Cash only but they serve up a mean lil monster of a tuna melt (old school, style, as their menu states) and the farro salad that seems to be 'the special' every week is a p good deal. I came here on my chillAF Saturday tour with my friend who also wanted to make plans to make no plans and just see where the day takes us. Modigliani was our last stop in the like 200 places we ended venturing to that day. Our dogs were barkin and we needed to beat the heat with some freshAF food. We decided to check out the menu at Modigliani and I was ready to commit after seeing the first menu item was a tuna melt and I've been bitching to my friends for the last like 2 weeks that I want a tuna melt the way a mom in the 80s would make it. This tuna melt wasn't exactly like my mom would make them because we'd just use white bread and whatever the cheapest canned tuna was but Modigliani seems to use some quality artisan bread and they don't skimp with the tuna salad either. The sandwich is p big. I couldn't finish all mine and my friend couldn't finish all of hers, but we both made it a talking point to note that we both ate waaay more of our sandwiches than we initially thought we would because they were so huge but also so so good. The farro salad is hella refreshing and would be a great item to take down to the and eat in the sun or shade or whatever your jam is. It's only $5.95 and pretty generous lump of food for that with lots of fresh cucumbers, some fresh tomatoes, feta cheese, green peppers, and farro. Oh, and the menu looks like a giant list of all my mom's favorite foods, which is convenient because she's recently taken up threatening to visit me so I know I can take her here to eat when she comes to inconvenience me. I mean visit. When she comes to visit me. my bad. read more

Very kind staff, who helped me and offered first aid supplies after I was bit by a dog. Quick service, cute outdoor seating, reasonable prices, and a yummy Farro salad! I look forward to coming back! read more

Delicious sandwiches, made quickly, all fresh ingredients. The staff was so friendly. The smell in the shop is mouthwatering and the sandwiches were so incredible we didn't even stop to take a photo! Got the Cuban and turkey panini. Eat here. read more

Wow wow wow! There's nothing I can say about this place that hasn't already been said. The owner, Jerry, and his staff are kind people who seem to truly enjoy creating amazing food. And it's clear they take pride in their customers enjoying the fruits of their passion, as evidenced by the free coffee and all the little treats we were offered while waiting for the sandwiches to be made fresh. This is a MUST try as a local and worth a pitstop if from out of town. We will be regulars going forward! read more

A homie told me about this place awhile back but parking on Grand is a feat so I ignored her.. just saying. We decided to try it one day and got a Primo parking spot only to look up and find a sign that read "sold out".. yes they opened at noon and sold out by 2 o'clock ..so I'm thinking this sh*t must be booooooombb! Feel me? We try again sunday afternoon and success!! We go in it's like two other people one of the people is an employee and we make our order. As I'm trying to change my lifestyle from being hella fat I order the tomato and pepper salad.. it has tomatoe..chunks of red peppers..red onions and balsamic vinaigrette. My person ordered the Cuban panini it has pulled pork.. ham ..cheese really grainy mustard and pepperoncinis. The tomato salad was so bombs I recreated it at home as a part of my food preps (I added avocado). Because I was really hungry when I bit into my persons panini I thought that it was hella hella hella bomb but after sleeping on it I realize it was okay a good okay.. like the bread is crispy and buttery but I don't know I wasn't wowed. I'm going back because I still want to try a couple other options.. maybe the pulled pork isn't my one true love. I mean I do prefer cow. Moooooving on.. get it? Hehe..clever. This place is cash only but they do have an ATM on site. Seating is limited but alas you have the lake. Go here. Try it. read more

Modigliani Cafe - Some of the menu.. that's my caption Yelp! You happy now!?? Go here! - Sandwiches Near Me - Oakland, California

Great sandwiches!!! Great prices and great service !!! I had the Cuban and it was stuffed with pork love it !!!! Will be back !!!

