Walk into B&A Pork Store on 18th Avenue in Brooklyn and the first thing that hits you isn't just the smell of dried sausage. It’s the sound. You’ve got the rhythmic thwack of a cleaver hitting a wooden block, the hum of the refrigerator cases, and usually, a couple of old-school guys arguing about soccer or the best way to cook a braciole. It’s loud. It’s hectic. It’s perfect.
Brooklyn has changed. A lot. But B&A is one of those rare spots where the floorboards seem to hold the weight of fifty years of Sunday dinners. People call it an "Italian specialty shop," which is basically a fancy way of saying they have the stuff your nonna would actually approve of. If you’re looking for pre-packaged, water-added ham, you’re in the wrong place. This is where you go when the quality of the lard bread determines whether your family likes you this week.
What B&A Pork Store Actually Does Better Than Your Local Supermarket
Honestly, the difference between a supermarket deli and a place like B&A comes down to the cure. Most corporate stores use chemicals to speed up the process. At B&A Pork Store, time is an ingredient. You can see it in the way the soppressata hangs from the ceiling. It’s not a decoration. It’s maturing.
The pork store is a dying breed, but it’s surviving here because they haven't messed with the formula. They focus on the "pork" part of the name, obviously, but the real secret is the house-made sausages. They make them in small batches. No mystery meat. No weird fillers. Just high-quality cuts of pork, salt, pepper, and maybe some fennel or cheese and parsley if you’re feeling fancy.
Think about the texture. When you bite into a B&A sausage, it snaps. That's the natural casing. Most people are so used to the mushy, plastic-wrapped stuff from the big-box stores that they forget what actual meat is supposed to feel like. It's a wake-up call for your palate.
The Art of the Fresh Mozzarella
If you visit B&A and don't get the fresh mozzarella (or "mutz," depending on how much of a local you want to sound like), you basically wasted the trip. They make it throughout the day. If you time it right, the ball is still warm when they hand it to you in the plastic container.
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Don't put it in the fridge. Seriously.
If you put fresh mozzarella in the fridge, the fat congeals and the texture goes from silky to rubbery. Eat it on the car ride home. Rip off a piece with your hands. It should be slightly salty, milky, and soft enough that it almost melts. This isn't the low-moisture stuff you grate on a frozen pizza. This is a labor of love.
Navigating the 18th Avenue Experience
Bensonhurst is famous for its Italian roots, and 18th Avenue—specifically the stretch near 70th Street—is the heart of it. But let’s be real: shopping at B&A Pork Store can be intimidating if you don’t know the drill. It’s not a "take a number and wait in a sterile line" kind of vibe. You need to be ready.
You gotta speak up. If you stand in the back looking at your phone, you might be there until they close. The guys behind the counter are fast. They’re efficient. They appreciate it when you know what you want. "Give me a pound of the hot soppressata, sliced thin—paper thin," is a good start.
- The Prosciutto Check: Look for the Parma crown. B&A stocks the real deal.
- The Lard Bread: It’s stuffed with bits of prosciutto and black pepper. It’s heavy. It’s glorious.
- The Prepared Foods: Don't sleep on the rice balls (arancini). They’re hefty and actually have flavor, unlike the bland ones you find at food courts.
Why Quality Ingredients Matter for Your Health (Sorta)
Look, nobody is claiming that eating a pound of fried chicken cutlets is a "health food" move. But there's a real argument for eating "cleaner" versions of these indulgences. Because B&A Pork Store processes so much in-house, you’re avoiding the long list of preservatives found in industrial meats.
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There are no nitrates used just to make the meat look unnaturally pink for six months on a shelf. The turnover is high. Everything is fresh. When you use better ingredients, you actually end up eating less because the flavor is more intense. A single slice of high-quality prosciutto di Parma has more satisfying "umami" than an entire package of cheap deli ham.
The Cultural Significance of the Neighborhood Pork Store
We’re losing these places. Rents go up. Kids go to college and don't want to wake up at 4:00 AM to grind pork shoulders. When a place like B&A stays open, it’s a middle finger to the homogenization of New York City. It represents a specific era of Brooklyn history where your butcher knew your name and your mother’s name and exactly how much fat you liked on your pork chops.
It’s about the "Sunday Sauce" ritual. In many Italian-American households, Sunday isn't just a day off. It’s a production. You start with the meats from B&A—the ribs, the neck bones, the sausage. You let them simmer in the tomato sauce (gravy, if we’re being traditional) for hours. The meat breaks down and perfumes the whole house. You can’t recreate that with ingredients from a supermarket. You just can’t.
Dealing with Misconceptions
People think these old-school shops are more expensive. They aren't, really. If you compare the price per pound of B&A’s house-made sausage to the "organic" or "artisanal" brands at a high-end grocery store, B&A usually wins. Plus, you aren't paying for fancy packaging or a marketing budget. You're paying for the meat.
Another myth? That you have to be Italian to shop there.
Total nonsense.
As long as you appreciate good food and don't block the aisle, you're welcome. The staff might give you a hard time in a friendly, Brooklyn way, but that’s just part of the charm. It’s an authentic experience in a world that’s becoming increasingly filtered and fake.
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Survival in the Modern Era
How does a place like B&A Pork Store survive when everyone is ordering groceries on an app? It's the "touch and feel" factor. You can't smell the provolone through a screen. You can't ask an algorithm which cut of beef is best for a slow braise today.
They’ve also leaned into the things that can’t be replicated. Their catering business is a powerhouse. If you’ve been to a graduation party or a wake in South Brooklyn, you’ve probably eaten a 6-foot hero from B&A. Those sandwiches are structural marvels. They don't get soggy because the bread is crusty enough to handle the oil and vinegar.
How to Get the Most Out of Your Visit
If you’re planning a trip to Bensonhurst, make B&A your anchor point. Go early. Saturday mornings are a zoo, but that’s also when the energy is highest.
- Bring a Cooler: If you’re traveling from outside the neighborhood, don't risk the mozzarella getting weird in a hot car.
- Ask for Recommendations: Ask them what’s fresh. If they just finished a batch of dried sausages, they’ll let you know.
- Check the Cheese Case: Beyond the fresh mutz, they have aged provolone that will make your eyes water. In a good way.
- Cash is King: While most places take cards now, having cash usually makes the transaction smoother in these high-volume spots.
The reality is that B&A Pork Store is more than a business; it’s a landmark. It’s a reminder that some things are worth doing the hard way. It’s the difference between eating to live and living to eat. When you support a place like this, you’re keeping a piece of Brooklyn’s soul alive.
Go get a sandwich. Get the one with the fried eggplant and the fresh mozzarella. Don't ask for mayo. Just trust the process. You’ll understand why people have been coming back here for decades the second you take that first bite.
Actionable Next Steps
- Audit Your Pantry: Clear out the processed, pre-packaged deli meats and make a list of three "staple" items (like a good olive oil, a real balsamic, and a hard cheese) you want to replace with authentic versions.
- Plan a Meat-Centric Meal: Visit B&A specifically for a "Sunday Sauce" kit. Ask for pork neck bones, sweet sausage, and a piece of beef chuck.
- Support Local: If you aren't in Brooklyn, find the equivalent "legacy" store in your area. Look for the places that have been there for 30+ years and haven't changed their signage.
- Learn the Cuts: Take five minutes to read about the difference between hot and sweet capicola (coppa). Knowing what you're ordering helps the counter guys serve you better and faster.