Earlier this summer I posted on a new market opening on Amherst Street called Katsu Mart. At the time there wasn't a ton of information to share, although one of the guys remodeling the interior did provide me with some insight. At first I was under the impression that the Japanese-owned deli might carry some American-Asian items, but it turns out that the market specializes primarily on American deli favorites such as turkey-bacon wrap, pastrami provolone panini, corned beef Reuben, meat and cheese Kaiser, and there's even a Katsu corn dog. While I must admit that I was hoping for an Asian twist, Katsu Mart will probably be a big hit on Amherst Street since it offers traditional American favorites.
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The first thing that I must say about Katsu Mart is that it is super clean and organized. In fact, I've never seen a deli-market where the items on the shelves or kept in baskets lined with white cloth napkins. The bags of chips and candy bars are neatly organized and displayed as if they were hand placed. The bottles of juices and soft drinks in the coolers are even carefully arranged. I spoke to store manager Mike Brooks who told me that the market owner's intentions are to attract students from Buffalo State College, along with people from the neighborhood. "We offer all sorts of everyday supplies for the students," Mike told me. "We serve breakfast and Western sandwiches all day long, and we've applied for a beer license so that we can carry craft beers. The owner of the market plans on opening three of these markets in Buffalo... this is the first location. The second one will be at the corner of Carolina and 10th Street. Then the third market will be on Main Street towards downtown. The intention is to have great deli sandwiches, well kept storefronts, and everyday items that will attract people from the neighborhood."
Katsu Mart is open seven days a week from 7am to 4pm (or 5pm depending on the day). Offerings also include bagels, breakfast burrito, turkey club, tuna melt, hummus wrap, chicken Caesar wrap, chicken quesadilla... there's also a kid's meal. Coffee is served, as is Numi tea. A couple of café tables are set up for customers by the front windows, so that they can relax and enjoy the coffee and deli selections. The market items on the shelves might appear to be a bit sparse at this stage in the game, but I'm betting that the longterm plan is to focus on the deli sandwiches and the craft beers.
Katsu Mart
448 Amherst Street
Buffalo NY
716-939-2068
I've stopped in there a couple times for sandwiches,basically because I didn't want to deal with the craziness of Wegmans. Good food, fast ,friendly service,I'm goin' back.