Begrudgingly I write this review as the owner of the shop is a complete jerk and I hesitate to support business owners like that. However, the more I thought about it ... I owe you, likely feeling trapped in a mind-bogglingly crowded maze of terrible touristy sandwich and coffee shops, the 411 on where to get the best sandwich in Positano. That would be here.
Forget the overpriced wines, liquors and crates of giant, football-sized lemons that midwestern tourists buy and then wonder, 'okay ... now what do I do with this?'. Go right to the sandwich counter. You'll find (like much of Italy) it is a chaotic hive of activity. There are tons of people with no clear line and order. Tere is no menu and good luck seeing all the assorted cold cuts and choices in the case as they'll be obscured by the XXL 'Life Is Good' t-shirts and Teva sandals of American and British tourists lined up waiting for their order.
Locals get first preference here ... so try not to get bent out of shape when a tanned, local boat mate cuts the order line, spends 20 minutes flirting and chit chatting with the good-looking gals behind the counter and casually saunters out with his sandwich as if there weren't 20 confused, sweaty tourists in line behind him. Your tolerance and patience will soon be rewarded.
Again ... there are no menus and when you do get to the case and miraculously one of the workers acknowledges its your turn, something peculiar happens. Like the football scene in A Christmas Story, you suddenly forget what a sandwich is ... and out the window goes all of the Italian ordering instructions you memorized, with the help of a free translator app. I will save you the worry ...
They are famous for their prosciutto and fresh mozzarella sandwich. If you are a first timer ... get that. It's a thing of beauty with pink prosciutto layered among slices of the most amazing mozzarella ... it has chopped lettuce (a rarity in Italy) and an oil and balsamic drizzle. You'll tell your friends about it when you return to the land of Subway and Jersey Mike's.
They also have many other exotic varieties of meats and prepared foods. While you'd have to practically apply for a second mortgage to afford the beautiful porchetta, mortadella, salamis, etc. at a Wholefoods ... the sandwiches here are around 10 Euro. You'd pay that for a stale croissant at most of the tourist stands and coffee shops with pre-made trays of sandwiches in the windows elsewhere in the crowded shopping Labyrinth next door.
We stayed here in Positano for 3 days and each day, this lunch was one of the things we most looked forward to. Each day we were scoffed at and dismissed by the cranky owner, as we paid, despite not acting like typical overly-demanding, entitled and generally clueless tourists. Waiting in the madness and disorder of the ordering area was something we dreaded ... but all that melted away between bites of the freshest and most amazing mozzarella cheese, the freshest, most delocious tomatoes and real balsamic drizzle.
Somewhere along the line, a 'famous' Tik Toker asshole influencer is going to feature this in their 'amazing Positano travels' reels ... and the line will be around the block. In the meantime, the grumpy owner's attitude and somewhat hidden sandwich counter next to the wine and liquor section will ensure a 5 - 10 minute wait and the shop's relative anonymity for the time being. If you are reading this review ... we are jealous that you will soon be eating one of these sandwiches. But please ... keep it off your reels if you are a Kardashian. read more