Palermo II Delicatessen

Excellent eggplant parm sandwich, and the person working the counter was so thoughtful as well. The shop was cozy and full of Italian groceries, including panettone for the holidays. The sandwich itself was huge and served two readily. The other sandwiches on the menu looked great, too, so we'll have to come back and try them.

A GEM!!! This is exactly what you expect from a locally owned neighborhood deli. No gimmicks, just AMAZING sandwiches at a good price. Vince is the real deal and the sandwiches speak for themselves. There's other gimmicky deli's around, but you'll see for yourself this one is authentic and DELICIOUS.

Deli's run on word of mouth. everybody says it's good you go there right? Well I went to Palermo 2 and had one of the best chicken cutlets I've ever had Except for one thing, I ordered a SANDWICH.ONE slice of tomato, HALF a shred of romaine lettuce and three strings of onions ( I asked for onion,lol) and a gob of mayo, THATS IT!! WTH?!!?Please train your sandwich girls to make a proper sandwich!!! ALSO, TIPS are a GIFT for excellent food AND Service, NOT mandatory!!! So drop the Attitude and make a proper sandwich and SMILE!!! 😁😁 (Tip from an old guy..)

Final stop after a pilgrimage hike around San Francisco ended at the Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi...so I earned my cold beer and Castelvetrano olives, along with a delicious prosciutto cotto sandwich. A lot of joints (I'm looking at you Chicago) use crap processed ham product that goes by the name prosciutto cotto. Not here, I knew it was the real deal when they pulled it out of the case, but I still ate the free slice they offered just to be sure. ;-) I'll be back to your lovely little spot next time I'm down this way.

What a lovely canopy design, with bright yellow and red colors: a white (perhaps Gothic?) Roman figure slithering down, arms holding grapes, legs splayed, crowned with leaves that make him look playful. A neat garland circles his mirthful face. I only wish the deli itself lived up to the promise of the canopy — inside and out, it feels more like a warehouse where sandwiches are assembled. A few more tables, some chairs, and a more welcoming setup would make a big difference for anyone hoping to sit comfortably.

A small Sicilian style deli carrying sandwiches and other foods. The shop may be small but the foods tasted great and felt authentic. Very little seating so you may have to that your foods to go if they’re crowded.

My husband and I stopped here as part of a North Beach/Little Italy Tour guided by Isabelle. The rice balls took me back to the days when I lived in Brooklyn, NY. The off menu sandwich was delicious. I highly recommend stopping by and I know I will be back. I am happy I took this tour because what a treat.

I recommend to come here! Everyone there is very nice and attentive. Gave me good recommendations on the panettone. They have gray deli meats. Sometimes it can be hard to find good mortadella sold by the lb and they have it! So good! Their sandwiches are also great! We tried two I think it was a fried chicken one and a mortadella both amazing.

Ordered the Sicilian. Decent sandwich. Came out quickly as there were no heated or toasted components, which is too bad because the bread could've used a light toasting (was a bit stale). Meat was good (a thinly sliced ham), and the sun dried tomatoes and artichokes paired well. A few small tables outside.

Went here for the first time today and was pleasantly surprised. This deli did not have a long line like other deli's nearby. I ordered the, Little Rocket Man Sandwich. The delicious sandwich was full of spiced meats, pepperjack, and pepperoncini peppers. Service was pretty quick. After i put my order in, my food was ready in less than 5 minutes. Restaurant definitely has a nice laid back feel with the history within the shop. I definitely would go back here when i get the chance to.

Extremely generous portions! I love the North Beach sandwich (I like to add peppercino's), my friend got the Palermo II Sandwich and that one is also just as yummy. Customer service is great!

Ambiance is a lowkey deli that you wouldn't even guess that you're about to have one of the best sandwiches of your life. Not that much parking. Service was nice and quick. I asked for recommendations for a cold and hot sandwich and I split with my friend so we can try 1/2 of each sandwich. This was the best idea I ever had because it was legit a tie. I had the hot chicken parm and the Reuben. I was moaning and smacking my lips with every bite and I HATE when I see people do that so it was ironic I was doing it. It was THAT good! I highly recommend this location. It was my first time in San Fran this past weekend and I'm glad I stumbled on this location for the perfect lunch. Tysm!