Modigliani Cafe is a few doors from the thearte, black board showed a limited menu. went with the daily special: meat loaf eats: meatloaf with peppers, cheese, tomato sauce on bun(7.50) -huge slab of meat loaf (1/2#) open faced on chewy bread, topped with cheese, tomato sauce, roasted peppers -meat loaf tasted all meat, fresh, no fillers -not surprised it came with fork and knife. 3.5 stars brew: coffee (2.25) -nice, strong brew. crumbs: -didn't get any friendly greeting or he didn't notice me seem he was in shock upon seeing me - i asked if the daily special was available? this brought me back to normality -meat loaf was worth it......still hungry an hour later. the top half of the sammie would have been filling. -just a few tables for eat-in.. read more

The owner greeted us and the chef immediately gave us a sample that was incredible. So friendly and the food...the food is unparalleled in the area. Great to see people passionate about their food and business. read more

Modigliani Cafe - Sandwiches Near Me - Oakland, California

Maybe I can in here at the wrong time (dinner), but i was sincerely underwhelmed. Read about this in the East Bay express and got excited by the reviews. Got there around 7:45 and it was pretty empty. Nice little set up inside and I was pretty excited to taste the food. Was greeted by a woman with glasses who sounded like she had a new zealander accent....but what do I know....maybe it was south african. Got a meatball sando and the sausage roll I had heard great things about. Took about 7 mins and we were ready to dive in. The meatball sando was pretty tasty. Good crunch to the bread, solid meatballs and sauce. Decent start. Unwrapped my sausage roll - not sure whether to expect an old school sausage roll from an NYC pizzeria that I grew up with, or some sort of amazing hot pocket. I got neither. First, the bread (?) felt something like a wonton wrapper or super thin phyllo dough without the crispiness or layers. It had obviously been microwaved, so the dough was heavy and soaked with grease. Was the sausage good? I think so, but I'm not sure - I had a few bites and tossed it, it was that bad. I'm inclined to give it another shot, since everyone is raving about it - but nuking a leftover roll and serving it is bad business, especially with all the great places out here serving awesome food. I really wanted to like this place, but was almost offended by that sausage roll. I only gave 3 stars instead of 2 or 1 since my wife REALLY enjoyed their chocolate milkshake, and the lady working the counter was super friendly. Maybe I will try again some day during lunch - just don't come here late in the day, you will be disappointed. read more

Modigliani Cafe - Sandwiches Near Me - Oakland, California

How do I write a love letter to a panini without sounding like a total creep? I stopped by here with 15 minutes to spare before seeing Mad Max (which I'd highly recommend) at the Grand Lake Theater (this place is right next door). The owner is a quiet-spoken man who is a wizard with sandwiches. The veggie panini was on delicately crisp bread and slathered in homemade pesto. Despite all the roasted veggies it was loaded with, it retained a nice bite. The tomato pepper salad with feta and red onions was so fresh and delicious. Normally I find the balsamic is overpowering the tomato in these types of salads - not in this case. Perfection. Tips: Two tables for outdoor seating Service is quick and fantastic Right next to the movie theater Limited vegetarian selections but well worth it read more

Modigliani Cafe - Tomato pepper salad with feta, red onion, and house balsamic. - Sandwiches Near Me - Oakland, California

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I do t know if I have the words to adequately express the deep and abiding love i hold for Gerry and the magical sandwiches he has created in this haven of amazing eats. This was the first place I tried after moving to the East Bay, and 8 months later I still make a point to visit every week. My SO and I set out to try every sandwich on the menu (including the specials that can only be described as revelations), and after we have accomplished this mission I can confidently say that every sandwich I've eaten here has been the best sandwich I've ever eaten. The tuna? Life changing. The Cuban? Chef's freaking kiss. The veggie? Holy bleeping Christ. They never miss, they are consistently incredible, and frankly they're so flipping delicious that it makes me angry they exist because food shouldn't taste that good. Additionally, the staff is so kind, greeting us on every visit like family, the owner regularly trading elbow bumps and whipping out a taste of whatever brilliance he's concocting at the moment. I can confidently and without hesitation say that I would willingly give Gerry my first born child if he asked. Yeah, it's that good. Just do yourself a favor and stop by and see what you've been missing. read more

best meatball sandwich i've ever had on west coast. long island kid grew up eating affordable italian fare

First things first- CASH ONLY! They do have an ATM inside. I ordered the Tuna melt which came with cheddar and pickle slices. It was delicious! The bread was perfectly crispy and the tuna was very flavorful and juicy. The portion was huge and I had tuna falling off. Loved this and would definitely eat it again! My partner had the Cuban which was also great. It tasted like it had some sort of jam or sweet sauce on it. It was really good. We took our food to go and ate in the park so that's where this review ends. Great food. I have included photos as well! read more

Modigliani Cafe - This is the Tuna melt. Well, half of it. I ate the other half. Very good. - Sandwiches Near Me - Oakland, California

