Modigliani Cafe

I don’t review often but this is well worth the top notch review and 5 stars. Owner and staff are very friendly, generous and make some great sandwiches, salads and milkshakes!

This is the best sandwich spot by the lake. The customer service is great and the paninis are even better! The staff is super friendly and seem happy to be there.
They have fresh ingredients and give you huuuuge paninis– sharing size. My favorites: the pulled pork and the veggie panini. The pulled pork is loaded with pulled pork, bbq sauce and peppers. The veggie has lots of deliciously grilled veggies, cheese and pesto.
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Such great sandwiches. Only been in a few times, but everything has been delicious. Hot sandwiches are not always executed well, but these guys do it perfectly.
Current favorite is the Cuban, but I have yet to try the sausage role, which looks great.

When I walked in for the first time I was already primed to be disappointed since they’re cash only… but my pulled pork sandwich was enormous and amazingly delicious, and the greek salad was awesome.
Minus one star for cash only. Will definitely be back.

You’ve got to try these sandwiches. Each one is made with incredible care and thought towards flavor combinations. I’ve tried a few and the Cuban is to die for.
As a New Yorker always on the hunt for good sandwiches, I’m glad I found this little spot. Gerry is always happy to make a recommendation and have a solid food lovers chat while the sandwiches are being prepared!

Needed to grab a quick bite and stopped in to see Jerry (the owner) on a bit of a gloomy day. Huge kudos for putting a smile on my face with some fun banter, and throwing in a free bag of chips as I didn’t realize it was a cash-​only joint and had to dig deep into the corners of my wallet. Well priced, sizzling veggie panini and great service. Worth noting that they aren’t known for their veggie panini, but for their high quality meats and great prices for the hip location.
Not a lot of seating — don’t come with a group.
They also serve salads but I haven’t tried em yet. Old fashioned milkshakes look great.

WOW! This place is SO SO SO SO GOOD! My cuban sandwich was melting in my mouth, the strawberry milkshake was on point, and the service from the two workers there is the best you can find anywhere… seriously. They even gave me water for my dog, free chips your first time there, and gave me extra pickles. I took a bite of my boyfriend’s turkey panini and that was also to die for. I can’t wait to come back and try all the other sandwiches. Might be coming back again later this week and every other week for that matter!

The food was great. The pulled pork panini is freaking amazing and the staff was super kind. Im totally going back here the next time im on Grand ave!

I was in earlier today and got the pulled pork panini, veggie panini, cucumber salad and tomato salad.
Everything was amazing! The size of each panini is huge, definitely worth the price. The ingredients all around were so fresh. The customer service was very kind, charming and welcoming.
I definitely will be back!

Delicious! First real Cuban I’ve had on the west coast. If you miss your east coast sandwiches, this is the place for you. Home cooked meat, huge portions, cheap, and local!

My only complaint about this place is that it’s cash only. Other than that, it’s wonderful.
The same people are always here. The owner and/​or his partner, and the cook. It’s one of those places that you walk into and can tell the people who are running this business are completely in love with what they’re doing. I know love isn’t technically a thing you can taste, but… I REALLY FEEL LIKE YOU CAN TASTE THE LOVE IN THESE SANDWICHES.
There’s not much in the way of seating here, but how can you complain when Lake Merritt is a block away? The milkshakes are way too good, and I should really stop getting them in addition to these super cheesy sandwiches but I can’t.
You really can’t go wrong with what you order, but I usually get the veggie panini and a chocolate heath bar shake.

I need to tell you a story. It’s a story about Modigliani Café. A place that makes sandwiches that are so face-​meltingly delicious, that if you eat one, afterward, if you see the face of god during orgasm with a person who is the amalgamation of all your teenage fantasies, it would rate, like, a six. Maybe seven.
The café has been there for years. And I have never ever heard about it on my undying quest to find and even halfway decent fucking sandwich is this part of the world. Ike’s? Did you just say Ike’s? You can die in a tire-​fire mother fucker, you’re dead to me.
The dude who runs it, Jerry, is the epitome of the characters Oakland espouses to be a champion. A kind, gentle, warm, generous, community minded artisan with a passion for culinary arts. He is an East Coaster, gruff, and talks about his grandma’s sausages. Yeah, he’s that dude.
Always wearing an apron, and dolling out free food, samples and conversation to anyone waiting for their sandwich, he’s got big harry arms and huge smile and he WILL feed you a milkshake without asking. And it will be delicious.
And his sandwiches are $ 9 and are the size of your head. In the fucking Bay. For. Fuck. Sake.
His sandwiches are so good they could 15% made of the hair on his arms and I would still eat there. It’s a god damn jewel and the place should have lines out the door at all hours of the day.
Go there. Pay him. Make it rain. Eat his labors and witness Shangri-​La.

First things first– CASH ONLY! They do have an ATM inside.
I ordered the Tuna melt which came with cheddar and pickle slices. It was delicious! The bread was perfectly crispy and the tuna was very flavorful and juicy. The portion was huge and I had tuna falling off. Loved this and would definitely eat it again!
My partner had the Cuban which was also great. It tasted like it had some sort of jam or sweet sauce on it. It was really good.
We took our food to go and ate in the park so that’s where this review ends. Great food.
I have included photos as well!

