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Di Rienzo's

4.6 (101 reviews)
InexpensiveSandwiches, Grocery, Delis
Closed • 8:30 am - 7:00 pm
Updated 2 months ago

Di Rienzo's Photos

Business Info

DI RIENZO'S ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Moderate noise
Good for groups
Good for kids

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Recommended Reviews - Di Rienzo's

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Reviews With Photos

Roasted lamb sandwich $7.
Jennifer P.

Omg! I can't believe I have never reviewed Di Rienzos before! So my first time there was about 15 years ago when I was living in Little Italy (where Di Rienzos is). My landlord told me about the place, she said and I quote "the place is dirty, but the sandwiches are delicious!" Well, she didn't work in marketing, that's for sure, lol. So I didn't exactly run there after she told me about it, but one day I did decide to check it out, and let me tell you, the sandwiches are in fact delicious! As for the sanitation, I wasn't entirely thrilled with the fact that at the time they had open containers of different types of bread and you would stick your hand in the container pick a roll and hand it to the staff member who would use it to make your sandwich. Fast forward 15 years and we are now in the midst of the Covid-19 Pandemic, and this practice is no more, all the bread is behind the counter now and only the staff handle the bread. They also used to have all their desserts in open boxes on the counters, which in the summer attracted a lot of flies that would land on the desserts. So I can see why my former landlord held the opinion that she did. So Di Rienzos is a convenience store that sells a lot of Italian products. They have hot and cold sandwiches, pasta, and Italian desserts. They also sell samosas, which seem a little out of place, but hey, that's what's awesome about Canada, right? Cannoli and samosas side by side! Over the years I have tried many of their items. My favourite remains their hot Roast Beef sandwich (which I haven't seen in a while, hope they haven't discontinued selling it). It's a thick piece of oh so tender roast beef with a slice of mozzarella cheese. It's so good! All their hot sandwiches are pre-made and wrapped in plastic wrap. There's a limited amount made every day. Their Chicken Parmigiana sandwich is also delicious. Their cold cuts sandwiches are good as well. My favourite is #6, Turkey, Prosciutto and Harvarti Cheese. So 15 years ago, their sandwiches were $3.50. Now they are $7. Their desserts are fantastic. I love their Sfogliatelle Ricce (Lobster tail pastry), and Cannoli. And their samosas aren't bad either ;) Paulo is the owner and he's very friendly. He always calls me Signorina ("Miss" in Italian). Every single person who I have taken to Di Rienzos loves their sandwiches. This place is very popular. If you go around lunchtime be prepared for a lineup. There's a small private parking lot, but there will only be available spots during off-peak hours. Otherwise, there's street parking nearby. Di Rienzos is an institution here in Ottawa!

Sandwich #1 - turkey havarti lettuce tomato salami with spicy eggplant
Shayna S.

Best sandwich! Fresh bread, quality ingredients - best salami I've had at a sandwich place. The sandwich is extremely big and I had to split it into two meals. Authentic Italian for sure. The staff is kind and chatty. The price for a sandwich is around 8.50. 10/10 recommend, make sure to add the spicy eggplant

$7 sandwich bigger than a small football. Been coming here since 2004. Same delicious Italian subs
D'Arcy L.

Still so awesome. Prices are up to $7 a Sandwich now. Still the best Italian subs in Ottawa. Nothing has changed since my previous review. More warm to go pasta offerings. A true hidden gem!

At home before cutting in half
Sam G.

Believe the hype. Old-school Italian grocery store serving up high quality sandwiches for $5 each. I knew I came to a good place when I got there about 11:30 on a sunny weekday in May and there were 20 people in line. Be patient, the line moves quickly. Pick your bread and your sandwich by number. Get the eggplant and vegetables on it (your choice though). None of these extra charges for cheese here, its all included. The massive tarts and other goodies in front of the deli counter looked really good as well. Pastas and pre-made sandwiches also available at the cash. There are only cold sandwiches listed on the menu which was too bad because they were about to go toe-to-toe with the best of Toronto (according to me, anyways). Note - be aware there is nowhere to sit - its a grocery store - but there is a park across the street. Anyways, you can eat the sandwich as you walk although it can be (only a little) messy as you open it up.

Hot eggplant

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This place needs someone to come in and clean it up. Shelves are covered with dust. Vats of olives seem unsanitary

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11 years ago

Best of the bunch. Great sandwiches If you can get em before they are all gone. They go fast. Be an early bird. Nice owner and staff too.

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15 years ago

Great sandwiches and a great value for money. Not a fancy place but has solid sandwiches. This place is always busy and tiny. I love it.

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11 years ago

Excelente! The sandwiches are amazing and everything tastes so good with great combination of ingredients

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Counter

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Luciano Foods - Sandwich from here - 1st time! Let's see how it compares to ...

Sandwich from here - 1st time! Let's see how it compares to ...

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Di Rienzo's - sandwiches - Updated October 2026

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