myTV38.
