Historic Los Gatos Meats brings signature sandwiches to Capitola Village

It’s clear from the first tender, smoke-filled bite that Los Gatos Meats & Smokehouse, one of the oldest butchers in Los Gatos, knows a thing or two about making a great sandwich. 

That makes sense. The family-owned butcher shop has been in the game for more than 100 years, and it’s no surprise that the house-marinated, smoked, prepared and cured meats shine between two slices of bread.  

In May, Los Gatos Meats brought its menu of signature sandwiches and a selection of quality meats to a second location in Capitola Village, at the corner of Monterey Avenue and Capitola Avenue. LG Meats Capitola also serves ice cream in a nod to now-closed Souza Cones Ice Cream & Candy, which occupied the spot for many years. 

All of the meat and bread is brought in fresh daily from the headquarters over the hill, said manager Sara Chiala. Her grandfather took over the business in 1991, and her father, Brian Chiala, owns it now. She describes it as a true family affair, with aunts, uncles and cousins filling a variety of other roles. “I’ve been in there wrapping pickles since I was 8,” she said. 

Despite its long history, Los Gatos Meats started making sandwiches only a few years ago. But the addition has made a lasting impact on the business. “In 2018, we went from being a retail shop that does sandwiches to being one of the most well-known delis in the Bay Area,” said Sara Chiala. Earlier this year, Los Gatos Meats was included in a list of top sandwich spots in the Bay Area in the San Francisco Chronicle. 

According to Chiala, the secret sauce is actually the people behind the sauce. Most of the butchers and staff who work at Los Gatos Meats have been there since her family took over in the early ’90s. “They have such high expectations that you know you’re always going to get high quality – no wrinkly lettuce or old bread,” she said. “I think it speaks volumes about our family and our business that we’ve had people there for 30 years.”

The menu includes sandwiches filled with pulled pork, smoked turkey, house-made sausages, brisket and pastrami, but its signature is tri-tip. Its most popular sandwich is the Super Hero, with marinated tri-tip, cheddar cheese, house-smoked bacon and avocado. But the Central Coast’s trademark cut also shines in the Rollie, with a simple swipe of Los Gatos Meats’ barbecue sauce, and all the vegetable fixins. Not only is the meat flavorful and wonderfully tender, the sandwich is also well-composed and layered properly. It’s stuffed, but nothing flies out the sides when you go in for a large bite. 

The Capitola location also offers housemade jerky and pre-cut and marinated tri-tip, bacon and sausages in its retail section, as well as a few exotic options, including  elk, bison, venison and even alligator. These meats are hard to find, and even harder to ensure good quality, Chiala said. “We’re happy to provide them for people who are looking for them,” she said. No word yet on whether they make a good sandwich. 

200 Monterey Ave. Suite 1, Capitola; losgatosmeats.com.

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