Pezzopane, the sandwich shop that celebrates transalpine tradition

Pezzopane is first and foremost a family story before it's an address on Rue Rambuteau. In this sky-blue setting with raspberry-colored tables and a madder-red floor, with brushed aluminum decorative details and stainless steel furniture, sandwiches arrive made from hand-shaped bread, soft on top, crispier underneath.

Here, everything goes back to Nona: this grandmother who immigrated from Italy, whose popular cuisine – fritattelle, “poor man’s” dishes – filled the air with its aroma from 6 a.m., and whose photo above the counter watches over the team.

Around her, a clan: two cousins, the wife of one of them, an aunt who passes on the recipes and a WhatsApp group where they exchange recipes, names of producers, ideas and photos as a family.

On the plate, you can find one of seven panini recipes filled with typical products: polpetta (beef meatballs), pistacchio (mortadella with pistachios), tartufo (ricotta with truffle), cacio e pepe, bresaola, and piquante. There is also a vegetarian option.

Besides these sandwiches made with products sourced in Italy and whose bread is made, for this friendly trio, by a local bakery – Ernest and Valentine –, the establishment offers fresh salads, Illy coffee, coffee cream “like at Nono’s”.

When the time comes, the sweets parade by, all executed quite seriously: brioche maritozzi, panna cotta, tiramisu, cannolo, Baiocchi-type biscotti, with that phrase always coming back.

At Pezzopane, you wait for your sandwich while watching the life of this street that crosses the Marais and that Clémence, Adrien and Clément have gracefully taken over.