Pisillo Returns to the Heart of Chelsea

With over 506,000 claiming Italian-American heritage, New York City remains the largest Italian city outside of Italy, and food remains very intertwined with the culture. Everyone knows of Manhattan’s iconic (if shrinking) Little Italy, and foodies flock to Arthur Avenue in the Bronx. But Chelsea is becoming a destination in and of itself, specifically a small stretch of Seventh Avenue, between 21st and 22nd streets.

Anchored by Le Zie since 1999 and Bar Veloce in 2010, it welcomed Ralph’s Famous Italian Ices just this year. Now, fleshing out the Italophilic options is Pisillo Italian Panini, which opened its doors in May.

A family-run company, Pisillo developed a strong following in Chelsea back in its earliest incarnation, on West 25th Street. Strong enough, in fact, to desire a larger and more accommodating space after five years of bustling business. So they moved to Times Square, where they expanded their fan base (they have a location in FiDi as well), and continued to thrive. While many of their customers in Times Square were tourists, both Italian and American, as well as locals, there were enough patrons schlepping up to the West 38th Street restaurant and begging them to return south. The former Champignon space now marks the return of Pisillo to the heart of Chelsea, opening last month with little pomp but with much veneration.

The owners are Carmelo Nazzaro and Antonella Silvio, but Pisillo is named after Carmelo’s nonno (grandfather) Isidoro. Nicknames have a funny way of evolving, going from Isi to Pisi to Pisillo, not unlike the leap from William to Billy or Elizabeth to Betty. At any rate, the shop is his legacy. Not only are all the employees here Italian, practically all the ingredients are, too. Pisillo says it uses the best products religiously: prosciutto from Parma, creamy mozzarella di bufala, porchetta by Cioli, another renowned family-owned company.

Their bread, one of their pride-points, is sourced from five different Italian bakeries in Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan, each capitalizing on its specialty, from white and whole wheat to focaccia and semolina. Like shopping in Europe, you go to the best source you can find, even if it means multiple trips. Plus, the Pisillos live in Bensonhurst, which is recognized as “the most Italian neighborhood in New York City.” They bring all of that Italian-ness with them, though, to work at the shop. The sandwiches here are often regarded as the best in the city. Even their landlord, David Berger, exclaimed, “The BEST sandwiches are back in Chelsea!”

The menu is exclusively sandwiches, 35 in all, and classically Italian. Carmelo’s favorite is endearingly the Montesarchio, the southern Italian town from which his grandfather emigrated. It is a voluptuous composition of prosciutto di Parma, fresh mozzarella, roasted peppers, and arugula anointed with a zesty balsamic dressing. The restaurant’s manager, Maria Cecere, who is Pugliese, and Dario, one of the paninari, prefers the Parma, which is similar to the Montesarchio except the mozzarella is smoked and sundried tomatoes sub for the peppers. Emmanuele, another paninaro, votes for the Bologna, featuring mortadella (on which American bologna [baloney] is modeled), which is also the base of Antonella’s favorite, named for her hometown, the Sant’Agata.

Mike, a regular to the 38th Street location, was visiting the new Chelsea store for the first time on an overcast Thursday afternoon. He hesitated specifying a favorite menu item: In fact, he goes off-menu with a custom concoction. “I just love how fresh it is. And everything’s from Italy.” He had brought with him two friends eagerly anticipating their first Pisillo experience, one of them nursing an exceptional espresso while the paninaro composed their orders.

The entire operation is powerfully and proudly family-oriented, and as fundamentally Italian as any expat can be. Even Dario, a native Sicilian, says working there “feels like home,” a sentiment echoed by the entire team, and felt as soon as you step inside.

Pisillo Italian Panini, 202 Seventh Ave., pisillopanini.com