Today is the grand opening of Regina’s Grocery, an Italian-American comfort-food joint at 27 Orchard Street on the Lower East Side, next door to The Fat Radish. The store, founded by Roman Grandinetti, principal of the “content management” firm CNNCTD, and his mother, Regina, has been in soft-opening mode for several weeks.

“Old-school delis are closing faster than they’re opening,” said Roman Grandinetti; he views Regina’s Grocery as a way to revitalize a dying art. All food is prepared by hand by Regina. Modeled on “the vintage pork stores of Brooklyn” and old-fashioned social clubs, the cozy hole-in-the-wall spot accommodates only 10-12 people inside, plus has outdoor seating for two.