Roma Market
Italian grocery store · West Central
918 N Lake Ave, Pasadena, CA 91104
Highlights
Italian grocery with legendary, simple cold cut sandwiches
Italian grocery with legendary, simple cold cut sandwiches
"Roma Market is far more of a grocery store than a sub shop, but almost everyone inside is there to eat a sandwich. The only one Roma serves is nameless and can be found each day pre-wrapped and stacked on the deli counter in the back. It’s also remarkably simple: just a couple of slices of provolone, some cured meat (specifically capicola, mortadella, and salami), and a drizzle of good peppery olive oil on a fresh-baked roll. You, along with 37 other people on their lunch break, will grab it, pay for it, and revel in the fact that you’re eating something this fantastic on the hood of your car in a Pasadena parking lot." - brant cox, sylvio martins, cathy park
"This cramped Italian deli in Pasadena slices its prosciutto and various cheeses to order and has endless shelves stocked with imported oils, vinegars, conservas, and dried pasta. But the reason most people are here is for Roma’s famous (and unnamed) sandwich handed out by the shop’s 84-year-old owner. The sandwich is only $6, and consists of cured meat (capicola, mortadella, and salami) and some provolone on a freshly baked roll. It’s the most iconic cold cut in Pasadena, which means you should try to get there before 1pm if you want one." - brant cox, garrett snyder
"We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: Roma Market is home to more than just an incredible sandwich. This little Pasadena grocery store stocks an incredible range of Italian oils, vinegars, conservas, pastas, and cured meats—all of which the owner imports himself from Sicily. In addition to those specialty goods, Roma also stocks house-made sauces, frozen ravioli, and, yes, the best $5.50 sandwich in the world." - brant cox, sylvio martins, kat hong
"We can’t say enough good things about Roma Italian Deli, the old-school market in Pasadena that imports incredible cured Italian meats daily. They’ve got everything you could possibly want: Prosciutto di Parma, capicola, salumi, pepperoni, mortadella, and many more, all hand-sliced right in front of you at the deli counter. Pick up some imported tinned fish, while you’re at it. And yes, you should probably get that unnamed sandwich wrapped in wax paper sitting on the counter - it’s $5.50, and goes well with whatever else you’re bringing over to Brookside Park." - brett keating
"Another Pasadena fixture noted among busy neighborhood standbys, contributing to the area’s reliable, decades-old dining scene." - Eater Staff
