Roma Market
Italian grocery store · West Central
918 N Lake Ave, Pasadena, CA 91104
Highlights
Italian grocery with legendary simple sandwiches & imported goods
Italian grocery with legendary simple sandwiches & imported goods
"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
"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
"Open since 1946, this modest shop is renowned for its simple and satisfying sandwich prowess. Locals know to head to Roma for The Sandwich: Owner Rosario Mazzeo’s creation consists of a minimalist and sturdy Italian roll drizzled with olive oil, sprinkled with salt, and layered with provolone, mortadella, spiced coppa, and salami. (Mazzeo will happily add extra meat upon request.) Take your sandwich and an Italian soda to go; the move here, when the weather allows, is to always eat it outdoors." - Mona Holmes
"We’ve been watching a ton of Shark Tank in quarantine, so believe us when we say the cold-cut sandwich at this Pasadena deli might just be the greatest value proposition in the game. Served on a freshly baked roll and filled with capicola, mortadella, salami, plus a few slices of provolone, this $5.50 sub is so simple, so effortlessly perfect, it transcends even the need for a name (seriously, it doesn’t have one). Our professional analysis? The return on this investment is simply astronomical - invest now. Roma Market is available for takeout, call (626) 797-7748, or pick-up in-store." - kat hong
"Roma Deli in Pasadena serves my favorite sandwich in LA. It’s an Italian cold cut sub on crispy bread, it only costs $5.50, and it’s perfect. But they’ve also got the city’s best Italian cured meats, from prosciutto di Parma and capicola to mortadella, salumi, and bresaola. I always pick up some Calabrian chili and fresh bread, too, to make an extremely professional-looking (amateur) cheese board." - brant cox, kat hong, brett keating, james montgomery