Over priced and the bread was way too over toasted. The person preparing the sandwiches had way too much of an attitude when I asked one question. I just ended up getting something I didn't want over the embarrassment.

Food - We shared the north beach sandwich ($17), which includes pesto, Mayo, prosciutto, mozzarella, and tomato! The combo of prosciutto and mozzarella can't be beat. And just when you think the sandwich has enough meat, they keep packing on more and more. It was a panini pressed sandwich that was more than enough to serve two hungry adults. - I searched near and far in Europe for a sandwich to come close to this. I am so happy this place is in San Francisco! Service - Service is friendly and sufficient. - They have contactless pay! Ambiance - It is a small shop with many Italian ingredients to buy inside. - The menus are clear and abundant! Be sure to look around and find the sandwich you are really craving. Or you can make your own. Thanks for satisfying our sandwich craving!!!

Fresh ingredients, plenty of if sandwich choice and OMG the caprese sandwich is my favorite. Flavorful, fresh ingredients. You can taste the real Mozzarella and tomatoes. It's a must

Delicious sandwiches! The owner Vince is really nice and runs a great shop. I ordered the Palermo II Special and walked over to Washington Square Park to enjoy it. Highly recommend!!!

In the best sandwich city in the country, this is one of the better delis. In addition to DIY, serves up standard "italian" sandwiches with ingredients such as coppa, artichoke hearts, pepperocini, etc. on various breads for between $13 and $16. Highly recommend The Palermo Special or the Rocketman. Meat is cut fresh for sandwiches (super well-cured but not too salty), ingredients appear very high quality, and sandwiches are big! Well worth the price. Some options have a lot going on but the quality of the ingredients really helps articulate the flavors. The only drawback is that the bread is pretty good but nothing to write home about. Only disclaimer is that I have not tried the "hot" sandwiches using pre-cooked cutlets, meatballs, etc.

Tasty little sandwiches at Palermo. I had the Don Gaetano sandwich (Italian combo of cold cuts w/Swiss cheese) $15.50. I really enjoyed the taste of their cold cuts. Very flavorful. The size of this sandwich is smaller than a Little Paris Vietnamese sandwich (see photo.) It is about 1/2 the size of a Little Lucca's sandwich down the peninsula. Regardless, it is a good solid sandwich. My small tuna salad $8.60 tasted alright. They don't put a lot of mayo or celery, which was nice. Good job everyone at Palermo.

The food is very good, generous in size. Mortadella is one of my favorites. I like most of their offerings.

Old style deli. Packed full of eye-catching things to buy. Cookies, wine, desserts. I came for the sandwich, the hugh sandwich for two people. I got the Palermo II special. A panini with freshly sliced prosciutto on a dutch. So much goodness. You can smell it. The filling is about a pound, okay close to it.how close? You have to get one to find out. Slightly salty, so have a drink nearby.

Got the meatloaf sandwich today. Toasted. Very tasty. Vince wasn't in today, but his daughter made the sandwich. Thank you!

Super over priced. $17 for a make your own sandwich (turkey, lettuce, tomato, Swiss, mustard mayo, onion).. all I got was a sandwich packed with layers upon layers of dry turkey. 1 tomato for the whole sandwich. No onions. 1 piece of lettuce. It was not a decent sized sandwich either. It was honestly the worst sandwich I've ever had it was just pure turkey and dry hard bread. (They only had one option for bread they said they ran out of everything else)

Excellent sandwich! I had the Palermo II Special Sandwich and enjoyed every single bite. Definitely look forward to a next visit and trying more options.

This place is low key one of the best sandwich shops in SF. With Vince the owner being super helpful and a variety of selections, this place is a must visit. It's small but has everything you need.

