Carlino’s Brings The Olive Grove To Ardmore


A dish is only as good as the oil it’s cooked in. Hell, the prophet Muhammad recommended people anoint their bodies with oil from the blessed olive tree, so there must be something to it.

Over the past two years, the folks behind Carlino’s, Ardmore’s gourmet Italian market, traveled through Italy, Spain, Portugal, Chile and elsewhere “in search of the world’s best” olive oils and vinegars. And now, in their Ardmore location (and coming eventually to their West Chester site), there’s an in-house Olive Grove which features more than 40 of those oils and vinegars from around the world, bringing the potential for worldwide culinary superiority home to your American kitchen.

Stored in fustis, the oils and vinegars are on tap and for sale in the Olive Grove. Customers can sample any of the varieties with bread or with a small tasting cup.

“We are calling it our tasting room,” said Nick Carlino, son of the market’s founder. When he traveled to various olive groves with his father and sister, the proprietors of the land taught the Carlinos the best way to taste the oil: to drink it, about a teaspoon at a time.

At Carlino’s, they’ve got extra virgin (of course), as well as fruit and herb-infused oils, plus aged and infused Balsamics. When you find the flavor that suits your palette, they fill up a bottle for you to purchase. If you bring the bottle back, you can save three dollars on your refill.

“We feel like this is the new trend people are getting into,” said Carlino.

They opened the Grove this August, when the store itself re-opened after a summer remodel. And come October 1, they’ll be celebrating the bounty of the olive groves during their grand re-opening party.

Carlino’s Market [Official website]