A Famous Sandwich Shop From Florence Opens This Weekend in Los Angeles

Eater

16 hours ago

A taste of Florence lands in Los Angeles this week. Florentine sandwich shop Pino's Sandwiches Salumeria Verdi opens its first U.S. location in Los Feliz on August 23 in the former home of Eastside Deli, bringing a new destination for crusty, schiacciata sandwiches, layered with meats and cheeses, to the neighborhood. This is the first expansion for Pino's, which currently only operates the original Florence location.
Pino's Sandwiches dates back to 1965, when it originally opened as Salumeria Verdi in the Santa Croce neighborhood of Florence. In 1991, Pino, who only uses his first name professionally, and his wife Antonella took over the salumeria (the Italian word for delicatessen). At first, he kept the simple salumeria offerings the same, but quickly realized locals and students studying at universities were looking for a quick, affordable option for sandwiches or pasta during the day.
Schiacciata at Pino's Sandwiches in Los Feliz. Rebecca Roland
The first sandwich Pino developed, called the Best, comes with roast beef, mixed vegetables, cheese, and a spicy sauce on schiacciata; after toppings are added, the sandwich is toasted in a panini press until the cheese is melted and the crust of the bread is crispy. 'I call it the best because, for me, I think maybe people want to eat a fast lunch in one sandwich,' he says. Slowly, The Best began to evolve with customer preferences, who would substitute the roast beef with turkey or prosciutto. Today, Pino's in Florence offers more than 30 sandwiches, plus daily blackboard specials, and the business remains in the family with Pino and Antonella's daughter Martina joining them.
With the opening in Los Angeles, Pino hopes to capture the same magic of the Florence location. Expanding to the U.S. has been on his mind for years — plenty of international customers have asked them to open in their cities, yet it wasn't until a more recent trip that things began to come together. At first, he looked at locations closer to the ocean but couldn't find something with a price that worked until he looked in Los Feliz.
When Pino's opens, it will offer a slimmed-down version of the Florence menu, with 14 savory sandwiches and one sweet (slathered with Nutella, of course). The menu comprises options like the simple Delicato with smoked ham, brie cheese, and truffle cream; the Tuscan with salami, fontina cheese, fresh tomatoes, and pesto or garlic sauce; and the Springtime filled with prosciutto, mozzarella cheese, fresh tomatoes, lettuce, and pesto or garlic sauce. The Best, available with the original roast beef, made the menu, alongside Los Feliz exclusives like the Ganzo with prosciutto, creamy stracciatella cheese, sundried tomatoes, and a caramelized onion spread. Vegetarian options include a Caprese; the Vegan with spinach, roasted eggplant, sundried tomatoes, onions, and hot sauce or garlic sauce; and the Lady D with spinach, stracciatella cheese, roasted eggplant, sundried tomatoes, roasted bell peppers, and pesto or garlic sauce. Similar to the Florence location, Los Feliz's Pino's offers a sweet schiacciata sandwich with Nutella. Staying true to the affordable roots of the shop in Florence, all of the sandwiches at Pino's are priced under $20 and come with two oversized halves that are each comparable to the size of a regular sandwich. An option for gluten-free bread will be available after the opening.
Pino, Antonella, and Martina at Pino's Sandwiches in Florence. Icon Web Agency
For Pino, his sandwiches stand apart from the rest because of the ingredients he uses and the balance of flavors. The dimpled schiacciata — which comes from the Italian word schiacciare, meaning to press — will be baked fresh every day at Pino's in Los Feliz using the same recipe as in Florence. Eighty to 90 percent of the ingredients at the shop will be imported from Italy to maintain consistent quality across both shops. During the opening process, Pino tried stateside versions of cured meats and cheeses, but they just couldn't compare to what he knew from back home. 'My palate has the original taste of prosciutto, salami, and Italian cheese,' he says. 'When you try the original and you try the other, you understand — you know which one's better.' Although Pino and his family won't be at the Los Feliz shop day-to-day, they've trained staff on every minute detail of the process, from how long it should sit in the press to how many dried tomatoes should dot the stracciatella.
After more than 30 years of operating Pino's, and days out from opening in Los Angeles, Pino is still looking toward the future. 'For me, it's a big step,' he says of the opening. 'Biggest step of my life.' And although he is focused on the Los Feliz location until he heads back to Florence, Pino is leaving the door open for further expansion into the U.S. — if all goes well.
Pino's Sandwiches opens on August 23 at 1761 N. Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90027. It will hold hours from 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day.
Caprese. Icon Web Agency
Yummy. Icon Web Agency
Springtime. Icon Web Agency
Italia. Icon Web Agency
Delicato. Icon Web Agency
Vegan. Icon Web Agency
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