I have been to several Yummy Italian Sandwich places and Palermo II Delicassen is one of them... The last time I was here I ordered myself a Yummy Dutch Crunch Italian Sandwich With Ham, Mortadella & Swiss Cheese... When I took a bite of my Ham, Mortadella & Swiss Cheese Dutch Crunch Italian Sandwich it tasted sooooooo goooooood!!! This was my 1st time buying myself a Sandwich at Palermo II Delicassen!!! If your in the North Beach area and looking around for a good Italian Deli Sandwich Place.... Go to the Palermo II Delicassen they make really good Italian Sandwiches!!!

Had not planned on stopping in here but glad we did. This little Sicilian place in the heart of Little Italy was excellent. The staff was very nice and helpful and so quick can't believe the sandwich turned out perfect. Very clean establishment good variety and some stuff to buy off the shelf like Italian wine cheese etc. But the sandwich in some of the best bread we have tried was perfect. Can't wait to get back here.

I happened upon this place on one of my walks in north beach and decided to give it a try. Vibe check- pass....old school italiano deli with a menu to back it up! Owner was native SF and that came through in the food Food Check- pass menu was nice I got the chicken parm sub, toasted bread not overpowering with cheese and sauce and chicken was not too oily. Me and my son split it and we both where happy Staff Check- Pass, two people in the shop where nice took the order and the time to speak which was nice. Felt like a local spot and you could taste the love Will be back for sure and you should go as well!

Awesome, old school spot. I had "The Vince," a beautiful sandwich made primarily of amazing and fresh tasting mortadella. I often go to Molinari nearby. I think this is better.

Looks like I have a new favorite sandwich spot in North Beach. I am a sandwich lover. I can have a 'wich for breakfast, lunch, and dinner--the same day or several days running. It probably has something to do with my relationship with bread (I love good bread, pizza crust, focaccia). Put great bread together with great deli ingredients and BAM, the sandwich magic begins. And it happened here. The Vince: 5/5. Imported mortadella, provolone, olive oil, tomatoes, salt, pepper and oregano. Simple, fresh quality ingredients that are perfectly combined. The bread was not particularly memorable, but was the perfect vessel for this food--not getting in the way and allowing the other ingredients to shine. I shared this with my wife (because we had more eating plans after this stop), but I regretted it after the first bite. When I was eating this sandwich already thinking about what else I want to try here (the Jimmy G), I knew the magic had happened here.

I prefer this place over Molinari's any day! This is my go-to for an Italian sandwich in the neighborhood. My only complaint is their tourist prices... you won't walk out under $20 for a single sandwich these days.

While pricey, the sandwiches are amazing. Probably a top three sandwich in SF. A woman from Rome was in line behind me and she was thrilled to see her father's favorite cookies in stock, as well as Italian football on TV. The line is long but efficient as long as customers do their part--know your order before you get to the counter! I'll probably be back eventually for salt cod and another amazing sandwich, as well as the general old North Beach vibe.

Looks are deceiving. What a treasure. This business has a huge offering of specialty deli items and drinks. I'll get a sandwich and sit outside then watch the neighborhood bustle on. It's my quick go to spot. Vallejo parking is 1/2 block away. Enjoy!

I came by for lunch and they put together the Palermo II Special super fast. It was still hot and crisp by the time I got home, making the oily saltiness of the focaccia the perfect sandwich bread. The melted provolone adds an amazing texture, and when it oozes onto the press and burns a little, it's the most amazing caramelized piece of the sandwich. It's also STACKED with coppa (the spicy version is so good in this sandwich) and prosciutto, though I will say that there's so much that the sandwich has a few bites that are a little too salty. The artichoke hearts and sun-dried tomatoes are also wonderful to break up the heaviness of the sandwich. Though perhaps the Palermo II Special is a better sandwich split with someone, and something like the Columbus Avenue would do a better job of giving your lunch some balance.

It feels like I'm back in Jersey City. I got the meatball Parm, which was really good. They would make any sand you want or you can pick from their menu. Very friendly people.