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Best pulled pork Panini ever. Best pulled pork sandwich outside of Hawaii. Panini bread is fresh and toasted crisp. Pulled pork is lean and tender. BBQ sauce is just right. Overall, I was quite delighted with the meal (a hearty sandwich). You owe it to yourself to try this place. You will be happy you did. read more

This cafe is real home made . Everything make fresh. The owner works there every day. Homemade jam. The hot sauce is the best. He make it. Most of restaurants but hot sauce but not this cafe. I love veggie penini and Steak yummy and Cuban is good mix. read more

This is the best sandwich spot in Oakland!!! You can't miss it - everything on their menu is incredible. The Cuban, the turkey Brie, the tuna melt - mmm!!! I think they are cash only in store, but you can order ahead for pickup and pay through the app. read more

First time at Modigliani and we will definitely keep going! The owner, Gerry Mogg, gave us the royal treatment with some meatballs and pulled pork to start and then the best sandwiches ever!! Do yourself a favor - take a drive and grab some food here! You will not regret it! read more

Conveniently located next to the historic Grand Lake Theatre and my beloved Walden Pond Bookstore, they've got very tasty and affordable sandwiches made fresh. I've tried a couple things here and they come in a huge portion. Sandwiches are so big that they are shareable or split into two meals. *Pulled Pork Panini ($9.50) really hit the spot. Huge chucks of meat filled to the brim with chopped jalapeño. It's served with toasty panini. *Tuna Melt ($8.95) is also good if you like the traditional diner type grilled tuna sandwich. I think it usually came with cheddar but the friendly owner accommodated my request for a white cheese. Cash only. read more

Modigliani Cafe - 7/22/16. Enormous pulled pork sammy - Sandwiches Near Me - Oakland, California

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I couldn't believe the size of this veggie panini. Stuffed with peppers, eggplant, pesto, and deliciously pressed. This place is largely for take out, but I ate in and was happy I did. The man who runs the place is incredibly friendly and obviously cares about the quality-value of the food and making people feel welcome. read more

Modigliani Cafe - Veggie panini - Sandwiches Near Me - Oakland, California

This is a great little sandwich spot! Everything is made from scratch and so delicious! Try the sausage when in doubt it is homemade and the best! We come Sacramento to eat here! Yum! read more

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The sandwiches here are so satisfying. We got both a Turkey Sandwich and a veggie. Both are so good. They are a little small so no saving half for later but I'd come back anytime!!! read more

Finally! A proper East Coast meatball sub with house-made sauce! I was skeptical when Jerry (the owner) told us about how they make all their sausages right on the premises, that everything is done old-school. Yeah, yeah. And then I bit into the meatball sub - oh DAMN. It. Was. Good. Just all good ingredients, time and know-how. And then came the strawberry milkshake. Real strawberries and just perfect. The only reason I don't give it 5 stars is because they gave us a sausage roll sample and they microwaved it. Weird. It was super-tasty, but the microwaving...weird. Either way, I'm heading back because even though the meatball sandwich is great, I hear the steak panini is even better. read more

Modigliani Cafe - Meatball sub and a strawberry milkshake that any Queens kid would wax nostalgic about. - Sandwiches Near Me - Oakland, California

This place is AWESOME. My friend and I were walking around wondering what we wanted for lunch, and just the pictures on the window were enough for us to want to try this place out. We sat outside with my friends' dog deciding what we wanted, and while we were waiting, one of the chefs came out and asked if it was ok to serve the dog a meatball... heck yes! The whole time we were there they were super nice to the dog and brought him water etc. We went with the tomato pepper salad and the turkey panini special of the day; it had pesto, turkey, mozzarella and pickles. Everything was amazing. Calling it "exquisite" may seem too dramatic....but it isn't. The man helping us was so informative and nice. He also brought us some of their house-cured peppers to sample, and the peppery jam they use in their brie and turkey panini. Everything was incredible, and it made us really want to try their other items! Service was great, there is outdoor seating, they brought the food to our table, were super nice to our dog, and the food literally could not be improved upon. The menu is small but everything is fresh, handmade, simple and delicious. I HIGHLY recommend Modigliani Cafe! They have an ATM inside for your convenience read more

