Carmenta’s

"Carmenta’s is a pretty small space in Bushwick that does technically sell some pasta dishes and things like meatballs and arancini, but you come for the sandwiches. While your first might be to order something classic like their chicken parm or Italian combo,  you should know that Carmenta’s has some of the best fried eggplant in New York City—so focus your attention towards that section of the menu. The Order: The Dom G with fried eggplant, ricotta, roasted peppers, red onion, mint and tomato vinaigrette. Eat it fast, before the eggplant has a chance to absorb any liquid." - will hartman, willa moore, neha talreja, bryan kim, sonal shah, molly fitzpatrick

"In Bushwick, Carmenta’s is the kind of casual place you’ll want to be a regular at. But, if you’re already a regular reading this, you’re probably upset that we’re letting people know about the place you’ve been gatekeeping. But the people need to know about the Dom G. The shop makes a short list of simple, wonderfully executed Italian sandwiches. They also sell some pastas, but you come here for big, sloppy meatballs or creamy fried eggplant sandwiched between Napoli Bakery bread. In a city where it's not uncommon to line up down the block for sandwiches, the easy-to-acquire ones at Carmenta’s stand out. photo credit: Will Hartman There are some seats here that look suspiciously like the lab stools from a high school physics class, but you’re better off taking your sandwiches to go—whether to nearby Maria Hernandez Park, or to your friend’s couch for their monthly independent arthouse film night. Food Rundown Dom G. This is the sandwich to get here. Creamy, crunchy fried eggplant melds perfectly with sweet, stewed peppers and a messy swipe of whipped ricotta. The sandwich gets brightened up with a few leaves of fresh mint and a tomato vinaigrette. Eat this immediately—the eggplant can get a bit soggy if you let it sit. photo credit: Will Hartman Prosciutto Cotto A big layer of thin-sliced cooked ham gets adorned with gruyere, labneh, and pickled mustard seeds. If we could only have one ham sandwich for the rest of our lives, it very well might be this one. Jose Special Loaded with meatballs, eggplant, and salsa verde, this is the kind of sandwich that’ll make you consider wearing a bib. Their meatballs are juicy, well-seasoned, and slightly larger than a baseball. Chicken Parm Of the three cardinal proteins of Italian sandwich shops (meatballs, chicken cutlet, and fried eggplant), we’re least wowed by Carmenta’s chicken cutlets. It’s not that they’re bad—it’s just that we love their eggplant and meatballs so much." - Will Hartman

"What It Is: An Italian-American counter spot in Bushwick Perfect For: Serious Take-Out Operation, Lunch This is basically just three guys making excellent homemade pastas and Italian sandwiches in a little counter spot on Wilson Avenue in Bushwick. When we went, they told us they’ve been slammed with take-out orders since they opened (approximately three days prior). You could technically sit on a stool here and enjoy your homemade rigatoni and the Fall Out Boy playlist they blast, but it seems more useful as an excellent new takeout Italian option for the neighborhood. The Verdict: Congratulations residents of Bushwick, you have a great new comfort food take-out option." - hannah albertine, bryan kim, katherine lewin, hillary reinsberg, chris stang, matt tervooren

"In the event you want to spend around $15 on something portable, head straight to Carmenta’s on Wilson Avenue in Bushwick. This Italian deli has a handful of stools, a counter with bags of fresh pasta for sale, and a few employees who make incredible Italian food while listening to indie rock from the early 2000s. You'll find excellent pastas and a beef-and-pork meatball parm on a Parisi bakery roll that you’ll want to eat once a week." - neha talreja, hannah albertine, bryan kim, sonal shah, willa moore

"In the event you want spend roughly $15 on something quick, head straight to Carmenta’s on Wilson Avenue in Bushwick. This Italian deli has just a handful of stools, a counter with bags of fresh pasta for sale, and a few guys making incredible Italian food while listening to indie rock from the early 2000s. This modern Italian deli makes excellent pastas, a great chicory and anchovy salad, and six or nine inch sandwiches. Our favorite is the meatball parm." - hannah albertine, nikko duren, bryan kim