Salvo's
Italian restaurant · Ridgewood ·
Italian sandwiches, caponata, and charcuterie with burrata
Italian sandwiches, caponata, and charcuterie with burrata
"Born as an Instagram pop-up in 2023 — place an order by direct message and sandwiches arrived by moped, then a bright blue mini-truck — this has become a cozy lunchtime spot in a former shoe-repair store in Ridgewood, serving soup, sandwiches, and coffee from a stylish, chrome-and-dark-wood-filled space, with classics alongside more experimental options and plans to add small plates at night. If it’s on the menu, get the sausage, leek, and potato panini ($19); on a recent visit it featured pecorino crema, though it’s also been served with crema di gorgonzola, with tender potatoes and airy bread that keeps the double-carb moment feeling relatively light. The eggplant Parm ($16) is straightforward and reliable — slimmer than some versions but well-balanced with eggplant, melty cheese, and fresh basil. Keep an eye out for specials like lasagna ($22), with beautifully delicate pasta, enough crispness on top to keep each bite interesting, and a hint of fruity flavor from olive oil. Best for catching up with a friend over lunch: split a sandwich and, if you’re close, share a bowl of soup, like white bean and escarole." - Bettina Makalintal
"A Ridgewood brick-and-mortar for Salvatore La Rosa’s beloved sandwich pop-up serves daytime panini like mortadella with pistachio pesto and burrata and roast beef genovese, with plans for evening small plates and aperitivi to follow." - Tierney Plumb
"Salvatore La Rosa went from slinging Italian American sandwiches from a moped to a 20-seat shop meant to feel like an Italian trattoria for lunch and evening service, where those sandwiches share the menu with radicchio insalata, pastas, and granitas." - Melissa McCart
"I followed Salvatore La Rosa from his days delivering sandwiches to his new corner spot on Forest Avenue and found a well-designed, charming blend of weathered and new: a tiled floor, tin ceiling, and one textured wall remain, while a rich mahogany bar with four seats and a Faema espresso machine are his touches. On a recent afternoon the music — MJ Lenderman, not “Ave Maria” — played at a murmur. Caponata is served in a little silver ice-cream bowl with eggplant chunks that still hold a bit of chew. The sandwich menu is small but striking: thinly sliced mortadella with burrata, pistachio pesto, and a real burst of lemon zest; and a late-added sausage, sliced and barely browned, resting on golden rosemary-and-gremolata potatoes with scattered leeks cooked just shy of disintegration. A luxuriously funky Gorgonzola crema ties things together when used with a delicate hand. The spot is lunch-only for now, with dinner arriving soon." - Grub Street
"Tucked on Forest Avenue in Ridgewood, Salvo’s began when Salvatore La Rosa was a courier delivering sandwiches on a 1977 Puch Magnum, and after building a following he opened a well-designed corner spot that blends weathered elements (tiled floor, tin ceiling, one textured wall) with his additions: a rich mahogany bar with four seats and a Faema espresso machine. On a recent afternoon MJ Lenderman played softly; caponata is scooped into a little silver ice-cream bowl with eggplant that still maintains a bit of chew. The handful of sandwiches includes thinly sliced mortadella with burrata, pistachio pesto, and a real burst of lemon zest; a sausage — snuck into the menu late — is sliced and barely browned, resting on golden potatoes seasoned with rosemary and gremolata with scattered leeks cooked a few degrees short of disintegration, all lifted by a luxuriously funky Gorgonzola crema. The spot is lunch-only for now, but dinner should be arriving soon." - Grub Street
Baker D.
Bethany U.
Mary L.
Alex V.
Phil G.
Jonathan P.
Melody T.
Varun M.
