Anthony “Dutz” Siniscalchi, 2nd Street Baker, has Died
By Melissa Surach • Feb 27th, 2012 • Category: Blog, Food
The owner and baker of the landmark 2nd Street Bakery and Deli, Anthony Siniscalchi, died last Thursday. He was 76 years old.
Better known as “Dutz,” he took over the bakery owned by his father, Antonio, in 1974 and ran it for 40 years.
Back then, the neighborhood was known as the Italian Village. The smell of 2nd Street’s fresh baked bread would waft through the neighborhood by 5 am daily. The awning has the red-white-green Italian flag colors adorning it, and the deli itself is a tiny hole-in-the-wall, although the white brick building stands out on its own–it is a landmark, and the building is synonymous with delicious, perfectly baked crusty Italian bread.
Most of the store is bakery production space, with a counter up front and some racks to showcase the goods. The menu consists of Italian specialties and platters, fresh Italian cold cuts, home-made mozzarella, sandwiches, baked goods, and Italian imports.
2nd Street Bakery is a staple of downtown and a lunch time favorite for locals, police and firemen, and many out-of-towners who go out of their way for their lunch specials. After 11 am, a crowd lines up outside the door and the bakery usually sells out by 1 pm.
Siniscalchi was married to his wife Anna for 54 years, and together they ran the bakery along with their sons Anthony, Dino and Gino.
The family-run bakery has been open at full service since Dutz’s passing. Gino mentioned at funeral services yesterday that his father would’ve killed him if they’d closed.
The funeral was held this morning at the Introcaso-Angelo Funeral Home and Siniscalchi was interred at Holy Name Cemetery with military honors.
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Melissa Surach is the managing editor of Jersey City Independent. She's also a writer and comedian who was born and raised in Jersey City, a Fiction MFA candidate at the New School and drinks way too much beer.
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