New York has finally caught the Italian sandwich fever that has gripped Florence and Naples for generations. Forget the soggy deli hero — a new wave of paninerie is importing real salumi, baking proper bread, and treating the humble sandwich as an art form. After tasting our way across Manhattan, four names rise above the rest: Panineria, Pisillo, All’Antico Vinaio, and Cappone’s. Here is what makes each one special, what to order, what it costs, and the little secrets that separate a good panino from a great one. Who will be the Best Italian Panino in New York City?
Panineria — Greenwich Village
Tucked into the heart of the Village, Panineria has spent more than a decade quietly building a reputation as one of the city’s finest Italian sandwich shops. It was founded in 2014 by Mario Pesce, a young Neapolitan who arrived in New York determined to recreate the everyday salumeria experience he grew up with.
The secret: family pedigree and obsessive sourcing. Pesce’s great-uncle runs Buon Italia, the beloved Italian food hall inside Chelsea Market, which means Panineria has access to genuinely top-tier cured meats and cheeses. Every panino is built fresh to order on ciabatta or a baguette, and you can have it cold or warmed.
What to order: the burrata panino — creamy organic burrata stacked with prosciutto di Parma, ripe tomatoes, arugula, and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil — is the showstopper. The Diamante (spicy salami and provolone) and the Capri (mozzarella and tomato) are close runners-up, and longtime fans still swear by the Parma and Paestum.
Ingredients: strictly Italian cured meats and cheeses, fresh mozzarella and burrata, bread from the city’s best bakeries, and good olive oil on nearly everything.
Why it’s a contender: consistency and balance. These are not the absurdly oversized subs of some competitors — they are properly proportioned, beautifully composed sandwiches that taste like they were made in someone’s kitchen in Campania. Is Panineria the Best Italian Panino?
Cost: roughly $12–$16 per panino. Address: 9 East 8th Street, New York, NY 10003 (also Upper East Side and Upper West Side). Link: lapanineria.com
Pisillo Italian Panini — Financial District
If Panineria is about elegance, Pisillo is about glorious excess. Founder Carmelo “Pisillo” Nazzaro came to the U.S. in 2008 and opened a tiny shop in the Financial District. Today it’s a genuine New York institution and routinely lands on “best panino” lists.
The secret: the bread and the sheer scale. Pisillo’s rolls come from a Bensonhurst, Brooklyn bakery that’s been baking for three decades, delivered warm and fragrant each morning. The panini are enormous — foot-plus-long, packed wall to wall — and easily feed two people. The cold cuts are imported directly from Italy, including cuts you rarely see in an ordinary deli.
The accolades: Pisillo’s panino was crowned the best in NY at a Tribeca Film Festival contest (with Robert De Niro reportedly a fan). The shop has been featured on Food Network’s The Best Thing I Ever Ate and in The New Yorker.
What to order: With around 35 options, the menu can be daunting. The prosciutto-and-mozzarella builds are classics, but don’t be afraid to design your own — just know the hot peppers pack heat.
Ingredients: imported Italian cold cuts, smoked mozzarella, artichokes, roasted peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, and house condiments on dairy- and egg-free bread.
Why it’s a contender: unbeatable value and quantity without sacrificing quality. Few sandwiches in Manhattan deliver this much for the price. Is Pisillo the Best Italian Panino?
Cost: roughly $13–$18, and one panino often serves two. Address: 97 Nassau Street, New York, NY 10038 (also 110 West 38th Street). Link: pisillopanini.com
All’Antico Vinaio — Multiple Locations
The famous Florentine import needs little introduction. Run by the Mazzanti family since 1991 and beloved across Italy for the lines snaking down Florence’s Via dei Neri, All’Antico Vinaio has expanded aggressively across New York, with outposts on 8th Avenue, 1450 Broadway, Grand Central, Brookfield Place, the West Village, NoMad, and the Upper East Side.
The secret: schiacciata. Instead of a roll, the panini are built on warm, crisp Tuscan flatbread, generously layered with cured meats and bold spreads. The bread isn’t pressed or grilled — it arrives freshly baked and warm, which is the whole point.
What to order: the truffle-and-stracciatella combinations and the signature stuffed schiacciate are the move. Many regulars start with whatever the staff recommends and rarely go wrong.
Ingredients: Tuscan-style cured meats, stracciatella, pecorino and other Italian cheeses, truffle cream, artichoke and pepper spreads, and that signature flatbread.
Why it’s a contender: it’s the real deal, faithfully translated. New Yorkers who fell in love with the original in Florence consistently report that the NYC version holds up. Is All’Antico Vinaio the Best Italian Panino?
Cost: roughly $14–$16 per sandwich. Address: 729 8th Avenue, New York, NY 10036 (plus numerous other locations). Link: allanticovinaiousa.com
Cappone’s Italian Panino Shop and Salumeria — West Village
Overlooking Abingdon Square, Cappone’s blends a working salumeria with a sandwich counter and draws on more than fifty years of family culinary tradition.
The secret: everything is sliced to order, and the finishing touches matter — panini are dressed with extra-virgin olive oil and a swipe of Crema di Balsamico that adds a sweet-tart depth most shops skip. There’s also a “secret sauce” on certain builds that regulars rave about.
What to order: the namesake Cappone is the safe bet, but the Vito (salami, mozzarella, artichokes, olive paste) and the Torre have devoted followings. The Uncle B’s roast beef — with mozzarella, hot peppers, and that secret sauce — is a standout.
Ingredients: capicola, soppressata, salami, provolone, fresh mozzarella, arugula, hot peppers, EVOO, and balsamic glaze.
Why it’s a contender: the salumeria roots show. These are generous, expertly seasoned sandwiches, and the owner’s personal warmth turns a quick lunch into a small event. Is Cappone Salumeria the Best Italian Panino?
Cost: roughly $14–$18 per sandwich. Address: 11 Abingdon Square, New York, NY 10014 (also Chelsea Market and 1 New York Plaza). Link: capponesnyc.com
Our Verdict
There is no single “best” panino in New York — it depends on what you’re after. Choose Pisillo for jaw-dropping size and value, All’Antico Vinaio for an authentic Florentine schiacciata, Cappone’s for old-school salumeria craft and warmth, and Panineria for refined, perfectly balanced Neapolitan style.
If forced to crown one, Panineria edges ahead for sheer consistency and quality of ingredients — but the only real way to settle it is to taste all four. Buon appetito.
