From the classic kitchen décor to the family portraits that adorn the walls, a visit to Sparo’s Deli in Upper Montclair is designed to transport customers to grandma’s kitchen table. In this case, the grandma is Andrea Chinnici — or as her grandchildren call her — “Mama Ree.”

Honing her cooking skills by watching her own grandmother, Mama Josephine, at work in their old kitchen in Brooklyn, Chinnici is keeping alive the authentic Italian family recipes that have been passed down from generations.