Taking the trainer wheels off the Dom Panino Breakfast Point food truck was a logical next step for Domenico Ruggeri, who set up his permanent paninoteca (Italian sandwich shop) in Leichhardt earlier this year. Here, you’ll find three generations of Ruggeris slinging killer old-school panini, cosy homestyle pasta and Sicilian sfinci (doughnuts) that are so legit they’ve made old Italian nonnos cry with happiness.
The candy-pink shopfront sits pretty on the corner of Marion Street in the same neighbourhood where Dom’s family landed after emigrating from Sicily back in the day. Each hot panino has a story to tell, inspired by family recipes and brimming with quality salumi (deli meats) and formaggi (cheese), both locally sourced and imported from Italy.
The panini menu reads like a festival line-up, starring treats like a Porchetta-Bout-It sub with slow-cooked pork and crackling; the Wagyu Lookin’ At with wagyu bresaola beef; the Tuttu Salumi with double-smoked ham, salami and mortadella; and the Co-Ta-Let-Ta with Nonna Maria’s lemon chicken schnitzel. Dom's secret to a ripper roll? It's all about serving them fresh, never toasted.
Dripping in red sauce, Nonna’s Nostalgia is the panino that truly hits home for Dom. It’s packed full of childhood nostalgia and features Nonna Maria's signature five-hour, slow-cooked pork and veal bolognese sauce – topped with smoked fior di latte, parmigiano reggiano and rocket. Nonna Carmela has a sandwich named after her, too, which is packed with baked eggplant parmigiana, house Napoli sauce, mozzarella, parmigiana, boiled egg and a touch of basil. You can ditch the bread and order Carmela’s legendary eggplant parmi solo; you can do the same with the pork and veal bolognese – having it on a comforting bed of pasta instead.
While the panini are the heroes of Dom Panino, crowds also come crawling for their weekend-only sfinci (Sicilian doughnuts). These are a labour of love by Dom’s mum, who spends hours firing them before bathing them in cinnamon sugar and showering them with Nutella or housemade pistachio cream.
Staying true to the Italian vibe, the beverage list spotlights imported Italian beers, such as Peroni’s Gran Riserva range and Birra Baladin, as well as fine wines from Piedmont and Sicily. Relish your sanga and beer on the sun-drenched sidewalk tables or head out back to the homey dining room, which has been decorated with photos telling the Ruggeri family story.
