Paninoteca Maggio
195 E City Place Dr
Santa Ana, CA 92705
Phone # (714) 426-8095
Website: http://paninotecamaggio.com/
Hours: 10am- 4pm Tuesday – Saturday
Paninoteca Maggio, an Italian sandwich shop, in Santa Ana that has quickly become one of my favorite lunch spots. This small café is located in the City Place Shopping Center and is close to Mother’s Market. Inside this café it is rustic and modern and I am instantly transported back to Italy.
Orders are taken at the counter by the extremely friendly staff. When your order is ready it is delivered to your table. There are a couple tables inside and several tables outside, most with umbrellas.
The menu features sandwiches, a few salads and coffee. I cannot come here without ordering a café latte. They use Italian Segafredo Expresso with whole milk. It is a treat that I love.
The sandwiches are really the stars here. I think I have tried about half of them and they are all wonderful. My all time favorite sandwich is the Amalfi that has prosciutto, mozzarella, tomatoes, arugula, basil pesto and balsamic glaze. It is pure perfection. And my next favorite is the Lucca, which is a vegetarian sandwich. The Lucca has roasted eggplant, zucchini, red bell peppers, provolone, arugula, artichoke pesto and lemon aioli.
I have also enjoyed the Milano, a roasted chicken breast sandwich with asiago cheese, arugula, sundried tomato pesto and lemon aioli. In addition, the Roma is another sandwich worth trying. The Roma has pork and veal meatballs with parmesan cheese, fresh basil and marinara sauce. I think the most popular sandwich is the Toscana that features porchetta, arugula and lemon aioli and I understand its popularity.
The salads change weekly and they are always good. If you are looking for something sweet try the Dolce. It is a nutella and peanut butter panini that is creamy and gooey in the best way.
If you find yourself on the I-5 freeway in Santa Ana, close to Main Street, around lunchtime take a detour to Paninoteca Maggio. You will be in for a treat.
Thank you to Chef Sharron and his friendly staff.
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