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In a place like Media, eateries are in abundance. The newest addition to State Street is 320 Market Café. Though the marketplace is well established in its Swarthmore location, the Café is brand new to Media. Since opening before Thanksgiving, 320 has quickly become one of the borough’s favorite culinary spots.

I sat down with Jack Cunicelli, who owns the marketplace with his brother David. I managed to catch Jack after their busy lunch service. Though the crowd had subsided by the time we spoke, Jack was still focused on the aspects of running the business. Between phone calls, he and I were able to discuss some important aspects of what makes 320 Market Café a unique place to eat in Media.

A look inside 320 Market Café.

You are greeted with the distinct, delightful smell of cheeses, premium meats and fresh baked bread the moment you walk into 320 Market Café. Before conducting the interview, I visited the Swarthmore location, which boasts an impressive display of artisan and local cheeses. The Media location has a smaller, but no less impressive selection of cheeses. When I asked Jack about the cheese, his face lit up. As it turns out, Jack is working toward obtaining a certification in Cheese Making from the University of Vermont. Jack won’t be rolling up his sleeves to make cheese any time soon; his certification is fueled by his passion to find out the process of cheese. He knows a vast network of cheese makers in Chester and Lancaster Counties and he is proud to sell their cheeses in 320 Market Café. Jack’s sentimentality about the cheese he carries shows in the display and the representation of the cheeses. He has an intimate knowledge about every cheese carried in the marketplace, and he’d be thrilled to tell you about them if you ask. In the coming months, Jack hopes to hold training sessionss for his staff to pass on his knowledge about the cheeses and the other items carried in the store in the hopes of making the marketplace more of an experience for customers.

It is that personal experience when it comes to customers that has been instrumental in the success of the Swarthmore location. 320 Market Café has been in business for 21 years in Swarthmore. What began as a produce market blossomed into a full-scale market through the vision of Jack, David and their staff.  The familial atmosphere of the marketplace extends over the counter and spills onto the customer base. “Customers take ownership of [320 Market],” said Jack, “We’re community people. We’ve built relationships with our customers. I’ve seen kids grow up [in Swarthmore] and I knew that was something I wanted for [the Media location].” In establishing that connection to the community, Jack and David have found support from Seven Stones Café, a notable Media coffeeshop on Plum Street.

Another aspect of their success is familial atmosphere among their employees. They have over 30 employees, the majority of whom have been with 320 for years. Chef John Adams worked his way up from sandwich maker to chef after 6 years with the company. Likewise, Pete, the general manager, has also been with the company for 11 years. He started as a dishwasher. Jack said they are fortunate enough to have employees who are just as passionate about the business as he and his brother are.

Support "Houston Day" at CityTeam Ministries with one of these t-shirts, available at 320 Market Café on January 25.

One such employee was Dave “Houston” Adams. Brother of Chef Adams and best friend to Media store manager Alex, Dave worked tirelessly to get the Media location off the ground. Sadly, Dave passed away suddenly, leaving his 320 Market family devastated. As a way to honor his memory, they are selling “Houston Day” t-shirts and celebrating his life on Wednesday, January 25, which would have been Dave’s 20th birthday. All proceeds from the sale of the t-shirts will go to CityTeam Ministries in Chester. By doing so, they hope Dave’s life can benefit someone else besides their family at 320 Market Café and plan to make this an annual event.

If you ever want more information on the daily specials at 320 Market Café, hop on Twitter, where they Tweet from @320marketcafe with the grilled cheese of the day specials and pictures of new items in the marketplace. Their use of social media is a great way to get a snapshot into the daily goings-on at 320 Market Café.

As for the food, well, it really is all good. The Pico de Gallo is a best seller—and it sells really quickly. It pairs nicely with their homemade tortilla chips. Both are made fresh daily. I am partial to the Italian Special Hoagie. I love Italian hoagies and I’ve eaten my fair share of them. This hoagie, however, is the best one I’ve ever had. The bread, made fresh from Wild Flour, the premium meats, the cheese and fresh roasted peppers—it’s enough to make you weep. I highly recommend it.

320 Market Café is located at 21 West State Street, Media, PA. Find them online, on Facebook and on Twitter.

—Nina J. Davidson

Nina is an aspiring novelist and New Jersey native. A little over a year ago, she moved to Media, and it has been the best decision she has ever made. She finds great joy in living here and tells everyone she meets about the magic of Media. Nina is honored to share her love of Media on figmediapa.com. Be sure also to check out her blog, Cooktivism, where Nina writes about food and posts recipes she created.