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So I can't say enough about this place. The owner is so nice, and every sandwich I've had there is incredible. This is the pulled pork sandwich with homemade BBQ sauce. Also the cubano is amazing! Some of the best sandwiches in the town! If you are nearby (maybe to see a movie at the Grand lake theater next door) do yourself a favor and stop by!!! read more

Modigliani Cafe - Sandwiches Near Me - Oakland, California

Cute little cafe with delicious food!! Got the veggie panini and it was delicious!!! The veggies were grilled nicely and the bread was crispy and soft!! We also got the aide Greek salad and loved the chunky piece of cucumber and tomatoes. Nice owner! When we're in Oakland next, we will come back!! Great little spot!! Came bc of the reviews and it didn't disappoint!! read more

Modigliani Cafe - Sandwiches Near Me - Oakland, California

First time visit was a 50/50 for lunch. Super friendly owner(?) lady, with one guy on the other side of the counter making the sandwiches. We ordered a couple sandwiches and a salad to go, so we could take them to the lake and enjoy the afternoon. Turkey Panini - Roasted turkey breast, melted brie, tomato, house made pepper jam This was exceptional! Tons of awesome flavor. I would totally recommend this one! Pulled Pork Panini - Roasted pork, housed cured peppers, ancho chile/mango BBQ sauce. Surprisingly, this was not so great. Pork was dry, and the bbq sauce was a little too spared... I was disappointed in that one. Tomato Pepper Salad - Tomatoes, bell peppers, Feta cheese, red onions, with an House Balsamic dressing. This one also disappointed me, as it just didn't have all the "powerful" flavors they advertise, and SHOULD have, given the ingredients. I also have to note that even though there was only one person ahead of us, and nobody after us, it took close to 20 minutes for our sandwiches to get made. read more

Modigliani Cafe - Posted menu plus they have daily specials - Sandwiches Near Me - Oakland, California

I love a good mom and pop, and this is up there with the best! The gentleman who works there (I think the owner?) could not be sweeter - always bringing little bites of things to taste, or throwing in a bag of chips, and you can tell he really cares about what he does. All of the sandwiches are delicious - the pork ones are always full of freshly roasted goodness. This place is a gem! read more

Just ordered the Cuban sandwich and it smells awesome. The owner is super friendly and gave my friend and I some soup on the house. Food was quick from order to ready. Definitely gonna come back here. read more

Modigliani Cafe - Cuban sandwich - Sandwiches Near Me - Oakland, California

Wow wow wow. Might be the best sandwiches in the Bay Area!!! I ran across it on complete accident walking aimlessly super hungry. The universe brought me to this amazing place, it was fate! Everything was amazing! The owner is awesome! Wanted us to try everything! He had us try the meatball, the tuna, the capocollo. It melted in my mouth like nothing I've ever tasted. All phenomenal! He was so sweet to let us try things before ordering!!! Very passionate about his menu. We went with the meatball sub, capocollo, and steak panini. Cannot recommend this place enough! read more

Fun music great service spearheaded. Y the charming and witty owner (I presumed). Old school/new school mixed feel. Great pop through lunch spot with quality outstanding tasty sandwhiches they make fresh! They even pointed me in the direction of another option for food when I mentioned I may want a smoothie. There is a slight wait. Not sure how they would handle a bigger crowd, but lovely place to checkout. read more

After passing this little spot on Grand Ave for the last few months, I finally stopped in at lunchtime for a panini to go. Jerry, the owner, is right out front, offering recommendations and encouragement. He could not be a nicer, more down to earth guy. I want him to succeed so we have more of these authentic, popup style places available, and fewer chain-type franchises. And, guess what: he WILL succeed. The sandwiches are amazing! I got one of the daily specials with ham, cheese, aioli (please don't say mayo!), pesto and grilled zucchini. Yummo!!! Oh, my dog was also served (by hand) what was probably the best treat she's been offered in her short little life so far...a fresh meatball thingy that was probably meant to eventually end up in your soup or sandwich. Sorry about that! Stop in for one of the tastiest, high quality bites to eat in this part of town. You won't be sorry. read more

Modigliani Cafe - Ham, cheese and grilled zucchini w/ pesto and garlic aioli. - Sandwiches Near Me - Oakland, California

You walk close by and you wonder where is that awesome smell coming from. It's this little gem. Great food really. My husband and I tried the meatball sub and the cuban sandwich here and it was awesome. Lovely taste and great value. Will be back! read more

