Piccolo Panini Bar

Piccolo Panini Bar is a tiny sliver of Italian hospitality where the lively team are whipping up a small, but delicious, menu of generous Panini Sandwiches.

Piccolo Panini Bar

Location: 638 Glenferrie Rd, Hawthorn, VIC 3122

If ever a place were aptly named, it’s Piccolo Panini Bar.

A blaze of red and white branding marks this dinky Sandwich joint, slotted in between 2 dessert shops at the Swinburne University end of Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn. But miss it at your peril.

If you haven’t noticed, Melbourne is currently in the throes of a passionate relationship with whatever you can slap between 2 slices of some form of bread. Whether it’s a fat Lox & Schmear Bagel, a Chicken Katsu & Kewpie Sando, a bulging Reuben on Rye or a Crispy Pork Banh Mi with extra Chillis, Melbourne foodies are queuing for it. So it was only a matter of time before the great Italian Sandwich – the Panini – had it’s moment in the sun.

And why not? Fresh Italian-style bread, loaded up with tasty fillings such as Salami, Crumbed Chicken, Pesto, Mozzarella and more. Add in a great cup of Coffee, some of the cheeriest staff in town and maybe even one of their amazing Doughnuts and we’re extremely happy campers.

The Space

As we said above, Piccolo Panini Bar is definitely small.

The frontage of the business is literally a service window and a doorway. Fortunately, the bright red on white livery makes it standout from its neighbouring eateries.

Step inside, and you’re in a tiny Sandwich shop. There is just enough room for a service counter and a large coffee machine. There’s a crimson menu on the white wall and a glass cabinets containing sweet treats.

When we visit, there’s a crew of 3, extremely friendly, beaming staff wedged in behind the counter. One of them takes your name and you are relegated to the step outside whilst you wait for your order to be freshly prepared.

If you decide to ‘eat-in’, there are a couple of tables and a council bench on the pavement. However, most customers choose to take away their Panino.

The Food

Although there are a few Desserts (more on those later), the main focus is undoubtedly the glorious Panini.

There are 6 regular Panini to pick from. And all of them are true to their Italian roots.

The Caprese ($13) showcases the classic combination of Mozzarella, Tomato, Basil & Pesto, whilst the Cotoletta ($17) matches a crumbed Chicken Schnitzel with Rocket, Pickled Onion and a punchy spread of Salsa Verde. Another vegetarian option is the Eggplant Parma ($16), which puts Aubergine with Napoli Sugo, Fior Di Latte and more fresh Basil.

All of the above are delicious, but we are currently slaves to an all-things-Mortadella obsession. And Piccolo Panini Bar does a great Mortadella Panino ($16). Multiple slices of moreish Mortadella, soft Stracciatella Cheese, crunchy Pistachios and a drizzle of Honey in fragrant Focaccia. It’s both really satisfying and very reasonably priced for its size.

If that sounds a bit too exotic for you to kick off your day, then maybe the Piccolo Panini Bar’s breakfast offering is more to your taste. Until 11am, the team turn out a Pancetta sandwich ($14) with the salty, cured meat paired with Fried Eggs and Stracciatella.

Need more that a sanga to quell your hunger? The kitchen also does Parmesan, Garlic Oil & Salt Chips ($6).

Finally, if you have a sweet tooth, there is a luscious Tiramisu Cup ($11) or 3 types of Donut ($6.50) to choose from. Our pick is the Pistachio Papi, with the fried pastry fat with addictive Italian Pistachio Spread.

For our guide to the Best Cafes in Melbourne, click here.

The Drinks

Piccolo Panini Bar pour a range of Coffees, including Caffe Crema, Iced Coffee and Papi Coffee.

But if you want to spoil yourself, give the Tiramisu Latte ($8) a go. Rich and indulgent, it even comes with a Savoiardi Biscuit.

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Overall

It’s hard to imagine there is room for another eatery in Melbourne’s thriving Sandwich Shop trend, but there’s always space for good honest grub done well.

And that’s definitely what Piccolo Panini Bar does.

It might be small, but it’s authentic Italian flavours and buzzy vibe make this a great place to grab lunch.