By Marie-Antoinette Issa.
Step aside soggy salad sandos! Sydney’s sandwich scene is having a seriously glorious glow-up. From TikTok toasties to designer deli subs, a midday meal stuffed between two simple slices of bread is officially sexy again.
As of this week, La Panineria is bringing a taste of La Dolce Vita to your desk so you can say ciao to that sad tuna sanga forever.
If you’re currently dreaming of strolling through a sun-drenched Tuscan village, gelato in one hand and a panino in the other - no, that’s not a typo, it is the correct way to refer to a singular sandwich - La Panineria may just be the next best thing.
The eatery, tucked into Curtin Place off George Street, has opened its doors (or rather, its window) to serve up bold flavours, big energy and the kind of Italian comfort food that instantly transports you to la piazza.
From the family-run team behind York Street’s Tessuto and hospitality veteran John Anastasiou, this new 30-square-metre hole-in-the-wall proves that good things really do come in small (and schiacciata-stuffed) packages.
At its heart, La Panineria is a paninoteca - a sandwich bar straight out of Sicily - reimagined for the Sydney work crowd. While it may be modest in footprint, its personality (and portions) are anything but. Step into the laneway and you’re greeted by Italian flair, a warm team and a menu that reads like a love letter to Nonna’s kitchen…if Nonna had a flair for flaky croissants and pistachio lattes.
The star of the show is the schiacciata - an ultra-thin, crispy bread hailing from Tuscany, lovingly made in-house over three days. Every one of the 13 loaded panini begins with this golden base.
The Dean Martin sings with prosciutto, creamy mozzarella, juicy tomatoes, rocket and pesto, while the Mortazza delivers silky mortadella, stracciatella, lemon zest and pistachio crunch in every bite.
Meanwhile, Nonna’s Polpette channels old-school comfort, overflowing with saucy beef meatballs and Napoletana. However, the sandwich that we’re predicting to be the toast of the town, may just be the Gladiator. Layered with sliced porchetta, salsa verde, provolone, broccolini and crunchy pork crackling, it’s a panino that packs a punch.
"This is our love letter to the Italian sandwich bar,” says co-owner Anthony Arienzale. The team - his wife Tanja, brother Robert, Head Chef Mattia Senesi and barista Salvatore Messina - have created something personal, nostalgic and full of flavour.
La Panineria isn’t just about panini. For the breakfast crowd, the carbonara croissant is a genius twist on the Roman pasta classic, with guanciale, egg yolk, pecorino and cracked pepper wrapped in buttery pastry. Bellissimo!
Alternatively, other morning must-haves include creamy Bircher cups for those doing their best to stay virtuous. Then, come lunch time, team La Panineria will be baking up slices of schiacciata pizza, topped with the likes of truffle porchetta, spicy salame or classic Margherita, with that perfect balance of crunch and chew.
There’s even something sweet to soften the 3 pm slump too. Think bomboloni - soft, sugar-dusted doughnuts piped with rich Gianduia (Italy’s superior answer to Nutella) - and flaky sfogliatella filled with pistachio cream that crackles with each bite.
Coffee lovers are equally well catered for. Alongside the beloved tiramisu iced latte and impossibly thick Italian hot chocolate from Tessuto, La Panineria introduces new sips like the pistachio matcha latte and the iced mastachio - a creamy, nutty nod to Summer in Sicilia.
Open Monday to Friday from 6 am to 4 pm, La Panineria is already teasing future plans for an aperitivo hour with cocktails and live music. Until then, it’s the perfect place to grab a panino and pretend you're lunching somewhere just off the Amalfi Coast.
