Paneantico Bakery Cafe Inc — Restaurant in New York

Excellence, with disclaimer. Paneantico has five star offerings, to be sure, but getting service requires fortitude. Well worth it, though, because nothing in the neighborhood stands up to the quality and authenticity of its offerings (especially not the two bougie Italian markets down 3rd Ave.).

This little place is four stores packed in one. It's both a bread bakery and a pastry shop, but it is also part salumeria and part tavola calda (cold deli and hot take-out)

First and foremost is Paneantico's brick-oven bread, which I daresay is not easily rivaled even in Italy itself. The Old World authenticity of taste and texture is truly excellent, and the stuff freezes and reheats beautifully, so stock up. They also make a great variety of delicious sandwiches with it on site, sandwiches so generously stuffed with high quality stuff that one can stuff 2 people on 1 sandwich, or even 4 ladies on a diet. Some of their Italian biscotti boast the same singular excellence, in particular their traditional quaresimali (almond biscotti), well worth the high price because of the almond flour used to make them. Their sesame seed biscotti are a personal favorite and staple. Their pizza and foccaccie are consistently delicious. In general, when it comes to the bread bakery, trust your eyes.

Their cakes and pastries don't win my eye, with some notable exceptions: They make an AWESOME Tres Leches cake (yes, even though it isn't Italian), which you generally have to order in advance--a real crowd-pleaser well worth the trouble and price for special occasions. Also special, I've recently learned, are their seasonal St. Joseph's pastries, in particular their ricotta ones. I've been tempted by the sight of their big tiramisu cake slices, but I haven't chanced one yet. When their sfogliatelle are fresh, they too are great. Except, they're willing to sell you stale ones, and the disappiontment is so great when they're not, I've actually thrown some away. Fresh from the kitchen, they're outstanding, and even rival Bensonhurst's best (you know who I mean).

The deli counter offers excellent cold offerings. The olives are highest quality not easily found. The gigantic Sicilian riceballs heat up delicious. The eggplant caponata is reliably tasty, as is the fava and chick pea salads--rustic done right. The fresh mozzarella is likewise reliable, and reliably delicious in Paneantico's sundry sandwiches. The traditional fish salad rivals Mom's well enough that this year we bought it from Paneantico instead of making it ourselves for Christmas Eve. I can't tell you what kind of compliment that is from Mom.

The hot offerings have never disappointed. They change day to day. Looks to me like the chef makes the best of the day's best at the market, and it tastes like it. I've had delicious baked clams, cornish game hen stuffed with rice, lamb roasted with potatoes, pork roast, eggplant, and whatnot. It ain't cheap, but I've never regretted paying what I did for it. If you know what you're getting, you know why you're paying for it.

One disclaimer: getting service is challenging. Space is tight and there's only one long counter and line for all offerings. The deli guys are busy with both in-house and take-out orders, so that getting their attention is not easy. If you manage to get your order across to them through the bustle and the plastic covid barrier, it gets passed along to the bakery girls, who ring it up along with whatever you may order from their end. Sometimes they route all orders through the girls, but it's not clear that helps. Either way, you wait the line--no jumping over the guy in front of you with his multitudinous order (that would be me). Mistakes are easy to make, so gird your loins and make sure you get what you ask for. I promise you it will all be well worth it when...

I really hate to give low-star reviews to local spots since I dine out daily for both lunch and dinner and want to support business here to keep the nabe thrieving, but I'm going to echo what others are saying here. Terrible service, rude employees and terrible operational flow. I've gone twice now hoping to make this a new lunch spot, but I've decided not to return.

The first issue is that if you place an order online and have already paid for it, once you arrive you STILL have to wait in line with those ordering just to pick it up---and the line is often long and slow (the cashiers like to chat with their friends I've noticed). Why should I have to wait in line with walk-ins waiting to order when I was proactive enough to order and pay ahead? There should be a separate area for online pick-ups, especially since it seems like most of their business comes from to-go orders. The first time I ordered online I arrived 20 minutes later and still waited in line for 20 minutes. My order had been sitting there behind the counter the entire time. The food was cold by the time I ate it 10 minutes later.

I've found their employees to be mostly rude. I thought it was just New Yorkers being New Yorkers but this place is for sure next level. Maybe it's something they want to be known for because according to these reviews they've been at this unbecoming behavior for years now. I don't know why, but it's obvious that everyone there is uptight and thinks being rude serves them better than being professional. If the Department of Health gave ratings for professionalism you'd have a "D" in your window.

Yesterday it took 45 minutes for my order (a sandwich and fries) to be ready that I placed ahead online. When I arrived I again had to wait for folks in front of me to order which took 15 minutes. All of those people got their orders and left and I was still waiting for mine. A family of 5 came in, sat down, ordered, got their food, ate and were picking out desserts and mine still hadn't arrived. After 40 minutes the cashier who originally asked me my name and checked on my order again asked and again checked. It was finally ready 5 minutes after that. She said that it took 45 minutes because I ordered french fries and because I placed the order online; both of these excuses were total lies and were horrible to even be on the receiving end of. It was basically like saying "it's your fault for using a service we offer and for ordering a product we have."

So, I guess folks, don't order online and don't order french fries, you know, a service available for the speed & accuracy of ordering and a simple product available, both of which very much help their business stay open.

I'll stick with my dinners at Cebu, Tanoreen, The...

Paneantico continues to be our go -o place to have good Italian food in a relaxed setting.

The star attraction for us is the mozzarella, which is made daily and surpasses that from any other stores. When ordering a sandwich or a bagel, we ask for a slice. It makes it delicious. Bringing a ball or two or this mozzarella with Panteonico’s outstanding brick oven bread is always deeply appreciated and lovingly served when we visit friends and family. .

The other special item is their homemade balsamic reduction. It is a welcome gift.

The other individual item we really like is the coffee, hot or iced. The baristas are helpful, spirited and will make whatever you want to your order.

Our favorite sandwich is (grilled?) chicken on chiabata hero bread, with arugula, fried peppers, mozzarella and a dose of Paneontico’s great balsamic reduction. The breakfasts of either frittata or bagels and mozzarella are great, and well priced.

Service is generally personable and easygoing. The crowd is spirited and upbeat.

On the dessert side, our absolute favorites are the sesame cookies and anisette biscotti. For the holidays they sometimes have cuccidati, the Italian fig cookies. The sfogliatelli are good. Cakes are brightly colored, fancily decorated and not that special in taste, something I see in many bakeries. There are plenty of other great things that Paneontico offers.

I highly recommend Paneantico for takeout or a meal. During the pandemic, they have plenty of outdoor seating...