Parisi Bakery

There are mom-and-pop shops, and then there are grandmom-and-grandpop shops. Parisi Bakery, a family-run Nolita institution, has made great, crusty bread with a loyal following since 1903. Frank Sinatra was such a Parisi fan that he’d apparently regularly order loaves to be shipped to his house in Palm Springs.

From cold cuts to meatball parm, every Italian deli standard is represented on the menu here. But there's a reason the Dennis is the sandwich scribbled at the top of the chalkboard menu. Their signature chicken cutlet and prosciutto sandwich is as hefty as it is delicious: layer after layer of simple, quality ingredients with extremely satisfying variety in texture.

Parisi Bakery is open 9am-4pm (closed Sundays), and cash only, so plan accordingly. There’s no seating in the small storefront, which is mostly undecorated—with the exception of a handful of portraits, including various generations of Parisis, Babe Ruth, and the archangel Michael—but you and your Dennis might find a spot on the bench outside.

Food Rundown

photo credit: Alex Staniloff

The Dennis

Parisi’s chicken cutlets achieve the perfect balance of crispy and juicy, and they’re well complemented by the sweet-tart balsamic vinegar and soft mozzarella. (You can also add roasted red peppers for an extra dollar—they’re plenty tasty, though we slightly prefer the sandwich in its original form.) $17 for a hero might not sound like a great deal, but the Dennis is a bargain. You can easily get two meals out of this, and possibly even use it as a dumbbell in case of a weight-lifting emergency.