Rossi’s Italian Deli & Market on Kings Highway has operated out of roughly the same strip-mall space for going on five decades, and the inside looks like it. Shelves of imported pasta and San Marzano tomatoes crowd the walls. A glass deli case runs the length of the counter. The place smells like provolone and garlic, and that’s before anyone opens the kitchen door.
The first reason to go is the sandwich. Rossi’s builds them on bread that comes in fresh daily — a soft, slightly chewy Italian roll that can actually hold up to the amount of meat they put on it. The classic hot Italian sub stacks capicola, salami, and ham with pepperoncini, oil, and a handful of shredded iceberg that wilts just enough under the warm meat. It runs around nine or ten dollars depending on size, and it is a serious sandwich. Not a trendy one. Not a crafted one. Just a very good Italian deli sandwich made by people who have been making them for a long time.
Second reason: the grocery side. If you’re cooking anything Italian while you’re in town — or want to bring something home — this is where you stop. Rossi’s carries imported cheeses, cured meats by the pound, house-made sauces, and dry goods that you won’t find at a Publix. Locals who grew up in the area come in specifically for the ricotta, which is made fresh in-house several times a week. The staff will slice prosciutto as thin or thick as you want it and doesn’t rush you through the order.
Third: it’s a genuinely useful place to know about during a beach week. Most of the food on the tourist corridor is aimed at people who want to sit down and spend time. Rossi’s is aimed at people who want to eat well without a lot of ceremony. You walk in, order at the counter, grab a drink from the cooler, and eat at one of the small tables near the window or take it back to wherever you’re staying. The whole transaction takes maybe fifteen minutes.
The crowd skews older and local on weekday mornings — retirees who come in for coffee and conversation with the staff, contractors picking up lunch, the occasional snowbird who found the place years ago and makes a point of returning. Summers bring more tourists, but the pace inside doesn’t change much. The staff has seen enough volume that they stay calm regardless.
Kings Highway is not a scenic stretch of road. It’s a four-lane commercial corridor running parallel to the beach, packed with mattress stores and chain restaurants and discount shops. Rossi’s sits in there without any fanfare, which is probably why a lot of visitors drive past it. That’s their loss. If you’re in Myrtle Beach for more than a day or two and want a lunch that isn’t fried seafood or a burger, this is the most reliable option on that whole stretch of road.
Rossi’s is open Monday through Saturday. Get there before noon on weekdays if you want the full deli case; they sell out of certain prepared items by early afternoon and don’t always restock before close.
