A Place Where Food And Philanthophy Meet

Diana Bordoli is justifiably one happy momma. A mother of six boys and wife of Dario Bordoli of the successful Northern Italian restaurant Trattoria Dario here on South Beach, Diana tells me her sons have big dreams. “I’m very proud of my boys,” she says. “They understood from long ago that if you own a business, it’s not about making money. It’s about putting your soul into it and making it flourish, helping the people who work for you and giving back – that’s the most important thing.” 

Chelsea’s on Cardinal, a gourmet food market and deli located on Cardinal Drive, is the Bordoli family’s latest acquisition, purchased in the summer of 2015 from former owner David Busch. The first classic market to offer gourmet fare in Vero Beach, Chelsea’s was originally the brainchild of local restaurateur John Marx. It opened in 1982 in a tiny 600-square-foot building on Royal Palm Boulevard, now Royal Palm Pointe, and moved to its present location on the island in 1989. It has long been the go-to place for fine wines, epicurean gifts, deli sandwiches, salads and gourmet meals to-go as well as party catering. 

Christian, 24, the third oldest Bordoli son, manages Chelsea’s but eschews claims that he is the new entrepreneur in town, an appellation he says sits uncomfortably on his young shoulders. He insists the business is very much a family affair and that he leans heavily on his parents’ 35 years of experience as former owners of Mangrove Matties in Fort Pierce and now Trattoria Dario.