Pick a pocket calzone

(Yoon S. Byun/Globe Staff)

Born and raised in East Boston, Freddy Noviello had been working at neighborhood catering and take-out spot Spinelli's for 15 years when he and his family jumped on the sale of the Meridian Food Market. It's a deli between Central and Maverick squares that's been in business for 32 years, owned for the past nine by Noviello, his parents, Dorothy and Louie, and his brother, Paul. The shop's specialty is a foot-long chicken cutlet and proscuitto sub ($8), says Freddy Noviello, but they also turn out great little pocket-size calzones ($3.25) in six or seven regular flavors such as spinach with mozzarella, chicken cutlet with eggplant, and Italian cold cut and a number of specials. "Depending on the morning we do different things," he says. Sounds great, as long as they keep doing the same different things. Meridian Food Market, 121 Meridian St., East Boston, 617-567-9725. - LEIGH BELANGER