Disclaimer: I grew up with east coast Italian style delis and maybe my barometer is too high, so I'll preface with that. And maybe it was an off day/time since it was the end of the day on a Sunday, but the sammies were bland and not fresh tasting. How does that even happen with chicken cutlets? The saving grace and hence 3 stars is that they were actually reasonably priced (about $12 for quite a bit of food). We went with the chicken parm, chicken cutlet and sausage sammies and we were so jazzed as we are always on the lookout for these types of Italian delis, but we were disappointed. I was jazzed when I walked in and saw you could get some deli style salads and even chicken and eggplant cutlets to go - looking authentic.... But, the bread tasted stale that we took off the top part, the chicken cutlets were flavorless, and dry, as was the sausage and the chicken parm lacked any tomato sauce. While I love this old-school Italian deli vibe, sadly it's not serving up old-school Italian eats. Maybe the move is to stick to deli meats?

This place is amazing!! I got the coppa 19 and it was great! The sandwiches are a great price and a lot of food and the ingredients are so fresh! We got olives and arancini with marinara and both were amazing also! The owner is really nice and store has a bunch of Sicilian packaged foods! Highly recommend for a great sandwich when in little Italy!

thank you. food is amazing. just my sandwich was a little too oily but I'm assuming that's the style of the cuisine. Also the lids are hard to open for me as a woman with nails

I was overwhelmed by choice when I came here but ended up settling on the Columbus Avenue. The turkey was satisfying but I was hoping for more quantity of vegetables (fresh tomatoes, bell peppers, pesto), but it ended up being more turkey heavy with only a smattering of the veggies. Which was my bad because I should have realized that the focus of a shop like this is not the other sandwich toppings or the sauce or the bread (which was pretty basic) but the meats - the coppa, prosciutto, mortadella, etc. That's I'm sure where they really shine so will have to check it out next time.

Excellent sandwich - very hearty. Feels like a true neighborhood hangout! The Palermo special has a ton of cured meat and is very flavorful. I will come back.

this place was delicious and clean. good service. vegetarian friendly and in a good location.

I've lived nearby for over 11 years and can't believe it took a pandemic to get me to stop in. This place has a pretty old school vibe. Unfortunately they no longer make the crab jack melt, which was popular in old Yelp reviews, but their meatball sandwich was still awesome! Meatball Drone Sandwich: This is exactly the type of old school Italian sandwich I was hoping for. Meatballs cut in half, so they don't slide off. Just the right amount of tomato sauce to moisten it up, without making the bread soggy. Lots of gooey mozzarella. And a fluffy bread that is pressed nicely and grilled just right. I literally devoured this one! Chicken Parm II Sandwich: The meatball sandwich really raised my expectations. This one was just ok in comparison. The chicken cutlet was a tad dry. And the sauce was a lot skimpier than the meatball sandwich, contributing to the dryness fact. The bread and cheese were tasty though. Cuccidati: Super soft cookie shell with an amazing fruit filling inside. Tasted a bit like a really good Christmas fruitcake. Not sure what exactly was inside, but I tasted fig and orange peel.

I was looking to order a juicy sandwich and knew that Palermo II Delicatessen would have great options. The store is charming as always! They offer a lot of great Italian drink and snack options to browse while waiting for a sandwich (like 5 mins or so). I actually ended up picking up a Tiramisu Panettone. I normally get Parlermo II Special Sandwich, but this time I ordered the Italian Reuben Sandwich because it was National Hot Pastrami Sandwich Day at the time. Though messy and hard to eat, it was definitely generous in fillings. I didn't like the pastrami as much because it tasted very processed but I thought that the bread was really good. Good sandwich, but I personally still prefer the special. The Tiramisu Panettone is not made by them, but by a brand called Maina. I've tried their classic flavor before and enjoyed it so I wanted to try this one. While it was also tasty, it was a little too sweet and not quite enough espresso for me to be tiramisu-like. Still lovely. Overall, good experience! Glad I tried the items I got, I'd still like to explore more from the menu.

Great neighborhood spot in North Beach! I love visiting Italian delis. These guys make some great sandwiches and have a nice selection to choose from. The original Palermo Delicatessen was a staple in North Beach for years before closing. They reopened at this location back in 2018 and haven't missed a beat. I was on a walking food tour and had a chance to stop here and sample some Italian meats and cheeses. Owner Vince Balistreri shared with us about Palermo Delicatessen's history and about the food that we were eating. We got to try some Arancini Balls too. This popular Sicilian snack is a deep fried rice ball that is stuffed with meat, sauce, and peas. They were so good! Palermo II Delicatessen also does catering.

