Lou Di Palo

Lou Di Palo is the 4th generation proprietor of Di Palo’s Dairy, a landmark Italian specialty food store located on Grand Street in Little Italy since 1925. Lou, whose great-grandparents emigrated from Basilicata in 1903, continues to maintain his family’s heritage and tradition of cheese making while keeping an eye on today’s tastes and trends. In addition to offering his fresh, handmade mozzarella and ricotta, DiPalo’s offers an extensive selection of fine imported Italian cheeses, meats, and specialty foods representing every region of Italy.

Lou is personally involved in every facet of his family business. He travels to Italy several times a year to select the country’s best handcrafted specialties and guarantee their excellence every season. He’s formed personal relationships with artisans in each region, many of whom cater their entire production to Lou’s high standards. When he’s not in Italy, Lou is behind the counter at the store, where crowds of faithful customers brave the wait for knowledgeable and personalized service. Along with other members of the Di Palo family, Lou explains the traditions and history behind the products, offering tastes to the store’s patrons, many of whom have known Di Palo’s through the generations.

The Zagat Survey has named Di Palo’s New York City’s #1 cheese store since 1999. Lou has appeared on many radio and television broadcasts and been featured in numerous magazine and newspapers including The New York Times, Vogue, Gourmet, Wine Spectator, and various books on Italian cuisine. Di Palo’s was granted the National Association of Specialty Food Retailers award of excellence and the Gourmet News Retailer of the Year award. In Italy, Lou has been awarded the Ducato dei Vini Friulani and the Sigillo Longobardo, a high honor from the region of Lombardia presented to him at Milan’s La Scala theater. He has also been honored by RAI International as an “Ambassador of Italy to the United States.”