Modigliani Cafe - meatball sub - Sandwiches Near Me - Oakland, California

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I ordered the steak panini and it was delicious. Steak, cheese, peppers and a delicious sauce. I was also offered a hearty complimentary sample of pulled pork. It may have been more delicious than the steak. I will come back and try the pulled pork panini or Cuban. Great small sandwich shop. Be prepared for limited drink options but you can grab a soda or juice anywhere. The sandwich is worth the stop. They also offer a side of potato chips. Yumm! read more

Excellent sandwiches! Very good stuff! Very nice and taste sandwiches. The Turk panini and the meatballs sandwiches are to die for! read more

Yesterday I was in dire need of a good old fashioned East Coast style sandwich where the meat is the main ingredient and there's plenty of it, for a decent price... instead of mostly lettuce as is typical here in California. I've never been to this joint before but I figured I'd give it a shot since Panini bread wasn't the only sandwich option. I got the Sausage Sandwich and it was everything I hoped it would be, East Coast Perfection!!! The Cashier was really friendly and I guess she could tell that it was my first time cuz when I asked for a bag of chips, she asked if I had been there before to which I replied, Nope, first time and she let me know that the chips were on the house! They're only $1 but it was just a nice compliment to their service! I will most definitely be frequenting here quite often and kicking myself for not trying them sooner!! KEEPING IT LOCAL!! read more

This place makes me sad that there are only so many sandwiches a girl can eat in one day. All of the ones I've tried so far (veggie, Cuban, pulled pork, turkey, tuna) have been amazing - and HUGE. And less than $10, which is a nice change from many of the other restaurants on the area. They're also just generally generous, I added cheese to a sandwich once and they put it on both sides of the bread. That's just classy, as far as sandwiches go. The cucumber salad sounds a little weird, but is delicious. Also, every time I have my dog waiting outside they take a meatball out to her. Seating is limited, and it's stools, so maybe not the best place to eat-in with small kids. Cash only, but there's an ATM in the shop. read more

Modigliani Cafe - Veggie - Sandwiches Near Me - Oakland, California

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I was browsing at Walden Books on Grand Ave in Oakland when I thought of asking the people who worked there where the best sandwich place was, nearby. "Modigliani!" a woman enthused. "He makes his own sausage, his own green peppers. You have to try it- it's amazing ." You can't ignore a review like that, so I walked to the movie theater just as she described and right next door was the "hole in the wall" that people talk about when they've made a find, as if there's more credit in finding a hole than a fancy place. I like (quite) fancy places but I was hungry, and among lots of meat sandwiches listed on the board, I saw salads and a veggie panini. The New-York-style straight-talking owner was not as slow as his sign (Good food takes time" led me to fear. And here's the end: That was, as promised by the bookseller, an amazing veggie panini, perfectly toasted, stuffed to (real) overflowing, all sorts of good things including melted cheese and good oil (next time I'll ask for a little less oil) and truly well made, a creation. "You have to try it." read more

Ordered the tuna melt and it was the best sandwich I have had in a long long while. You can certainly tell when it's 100% fresh and homemade ingredients. Owner was very nice while I was waiting and let me sample ingredients from like half the menu. Just salivating thinking about going back and trying one of the other sandwiches. read more

This place blows Ike's out of the water. But then again I think Ike's is overrated. I LOVE the sandwiches here. They make everything perfect. The size of the sandwiches are immense. I alway say it's better to have too much then not enough. It's literally two meals in one. They load the sandwiches with meat, garnish, and spreads. The bread is buttery and crunchy after it's been in the panini press. They also cut the top and bottom of the bread to make it more flat so it's evenly pressed on the panini press. Pretty smart. My personal favorite is the tuna melt or the cuban. Lucky for me they're right down the street from where I work. Oh and the prices are right. I used to work in the city and I dare you to find a sandwich in SF that's under $10 and this tasty..... read more

I recently moved to the area and walked by this place and it smelled incredible. The first time I went in, I had no idea where to start. I asked the guy behind the counter what he recommended and he suggested the Cuban sandwich. It was the best Cuban sandwich I've had. I've since gone back and tried the sausage sandwich and the turkey panini. I have not been disappointed yet. Cash only is a minor inconvenience but the quality and prices are well worth it. I highly recommend it! read more

Modigliani Cafe - The Cuban - Sandwiches Near Me - Oakland, California