The best pastrami sandwich in the city, very recommended! Also, great place to buy tuna

I love this place so much, the chicken parm was 10/10. The service, the shop, and location make it all better to want to come back!

Really good sandwich spot. Decided to order their Chicken Parm sandwich. The place is at the end of Chinatown and has a very Italian vibe. The sandwich was made pretty quickly and we got chips to eat with it. The bread for the sandwich was the best part in my opinion. The chicken parm itself was also really yummy. Definitely try to place if your nearby.

My husband and I stopped here as part of a North Beach/Little Italy Tour guided by Isabelle. The rice balls took me back to the days when I lived in Brooklyn, NY. The off menu sandwich was delicious. I highly recommend stopping by and I know I will be back. I am happy I took this tour because what a treat.

Looking for more North Beach, came upon this unassuming shoppe with a mega menu and great diner reviews. Had the meatball sandwich and it was absolute perfection. Meat, cheese, sauce (but not too much), all wrapped in delicious foccacia. Sublime. So marvelous I had to take home some homemade arancini. Wonderful, enormous, Sicilian arancini. OMFG. https://twitter.com/ShawnLayden/status/1393756909694423043?s=19

Great sandwich! It was fresh and delicious. Support small family business. The owner and his daughter were very friendly.

Excellent sandwiches and great people! A great place to grab lunch and walk over to Washington Square.

Sat outside and ate my delicious Little Rocket Man sandwich and coleslaw. Meats and cheese were cut for order. Great place and sandwich. Will come back for other cold ones. Sausage and peppers looked good

Best sandwiches in The City. The owner is a great guy and grew up in the neighborhood.

They actually have the best sandwiches in north beach area. The service is amazing as well.

nice people, quick wait, sandwich is loaded with good meats and packaged well. cute shop. :)

Must admit, been partial to those old time sandwich shops that dominated this part of town. My personal go-to place as a kid was Pinelli Bros. on Stockton Street, next to that army surplus store where we bought fishing tackle and crab traps. As time passed and beards grayed, these places vanished from the neighborhood. The corner spot at Columbus and Vallejo has been my new sandwich solution for the past ten years but recently I found a new (to me, anyway) place just a half block away. I saw their solid Yelp reviews and ranking so I found a weekday afternoon to make my maiden voyage here. Walking in, I peered at their two menus and focused on the cold options since I was taking it to my car to eat. After reading the ingredients, I decided on the Little Rocket Man (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=d0B4X2VOilzyVC9M-0o_oQ&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q), which consists of hot salami, spicy coppa, vinaigrette, pepperoncini, fresh tomatoes, and pepper jack. While waiting for my sandwich, I browsed their refrigerator and found a peach ice tea that I'd never seen (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=-c-lF_YzS3-BI-PIQe2plg&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q) and it was the perfect pairing for my sandwich. Add a bag of chips and I was grinning from ear to ear and I had lunch. The meats were tangy with a nice spiciness soothed by the tomatoes and cheese. My mouth formed on 'O' as in ooooo... The absence of lettuce made the bread more enjoyable. As I waited, construction workers and repairmen stopped in to get their meals. This is not as high profile a spot as that corner spot that also sells their own brand of salami's and other deli items. I got a side order of ravioli to take home which was good but not as memorable as the sandwich. Support local... give this place a try!

So far I'm loving this place! Easy to order, friendly service, and great sandwiches. Note that it is a small place so there's no indoor seating, and a only a couple of tables outside to eat. More of a takeaway place.

Got the chicken cutlet sandwich for $16 and it was kinda small for the price but figured if it was good then it would be worth it. Saw the chicken warmed up in the microwave and looked down to see a bunch of cold/frozen cutlets in the glass case so if anything don't order anything with the chicken cutlet cuz it's going to be hard and chewy. Might come back to try a different sandwich but for their prices I might as well go to molinaris.