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New York's culinary scene is about to get a little Italian-like: legendary Florentine sandwich shop All'Antico Vinaio (which translates to "at the ancient wine merchant's") is landing in town with a permanent location on Eighth Avenue and 46th Street.
The shop had made a brief appearance on this side of the Atlantic back in June of 2019, when Tommaso "Tommy" Mazzanti, part of the family who opened the Florentine storefront back in 1989, set up a pop-up in the front room of Otto Enoteca e Pizzeria (now permanently closed) in Greewich Village. The short-term effort was met with a lot of enthusiasm by New York diners.
Fast-forward over two years and Mazzanti partnered with Tanya Bastianich Manuali and Joe Bastianich to open the new 1,500-square-foot space with standing room for about a dozen people right by Times Square. Word on the street is that an actual dining room will soon open next-door.
The menu is chock-full of the sorts of sandwiches that have earned the four locations in Florence and one destination in Milan fame. From the classic Caprese (mozzarella, tomato and basil) to La Broadway (pistachio cream, stracciatella, sun-dried tomato, spicy zucchini and arugula), La Dante (capocollo, stracchino, truffle cream and arugula), La Favolosa (sbriciolona, pecorino cream, artichoke cream, spicy eggplant) and l'Inferno (porchetta, nduja cream, grilled vegetables and arugula), all offerings are made with Italian cheeses, meats and spreads.
Of course, New Yorkers love their sandwiches, but there is just something about these Italian paninis that will certainly add to the city's overall scene. A mere look at the glass case where all the ingredients are on display—Tuscan prosciutto! Stracciatella! Fior di latte balls!—will make the superiority of the new gastronomic effort apparent. There's a reason why Italians are known for their stellar cuisine, after all.
All'Antico Vinaio is currently open on Wednesdays through Sundays between NOON and 7pm but will extend hours to seven days a week starting November 22. A wine and beer license is pending.