Red's Sandwich Shop

Red's Sandwich Shop

Located at 15 Central Street in a small, three-story pitched-roof wooden house built c1766, this has been a popular breakfast and lunch place for the last 50 years. It has been voted "Best Breakfast" place for many years running.

Red’s has also been visited by many celebrities, Congressman, Senators and First Lady Barbara Bush. Located in the Old London Coffee House, which dates back to the 1700’s, it may have been built for Joseph Scott, though this has not been adequately documented. The portrait painter Charles Osgood lived here as well.

The Old London Coffee House was the gathering place of the Patriots before the American Revolution. Heated discussions took place adjacent to the huge fireplace in regard to the oppressive British taxes.

The building was once home to the Salem Fraternity, the oldest Boy's Club in America.

Red's Sandwich Shop opened in this historic building in 1945.

The restaurant was started by Red Giardi. It started to grow, and later he sold it to the Angelakis family. They sold it to the Drivas family in the mid-80's. The Drivas family sold it to the current owner, Kim Orsini.

In the winter of 1997, Red's owners decided to build a new 76 seat addition to the left half of the building, which had been used for storage.

Red's opened a new, second, location in 2012 in Peabody on Rt. 1, called Red's Kitchen & Tavern (131 Newbury Street).

See Also

• Color postcard image courtesy of CardCow.com

• Architecture in Salem by Tolles, p. 82-3

• Red's Sandwich shop restaurant website

• "Red's Shop to open belt a few notches" Salem Evening News, Feb. 18, 1997, p. C3

• "Red's to be featured on 'American's Best Restaurants' Salem News, July 1, 2025.