A world-famous Italian sandwich shop dubbed the best in the world has opened its doors in London, with long queues of people eager to give its wares a try. All’Antico Vinaio, renowned for its giant sarnies that are the “size of your face,” opened its doors in Soho this week.
The new opening marks All Antico Vinaio’s first UK shop, with the store first opening in Florence in 1991. The store quickly gained a reputation for its freshly baked schiacciata bread, a traditional Florentine flatbread that’s thinner than focaccia. It is paired with cured meats and sliced vegetables. Over the past three decades, it has become a chain-style sandwich shop with multiple locations across Italy and now even the US.
All’Antico Vinaio became the most reviewed restaurant on Tripadvisor in 2014 and was named the home of the world’s best sandwiches by Saveur magazine in 2016.
Eager to try delicious Florentine sandwiches, Londoners have been queuing down the street.
However, Brits who want to taste their famous sarnies will have to fork out £15 of their hard earned cash.
Prices start at £9.90 for simple options like the Emiliana, which features mortadella and stracciatella cheese and the Babbo, which contains cooked ham and potato cream only.
Princes then go up to £14.90 for big, filling options like the Tommy, which is fully stuffed with prosciutto crudo di Parma, stracciatella cheese, truffle cream, and spicy aubergines.
Also costing £14.90 is the is the Bada Come La Fuma containing porchetta, smoked provola, potato cream and spicy aubergines.
There are also exclusive new combinations created just for the UK, including the London – which contains thinly slice porchetta, caramelised onion, potato cream and mature cheddar.
Many of the sandwich’s mouth-watering fillings, particularly the Mediterranean cured meats and cheeses, have been imported from Italy to the UK to ensure authentic Italian flavours.
All’Antico Vinaio may have just opened in the capital, but the company is already eyeing further expansion within the country. In an Instagram post, founder Tommaso Mazzanti wrote, “We are already working with our agents in the UK to find more new stores right away.”
