By JoAnn Moran |
As Mark Bellino finished mashing the last batch of more than 100 pounds of potatoes, Debbie drizzled honey over hams, Tammy checked on the roasting turkeys, Dorothy scrubbed the last of the pots and pans, Ellen was manning the register. At I Know a Guy Deli, the Bellino family was hard at work preparing full-course Thanksgiving Day family meals for delivery. The deli’s staff, made up mostly of family, worked seamlessly together to prepare Thanksgiving dinners—all while continuing to serve regular customers.
Delivering for Thanksgiving
“It’s our first year delivering for Thanksgiving,” Tammy Bellino said. “We’ve had quite a few people asking for it. We’ll deliver twenty- three family dinners by tomorrow morning before hosting our own family of twenty-five. It’s a lot of work, but it’s a family effort.”
Tammy and her husband, Mark, opened the deli in 2023 after finding a commercial kitchen to support their food truck, which they launched in 2021 during the pandemic. “We’re always thinking of new ways and foods to serve,” Tammy said. Recently, the Bellinos installed a pizza oven, despite pizza not being part of Mark’s formal culinary training. “It’s all about expanding what we offer to our extended family of customers,” she said.
From Food Truck to Community Staple
Their I Know a Guy food truck has become a staple at events in the Bristol community. Andrea Adams, chairperson of food vendors and crafters at the Bristol Mum Festival, praised Mark and Tammy’s creativity, saying, Thanksgiving dinner delivery is a great idea! There are so many people who don’t cook but still want the experience of a home-cooked meal to enjoy with their families without the time constraints of going to a restaurant. I Know a Guy food truck is one of our more popular vendors.They always use fresh ingredients. We are happy that they are part of our food truck family at the Mum Fest and at the Bristol Hospital events.
A Family Effort
Back at the mashed potato station, Mark Bellino was convinced that their Thanksgiving dinner prep and delivery is only possible through family teamwork. “Today my job is mashing potatoes,” he said with a smile. “It’s truly a family effort—both our moms are here. I wouldn’t have it any other way,” he said, gesturing toward his mother, Dorothy.
Dorothy Bellino, busy washing the last of the large pots and pans, said she enjoys the bustling atmosphere. “It’s great to see friends and meet new people that come into the deli. There’s always someone nice to talk to or sit down and share a meal with,” she said.
Ellen Bishop, Tammy’s mom, is retired but today she is running the register. “I don’t cook, but I do everything else in the kitchen—cleaning, packing, you name it. It’s a family operation, and I’m happy to help out. You do what you need to for your kids.” she said.
Thanksgiving Options for Every Table
Chef Debbie LaGrave, drizzling honey over hams, said she enjoys the camaraderie. “It’s been busy, but it’s also been fun to see everyone coming together as a team,” she said. The hams, a popular alternative to turkey, were added to the Thanksgiving dinner menu to give customers more options.
The Thanksgiving meal package serves four and includes a whole turkey or sliced turkey breast, gravy, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and green bean casserole or mac and cheese—all made in-house. Customers can choose hams instead of turkey. Each meal comes with dinner rolls from Bristol’s Harvest Bakery and pies—pumpkin from Harvest or apple pie from Hogan’s Cider Mill. Customers also have the option to add a bottle of Woodbridge wine.
“Our breads and pies are made at local bakeries—we all support each other,” Tammy said, emphasizing their role within the local small business community. The full-course meal is packaged and delivered in sturdy aluminum pans and quart containers ready to heat and serve.
Looking Ahead and Giving Back
The Bellinos are planning ahead for Christmas and New Year’s menus, building on the popularity of their Valentine’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day dinner delivery earlier this year.
Josh Tiede of Bristol, a loyal customer, frequently relies on I Know a Guy to cater family gatherings and parties with friends. “Their Italian Stallion is the best grinder you can possibly find,” he said. He and his wife stumbled upon the deli two weeks after it opened and have been devoted customers ever since.
Tammy sees their delivery business as a way to fill a need for busy families and individuals. “Sometimes people just don’t have the time to cook,” she said. “We had a regular customer who was going to be alone for Thanksgiving, so we invited him to our house.” Orders need to be placed ten days in advance but they make exceptions when possible. She added that individual dinner delivery requests for holidays are not uncommon and that the team works hard to be flexible to meet people’s needs.
Supporting the Community
The Bellinos also use their I Know a Guy Deli storefront at 280 Spielman Highway in Burlington to give back. They are hosting a toy drive for the Bristol United Way and collecting winter coats for the local Volunteer Firemen’s coat drive. Toy and coat donations can be dropped off during deli hours from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Saturday.
As the Bellino family juggles their bustling business with heartfelt community initiatives, one thing is clear: Thanksgiving is more than just a holiday—it’s an opportunity to bring people together, one home-cooked-and-delivered meal at a time.
