House favorite, The Badabing sandwich features hot soppressata, hot capicola, salumi, havarti, and giardiniera.
Unobstructed Bridger Mountain views and bright natural light lay the groundwork for neighborhood gathering and exquisite flavor at Bozeman Market & Deli.
Regulars casually come and go with ease. Enjoyment of place and food is palpable. Before establishing their eatery at the end of 2023, owners Kari and Deny Staggs noticed a food desert around MSU’s Bobcat Stadium. They recognized an opportunity to build community around food by connecting with folks in the area.
The couple collaborated with chef Jarrett Schwartz to formulate flavors and build a simple menu that propels their overall vision. They create mighty sandwiches and pizza slices, and the Staggses say that flavor and consistency are key. Also important, they add, is a friendly and connected work environment.
Product sourcing is an essential element of Bozeman Market & Deli’s vision. Bread is the base of any quality sandwich, and the Staggses searched high and low for a bread packed with tastiness while remaining consistent and possessing an artisan feel that wouldn’t dominate the other ingredients. Ultimately, they elected to work with an Italian family bakery from New Jersey and the world-famous Gambino’s Bakery in New Orleans. “The bread needs to be stout enough to hold the quantity of ingredients to make the sandwich sing,” Deny says.
The couple focuses on uncured meats and sources what they can locally, such as relying on Montana Wagyu in Manhattan for pastrami. They also prioritize quality cheeses. Meats arrive whole, allowing them to do all of the slicing in house in order to control the thickness of each cut, which significantly contributes to the end product: A good amount of meat on each sandwich is important.
“Building a workingman’s sandwich and a menu attainable for people of all demographics” has been at the forefront. —Deny Staggs Co-owner of Bozeman Market & Deli
Owners Kari and Deny Staggs seek to create a welcoming atmosphere at their deli.
The sandwiches speak for themselves. The Brooklyn is a full pound of steamed pastrami thickly cut just like in New York City’s delis. The Florence hosts Prosciutto di Parma on a crisped focaccia with arugula, pecorino, and the deli’s house black-truffle cream sauce The Empire is a huge portion of roast beef, pastrami, and corned beef all piled high and delicately folded into an Italian roll. These hearty offerings are classics inspired by East Coast neighborhood delis, but the Staggses’ take on them transforms the sandwiches for fueling and satiating Montana adventures.
Sauces, of course, are of fine detail. A high-quality mayonnaise base gives zest to each sandwich. The deli expands on flavor with roasted red peppers, pickled onions, basil pesto, roasted tomatoes, and authentic Chicago-style giardiniera. The staff’s careful consideration of each ingredient in a sandwich deeply rewards the palate: The flavors meld harmoniously in every bite.
The deli also features from-scratch New York–style pizza by the slice. Using a long fermenting process for the dough ensures the crust is flavorful, thin, crunchy, and chewy. This requires patience, as the cold ferment takes 24 to 72 hours, which gives the yeast time to eat away the protein and allows for a nice foundation.
Other little delights of the deli include poutine made with veal gravy, offering core beef flavor to satisfy hearty Montana appetites. It gets cold here, after all.
For those with a sweet tooth, the deli prepares delectable banana pudding, done on passion rather than necessity. Made in small batches, this mouthwatering sweet sells out quickly. Chocolate chip cookies and brown butter Rice Krispie bars add a delectable home-cooked feeling to the deli menu.
While waiting for orders, customers can browse a variety of Montana-made artisan gifts. They can also peruse craft beer and wine available for purchase.
Montana hospitality is yet another part of the Bozeman Market & Deli vision. “Building a workingman’s sandwich and a menu attainable for people of all demographics” has been at the forefront, says Deny. Within the realm of the MSU’s campus community, backdropped by office buildings and hungry football fans, the deli offers lunches to go and can satiate sports teams, camp kids, and visitors to the Museum of the Rockies.
The staff’s pride and dedication is felt upon entry, with a warm and heartfelt space contributing to the depth of the menu’s flavors. The Bozeman Market & Deli team greets regulars by name and welcomes newcomers with smiles. “We just want to be open and friendly and always approachable,” says Deny. “These are important elements to being human.”
“It’s really fun food to gather around,” Kari adds, noting that the big cake boxes of pre-ordered sandwiches prepared for pickup feel like opening up presents.
Deny says they are always looking to innovate and are willing to try new things. Listening to the neighborhood and community of customers has inspired a honing of the offerings. “We want to focus on the love of sandwiches and being the best little deli on the corner,” he says.
