{"id":1990,"date":"2026-06-22T14:07:59","date_gmt":"2026-06-22T14:07:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/?p=1990"},"modified":"2026-06-22T14:07:59","modified_gmt":"2026-06-22T14:07:59","slug":"theres-a-hidden-deli-inside-of-compare-foods-on-milton-road-thats-worth-the-visit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/?p=1990","title":{"rendered":"There\u2019s a hidden deli inside of Compare Foods on Milton Road that\u2019s worth the visit"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cIt\u2019s like if a Piggly Wiggly grocery store and bodega in New York City\u2019s Washington Heights neighborhood had a baby.\u201d That\u2019s the only way I could describe Compare Foods Supermarket<\/a> to my nephew Malachi (or anybody else who expresses interest).<\/p>\n

Read more Here are 9 alcohol-related laws you need to know if you\u2019re going to drink in NC<\/a><\/p>\n

Founded in 1989 by Dominican immigrant Eligio Pe\u00f1a in the village of Freeport on New York\u2019s Long Island, the grocery store chain eventually spread into seven states from Rhode Island to New Jersey and all the way down to North Carolina, where there are eight locations in Charlotte alone.<\/p>\n

Which brings me to Compare Foods Supermarket on Milton Road. A Winn-Dixie in its past life, the grocery store is now home to Tony\u2019s Del<\/a>i, a Dominican \u201ccomedor\u201d tucked inside.<\/p>\n

While others shop for packs of \u201cMenudo Bombs,\u201d lavender-scented Fabuloso, Guava-flavored Jarritos, Spongebob Squarepants-themed pi\u00f1atas, stiff slabs of salty bacoalao, Virgen de Guadalupe devotional candles and slices of tres leches cake, I\u2019m licking my chops legit, real-deal \u201ccomidas de Republica Dominica.\u201d<\/p>\n

I\u2019m blessed enough to consider New York City a \u201csecond home\u201d (my father is from The Bronx), so hopscotching from Dominican restaurants like Grini\u2019s Grill<\/a> to Malecon<\/a> to Caridad<\/a> during my time in the Big Apple bolstered my knowledge and appetite for things on the Tony\u2019s Deli menu like mofongo, chivo guisado and lomo relleno (mashed plantains, goat stew and stuffed pork tenderloin).<\/p>\n

However, if your command of the Spanish language is less than lousy or if reading this has inspired you to take your first step inside the Compare Foods Supermarket on Milton Road, here\u2019s the trifecta of non-negotiable dishes to eat.<\/p>\n

I think the only thing more beloved in the Dominican Republic more than sancocho might be the pride of Manoguayabo, Major League Baseball Hall-of-Fame pitcher Pedro Jaime Martinez. In fact, I\u2019ve never met a Dominican who didn\u2019t passionately promise that their abuelita made the world\u2019s very best pot of this thick, hearty stew.<\/p>\n

Read more Traffic stop for faulty turn signal leads to stockpile of moonshine, NC police say<\/a><\/p>\n

With a sofrito as its backbone, sancocho is rumored to have medicinal powers to cure hangovers and is filled to the tip top with beef, chicken, pork, corn, green plantains, yuca, auyama and yautia. It\u2019s definitely something Campbell\u2019s soup couldn\u2019t achieve in its wildest dreams.<\/p>\n

Next, is pescado frito. Just by proximity to where I was born and raised, all roads lead back to fried fish. The tilapia at Tony\u2019s Deli is scored, seasoned and fried whole. The cook suggested I pair the fish with a bed of moro de habichuelas negra (rice with black beans) and heap of mangu plantains that are boiled, buttered and smashed to smithereens until they\u2019re the consistency of how I remember the mashed potatoes to be from Kenny Rogers Roasters.<\/p>\n

Last but not least, you must try the pernil asado. Not only did it represent the letter \u201cP\u201d in my A-Z guide of the best things to eat in Charlotte<\/a>, it\u2019s the most succulent and purest form example of a Boston butt living up to its fullest potential.<\/p>\n

The skin is blistered and bubbled like the finest chicharon, and underneath are jiggly bits of fat mixed with chunks of sinewy strands of the most flavorful pork flesh you\u2019re likely to ever eat in this lifetime. It comes with two sides, so you might as well get the moro con gandules (rice with pigeon peas) and plantanos maduro fritos (fried sweet plantains).<\/p>\n

Now, the only thing missing is \u201cCorazon Culpable\u201d by Anthony Santos blaring from a radio somewhere in the kitchen and a few shots of Mama Juana.<\/p>\n

Read more Body found in Currituck Sound after swimmer vanished near dock, NC sheriff says<\/a><\/p>\n

Location: Inside Compare Foods, 3112 Milton Rd, Charlotte NC 28215<\/a><\/p>\n

Cuisine: Dominican<\/p>\n

Instagram: @tonys_deli_<\/a><\/p>\n

This story was originally published June 22, 2026 at 6:00 AM.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Tony's Deli inside Compare Foods on Milton Rd serves authentic Dominican dishes like sancocho, pernil asado and pescado frito in Charlotte's Washington Heights vibe.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1989,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1990","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-read-todays-edition"],"yoast_head":"\nThere\u2019s a hidden deli inside of Compare Foods on Milton Road that\u2019s worth the visit - \u0421harlotte Relocation Guide<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/?p=1990\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"There\u2019s a hidden deli inside of Compare Foods on Milton Road that\u2019s worth the visit - 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