So to really dig into what I love most about Napoletano is the fact that it's local, has some of…read morethe most down-to-earth, friendly people running the place, should you take time to stop and have a conversation, good coffee and espresso, and hands down, one of, if not the best offering of breakfast sandwiches in Delco available, and I will defend that assessment tooth and nail. When I first stopped in here it was in a whim, and although they do have a selection of whimsical, sweet, dare I say, ridiculous and sweet coffee beverages, they were able to make me a traditional Italian macchiato. I had been unable to find a good, even passable REAL macchiato anywhere, and they delivered in spectacular fashion. Not only was the drink silky, strong, and small, it was made with outstanding Italian roasted espresso that has a different character than the standard, heavier-roasted American palate has come to be used to. This alone would have been enough for me to return time and time again when I was in the area, but after getting breakfast sandwich on a whim, this instantly became a weekly stop; more than that, a destination.
Fast forward a few years and the initial attraction of coffee, sandwich, and friendly staff has transformed into a beautiful relationship where I can easily walk in, everyone knows me before I am all the way through the door, and even knowing my idiosyncrasies, are still excited to see me and listen to me prattle on about whatever might be the story of the day. The time spent here has given me the opportunity to try nearly everything on the menu and try every drink available. Including all the dry goods, pasta for sale, frozen trays of delicious Italian staples, and more. I am not one to just stick to the things I know I enjoy as I am always on a journey for something interesting and exciting, so whenever something shows up I am getting that rather than something in my "comfort zone". This has led to me traditionally losing interest or finding that the quality of a place declines for myself over time, especially multiple years. Not the case here at Napoletano, it has only done the exact opposite and gotten much more rewarding and somehow even more delicious and embracing of people and everyone who comes through the door.
This brings me to my most recent food adventures into the menu here, the newest additions for the most part, the added amazing hoagie list. I have had two. The first I tried was the Gondolier, which I was enamored with for weeks. I had been there too early to order lunch time and time again, and then FINALLY, one day it was about time for lunch to be available and Michelle, the wonderful woman running the front of house and so much more, was able to get me this sandwich just a bit early. It had it all....outstanding bread, roasted red peppers, seriously premium meats, both standard deli and cured. However, something just missed the mark for me. I couldn't believe it. I don't know what and I don't know why. I was immediately disappointed, likely because I had hyped this up in my head for so long and I have come to expect so much from Napoletano, I simply couldn't believe that this wasn't the best hoagie I had ever enjoyed. That fact has eaten at me for at least a month now, but today that all changed, and is possibly why I finally found my voice to put all my thoughts together an write this after so many years.
During my visit to say hello today, I realized it was once again right around the time where I could order sandwiches. I toyed with the thought of the cutlet sandwiches or even the Cuban which is amazing, but after going around and around and around talking to everyone working about this and that, I finally decided on another hoagie; the Sicilian. Kris, another of my favorite people along with Fanny (who was on vacation) helped me inch toward this one based on my description of my whole previous experience, and tbh is sandwich is so interestingly unique. Topped with lemon and orange zest, it doesn't sound like it would work, but once you take your first bite, you begin to examine your entire existence. Why have you never had a specialty Italian hoagie topped with citrus zest??? The question has been running through my head all day since lunch, and I still cannot understand why I haven't been enjoying something like this my entire life. So many years lost of amazing sandwich experiences.....this sandwich was so divine, despite looking slightly barren and strange, that it blew apart my entire disappointment I had been holding since the gondolier. I will absolutely try the other four in the list. I would have anyway, but this definitely took that mission off of life support and put it front and center.
There are so many reasons to go to Napoletano. I could spend another thirty paragraphs writing about what is great about this place, the people, the drinks, the space, all of it. But instead of doing that, you should just go here. Even if you're not close, and enjoy!
