Cardona’s Market, the three-generation, family-owned Italian specialty grocer and caterer, is celebrating its 80th anniversary this year.
“2025 marks a huge milestone for Cardona’s,” said Cardona’s Co-Owner and Executive Chef Robert Cardona, Jr. “It’s with great gratitude to give back to the communities that have supported our success throughout the years by hosting a week-long celebratory event from May 15 to 22 with Cardona’s ‘8 days of giving.’”
Founded by Augusto Cardona in 1945 in downtown Albany a few years after his arrival from Italy, the flagship store moved to its current location at 340 Delaware Ave. in 1978 under the leadership of his son, Robert. Three of Robert’s sons; Anthony, Robert Jr. and August became actively involved in the business by the time he retired.
Currently, Robert Jr. wears the chef’s hat and creates all of Cardona’s delectable menu items while August uses his savvy business acumen to oversee operations, along with his brother Robert Jr. and childhood best friend, TJ Conti, of the three locations, including Latham and Saratoga. Anthony Cardona maintains the flagship location in downtown Albany.
The celebration will be highlighted with an $80 specialty sandwich, weighing in at nearly 8 pounds that feeds 8 to 10 people.
To commemorate the milestone anniversary, Cardona’s will launch its “eight days of giving” celebration on May 15 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Latham store with various complimentary tastings, raffle prizes, vendor samples and new product launches, supplemented by sandwich donations to local charities and volunteer organizations throughout the communities they serve.
The festivities will be bookended on Thursday, May 22 at the Saratoga market from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. with an in-store celebration featuring various giveaways, new products, food specials and more. This event will showcase the new catering and hot freshly prepared food offerings available at the market since its substantial renovation in 2024.
All three Cardona’s Market locations will run a different daily in-store special for the eight-day event as follows:
Thursday, May 15 – Throwback Thursday: All small sandwiches are $8 each;
Friday, May 16 – Freebie Friday: Choice of free cookie, chips or bottle of water with any large sandwich purchase;
Saturday, May 17 – Steam Table Saturday: All steam table items are only $8 per pound;
Sunday, May 18 – Sunday Sauce Day: All jars of Cardona’s Homemade Sauce are $8 each. (Limit five jars per customer);
Monday, May 19 – Meatball Monday: 6-packs of meatballs are on special for $8. (Limit three packs per customer);
Tuesday, May 20 – Take-Out Tuesday: Select grab-n-go classics for $8 each. Choices include Spaghetti and Meatballs, Lasagna, Eggplant Parm, Chicken Parm. (Limit is four selections per customer);
Wednesday, May 21 – Winning Wednesday: Stop by any market on Winning Wednesday for a chance to enter to win your chance for the following grand prizes:
- Free sandwiches for a year (one sandwich per week for a year)
- 80 jars of homemade sauce
- 8 count $80 Cardona’s catering bucks valued at $640
Thursday, May 22 – Gift Card Promo: Get a $100 Cardona’s gift card for $88 (Limit five per customer, in-store only).
Meanwhile, Cardona’s is offering an 80th Anniversary Sandwich Special in-store at the Latham location on May 15. The sandwich will also be available on the catering menu from May 15 through May 22.
The giant sub, the Boss of Bosses, will feature eight hand-breaded Cardona’s chicken cutlets, eight sliced eggplant cutlets, eight slices of tomato, eight slices of provolone, a hefty layer of “Big D” Italian meats, house-made garlic aioli, shredded lettuce and banana peppers, served on a full Italian loaf of bread. Weighing in at around eight pounds, the sandwich feeds 8 to 10 people and will be available for $80.
The Boss of Bosses will be featured as part of a special challenge at the Latham location on May 15 between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Anyone who can consume the giant sandwich within 30 minutes will receive it free of charge. Participants are asked to pre-register for the challenge prior to the event, and can do so by contacting [email protected] to sign up for a time slot. Cardona’s Head Chefs Robert Cardona and Sebastian Marro will take on the sandwich challenge themselves.
Cardona’s will be supporting local charities with donations of an assortment of 80 subs for each of their locations. The Albany market will make Cardona’s first donation on Monday, May 19 when the Albany Fire Department (Engine 9/Hook and Ladder #4) delivers 80 sandwiches to the South End Children’s Café where Love Albany will also be providing a complimentary bounce house for the children. The Latham and Saratoga markets will also sponsor an 80-sandwich delivery in the months of June and July to other local charities within their communities.
Cardona’s Market features three convenient locations at 340 Delaware Avenue in Albany; 9 Cobbee Road in Latham; and 222 Washington Street in Saratoga Springs. The Albany and Latham markets are open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and the Saratoga market is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. All three locations are open Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Cardona’s Market was named 2024 Family Business of the Year by the Albany Business Review and voted Best Caterer of the Capital Region in 2022, 2023 and 2024 by Times Union readers.
For more information about Cardona’s Market, call (518) 434-4838 or visit CardonasMarket.com.