Nana’s Caffé Italiano — Restaurant in Sandwich

This was my third time coming here. The first time (opening day), the chocolate croissants were absolutely delicious). Sadly, that was the last time I got something that was actually edible.

The second time, the chocolate croissants had a funny smell, but I took a bite out of it anyways and it tasted straight up rotten. At the very least it was stale or possibly frozen and thawed out to be resold. I'm told over and over that "there's no way because everything comes delivered every day from Boston". But that doesn't mean the bakery in Boston isn't doing it.

I had 3 family members smell/taste the croissants (without giving my opinion), because I thought I might have been overreacting, but each of them spit it out in disgust. At that point I figured I'd return for a refund because there's no way in hell someone should be paying for what they gave me that day. I wasn't even mad, but when I returned it was a little uncomfortable with the incessant denial from the woman I spoke with. If I were the bakery owner I would have at the very least smelled the damn thing. I mean the $20 for the 3 croissants means absolutely nothing to me, for me it was really just based on principle.

Fast forward to yesterday (November 7th), I figured I'd give them another try because at the end of the day, I do like supporting local places and I'm not going to have one bad experience preventing me from going back. This time, the croissants were like 2.5x the size as last and looked completely different. Not a big deal, just something I immediately noticed. I decided to buy 3 chocolate croissants again, and I'll post the pictures of what I found when I got home. One of the croissants had literally no chocolate filling, the other two had about as little as you could put to even call it a chocolate croissant, and these things were so god damn stale, there is simply no way these things are being baked fresh daily. Before I bought them I asked again if they were baked fresh daily and I'm told "they're delivered every day", which of course implies they're fresh, but they're clearly not. I don't necessarily blame Nanas, but I can't be the only one bringing this up, unless people just generally accept the fact that their food is going to be stale and nasty (which is more than likely not the case). I would immediately do a quality control check rather than telling the customers they're wrong. Personally, I won't be returning here. For the prices they're charging, you'd think you could at least get something that was edible. Just take a look at the pictures, absolutely hideous. Also, 3 croissants and a Napoleon...

Food Review: A Real Deal Italian Sangwich on the Cape

Having lived on the Cape for the past eight years—both year-round and during vacation seasons—I can assure you there has never been a place where you could get a decent Italian sangwich, let alone an outstanding one. That is, until now.

I accidentally stumbled upon Nana’s, and to be honest, I decided to give it a try simply because it’s called Nana’s—and they know how to spell sangwich! That alone earned some points. But once I read the menu and saw they had three of my all-time favorite sangwiches, I knew I had to try them.

I haven’t seen a roast pork, broccoli rabe, and provolone sangwich since my last trip to Philadelphia and my beloved Tommy DiNic’s. At Nana’s, we tried the Pork & Rabe Hot Italian and the Chicken Cutlet Hot Italian—and both were excellent. I only wish they had some pan-fried long hots to throw in! The pork was ample, juicy, flavorful, and—thankfully—not mushy (a common sangwich sin).

The chicken cutlet sangwich was also fantastic. I just wish it had some roasted peppers dripping in olive oil and garlic to remind me of how my Nana used to make them. Not that either needed the add-ons—they were delicious as is—but it’s just the way I remember them.

We also grabbed two Cold Italian subs and saved them for the road trip the next day. Let me tell you—these subs are right up there with my favorite Italian sub from Monica’s in Boston’s North End.

I’m absolutely delighted to have found this gem on the Cape. Please don’t change a thing. Keep the old-school integrity that your sangwiches bring to the table—because it’s exactly what the Cape has...

I recently visited Nana's Italian Restaurant, a place that boasts an impressive 4.9 rating on Yelp. Unfortunately, my experience was far from that. I went in with high expectations but left utterly disappointed.

To start, I ordered the Margarita Pie and an Eggplant Parmesan Sandwich. Both were complete letdowns. The bread on the sandwich was stale—clearly, it hadn’t been baked fresh that day (or possibly even this week). The ingredients lacked any sense of freshness; the eggplant was soggy, the cheese was rubbery, and the sauce tasted like it came straight out of a can.

As for the Margarita Pie, it was equally dismal. The crust was hard and dry, and the toppings were sparse and lacked flavor. The basil, which should have been a highlight, was wilted and sad-looking. Overall, it felt like something you'd find in a frozen food aisle, not an authentic Italian restaurant.

To make matters worse, the environment was anything but welcoming. The staff seemed indifferent, as if they couldn’t care less whether you enjoyed your meal. The décor was outdated and dreary, doing nothing to enhance the atmosphere. I felt uncomfortable from the moment I walked in, and the food only made things worse.

I’m baffled by the high ratings this place has received because, in my opinion, it deserves zero stars. Save yourself the disappointment and skip Nana's Italian Restaurant. It’s simply not worth your...