You can’t really go wrong with anything here.
I’ve worked at several sandwich shops, so I’ve had the opportunity to try a variety of different sandwiches. Modigliani Café had high-​rated reviews when my friend and I went, so my expectations were high.
The menu had many interesting options, and we decided to order a Pulled Pork Sandwich and a Steak and Cheese Panini.
Pulled Pork Sandwich — The portion was huge. There was so much pork that I could barely lift the sandwich. The large portions made up for a relatively average sandwich. The meat was a tad dry, and the barbecue sauce almost tasted like store-​bought. All in all, this sandwich will certainly fill you up.
Steak and Cheese Panini — The steak had some juice to it, and the bread had a nice crisp. It was a solid sandwich, but it did not leave a memorable impression on me.
Modigliani Café is a solid sandwich shop with various offerings. The owner is nice, and the setting is inviting. If you’re in the area and craving a sandwich, Modigliani Café will be a good option.

Just finished sharing an incredible pulled pork sandwich and a turkey panini. The best sandwiches I’ve had. Definitely will be our go to sandwich and lunch spot and in our annual super bowl feast plans!
Jerry, who is the owner is such a nice guy and takes pride in the sandwiches. Gave our two young daughters chips and a vanilla ice cream shake. Thank you Jerry! See you soon!
Appreciate your generosity especially to kick off the New Year. We are lucky to have you in our neighborhood!

This place makes me sad that there are only so many sandwiches a girl can eat in one day. All of the ones I’ve tried so far (veggie, Cuban, pulled pork, turkey, tuna) have been amazing — and HUGE. And less than $ 10, which is a nice change from many of the other restaurants on the area. They’re also just generally generous, I added cheese to a sandwich once and they put it on both sides of the bread. That’s just classy, as far as sandwiches go. The cucumber salad sounds a little weird, but is delicious. Also, every time I have my dog waiting outside they take a meatball out to her.
Seating is limited, and it’s stools, so maybe not the best place to eat-​in with small kids. Cash only, but there’s an ATM in the shop.

Solid hot sandwich shop. Sandwiches are in the $ 8 – 10 range along with a couple of salads (tomato, cucumber) for $ 5.50. A nice touch is they cut top off the sandwich roll to get a larger flat surface for the panini press (
)
Regular menu has steak, meatball, Cuban, turkey, pulled pork and veggie, but look for their daily special to mix things up a bit (
) like this Ham Zuchini Special (
)
They’ve definitely been getting better over time as they’ve found their groove. They started a little inconsistent. .. my first Cuban shortly after opening had dry roasted pork (
) but the pork was much, much juicier on my last visit (
).
Not sold on sausage roll. The one time I got it, I think it was microwaved to reheat so kind of «soggy». Timing with freshly baked may be key for that item or maybe that’s how it’s suposed to be?!?
All the folks I’ve interacted with have been very friendly.

How do I write a love letter to a panini without sounding like a total creep? I stopped by here with 15 minutes to spare before seeing Mad Max (which I’d highly recommend) at the Grand Lake Theater (this place is right next door). The owner is a quiet-​spoken man who is a wizard with sandwiches. The veggie panini was on delicately crisp bread and slathered in homemade pesto. Despite all the roasted veggies it was loaded with, it retained a nice bite.
The tomato pepper salad with feta and red onions was so fresh and delicious. Normally I find the balsamic is overpowering the tomato in these types of salads — not in this case. Perfection.
Tips:
Two tables for outdoor seating
Service is quick and fantastic
Right next to the movie theater
Limited vegetarian selections but well worth it

I’ve lived in this ‘hood forever and never knew about this place. Don’t let the understated aesthetic nor the series of bad, failed businesses that came before it fool you! Damn. Good. Eats.
House-​made sausage rolls (authentic East Coast style) sandwich made by the loveliest guy (Jerry) who knows what he’s doing. Turkey, brie, pepper jam panini! Delish cucumber salad with pecans, chives, pecans, basil and a balsamic reduction. (When the cucumber salad can compete with house made sausage, you know you found a good spot).
Friendly and fast. More take out than eat in, but pull up a stool and chat with Jerry if you’re so inclined. He is full of pride in his craft and makes you want to root for him. It’s simple, make good food! See you soon, Jerry!

Modigiliani Café is right next to Grand Lake Theater.
They have a variety of gourmet sandwiches, salads and milkshakes.
There’s some seating. The owner are staff are pretty friendly. I’ve been a few times and I’ve tried their Cuban Sandwich and Pulled Pork Panini. both solid! Their sandwiches are around $ 8 to $ 9 and are reasonable sizes.
In addition to their standing menu they rotate specials. I had a pretty enjoyable Eggplant Parmesan Sandwich once.
I also love their Cucumber Salad consisting of peeled cucumbers, fennel, chives and this addictive white balsamic vinegar. It’s sweet and not too sour at the same time. The salad is about $ 5 and it’s a decent portion.
I’ll continue to go, assuming I can find parking on that busy street.