I was in Pasadena and wanted to grab a quick bite before heading home. Stopped at Roma Market for their famous sandwich and was not disappointed. The bread was fresh, the cold cuts and cheese were tasty, and the serving size was generous, especially for the price. If I lived in the area, this would be a regular stop. read more

Roma Market - Roma Market - Delis Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Finally tried the famous Roma Market sandwich this weekend and it was delicious! You really taste the meats and cheese and it's not too dry, but I would personally prefer adding a few veggies myself for added freshness and crunch. The bread is chewy and crusty (prepare for a jaw workout), and you can get premade ones for $6 each at the counter. The sweet owner was there that day and advised us on which panetonnes to get for gifts (the beautifully wrapped ones) vs buying to eat at home. Although we didn't buy anything else that day, it looked like the market was very well-stocked with Italian goods. I will definitely come back to Roma Market if I'm ever passing through the area. read more

Roma Market - The sandwich - Delis Near Me - Pasadena, California

*** Credit cards accepted but I believe there's a 4% customer's fee *** I couldn't believe that I only heard about "the sandwich" until few weeks ago and I was determined to try the most well-known Italian sandwich in Pasadena. I first came here at 4 PM-ish and they were all sold out. The staff said try to come earlier as they typically sell out "the sandwich" at 2 PM - 3 PM. [History]: Rosario Mazzeo, the owner of Roma Market, has been working here for 70+ years without taking a day off. The owner invented the sandwich in 1959 and its contents have not been changed since then. [Parking]: Limited parking spots in the lot. [Price]: No substitute for the sandwich, but vegetarian option is available - $6 as of May 2024. *** The Sandwich (crusty Sicilian bread, olive oil, a couple slices each of capicola, mortadella, salami, and provolone - $6): A very solid Italian cold cut sandwich. Personally the sandwich probably needed a little bit of mayo. Not a life-changing sandwich, but 5-star for fresh and quality cuts of meats. *** Expect a small waiting line and this is one of those places I would come more frequently if I actually work in Pasadena. P.S. - Unlike many other local deli markets, some produces in Roma Market are actually reasonably priced. read more

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THE SANDWICHES ARE SO GOOD =========================== My husband crashed his e-bike a second time due to a defective new tire and ended up breaking one elbow and messing up the other. Our good friends felt bad for him and dropped off two Italian sandwiches one day. They were so good that we devoured them. Fast forward a couple weeks later and we picked up a couple more. This time I ordered a turkey sandwich which was a couple dollars more, but not a big deal. We will definitely go back for more. read more

Roma Market - We picked up three Italian sandwiches and one turkey. - Delis Near Me - Pasadena, California

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What a place! Great Italian market. Loved the atmosphere. I visited over the Thanksgiving holiday. A family member insisted we had to have the Italian sandwich- something the market is famous for. We ordered 5- enough to bring home to share with a few neighbors. I thought we were going to have to wait for them to be made. To my surprise, they were in a box at the register- grab and go. All in pink wrappers. Very convenient and obviously popular. Just $6 each. We ate at home with a bottle of wine. They had the most amazing bread- with Italian meats and cheese and some olive oil. I've had many Italian sandwiches but nothing like these. Don't miss these if you're in the area. Free parking in the strip mall lot. read more

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If there's one thing I DEARLY love in this world, it's a beautiful stocked specialty grocery store with GOOOOOOOD food. Roma Market certainly satisfies!! After hearing about the famous "sandwich" from several of my friends, I hopped on the opportunity to visit as soon as I was within an hour radius of the place. Upon entering, I realized that this was a small yet full-of-delicious-gems kind of spot! I perused the aisles, admiring the shelves full of Italian goods and was surprised to see jars of giardineria - which I've only ever seen sold in Chicago! This was a MUST for me, so I grabbed myself a hot jar along with two drinks. The gold mine of sandwiches was adjacent to the check out register; I grabbed two of those beauties, paid for my bundle of goods, and merrily trotted away feeling as if I'd found myself a speck of gold in a river bed. My first bite was crusty, crispy, soft, and DELICIOUS!! The ratio of bread to meat/cheese was perfect. This is such a simple sandwich, yet jam packed with flavor from the beautifully crafted deli meats. The only other thing that would've put this sandwich over the top would be some giardineria - and lucky for me, I'd just purchased myself a new jar! The next time I visit, I will certainly order myself some specialty deli meats to craft myself sandwiches at home - especially that delectable mortadella - YUM! 10/10 recommend this spot to locals and fellow foodie enthusiasts!! read more

Still a good sandwich. I have been coming here way before the fame of the LA Times. It is still a good sandwich, but it used to be a Great sandwich. The bread has just lost its crispy exterior. It may be because they are now made way in advanced. Yesterday my sandwich was cold telling me that they refrigerate them. Not good for bread. Still a good sandwich. read more

Opened in 1946, Roma is a charming neighborhood Italian Market with an Old-World vibe. You'll find 84-year-old owner, Rosario Mazzeo, out on the floor helping customers. Every morning he prepares what many folks call the best Italian Sandwich in Pasadena, so much so it is dubbed, "The Sandwich." Rosario hasn't missed a day of work in 73 years, which shows how dedicated he is to ensuring his customers are happy. I haven't had "The Sandwich" but I've tried a number of delectable goodies from here. In addition to fresh cheese, cured meats, assorted antipasti, freshly baked bread, & produce, Roma also carries a variety of imported products from Italy and has a nice wine selection as well. The tomato sauce and fresh ravioli are made using his mom's recipe and are molto delizioso! On my last visit, I recently purchased some fresh mozzarella di bufala. The quality was superb! Firm, creamy, and like buttah when you cut into it. *Located in a strip mall with plenty of parking. read more

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Very, very disappointing. Walked on today to get some Italian goodies and the sandwich and found the entire market blanketed in a thick fog of cleaning solution odor. Worse. the sandwiches we bought tasted like the cleaning solution because the bread had absorbed the odor. The pannetones and other Italian goodies were grossly overpriced. I don't know what has happened here but it's not the place we remember. I am sorry to write this but you should be warned read more

Came for the sandwich and although quite plain, it's great and just what i needed. the bread is nice and soft and the cost is reasonable. market has a nice selection of gluten free pasta, regular pasta and italian treats read more

Roma Market. Best. Sandwich. Ever! Perfect sandwich to take as a snack on a hike, picnic, and even snowboarding. Simple sandwiches rely on high quality ingredients and Roma Market sandwiches does it incredibly well. They also sell meats and cheeses. Worth checking out read more

Maaaan, those pre-made, already-wrapped and packed, perfect Roma sandwiches are really something. Just the right amount of meat and cheese, delicious bread, and they are always freshly made and ready to grab. I add tomato and hot giardiniera to mine (both of which you can buy there), and it's unbeatable. The absolute best sandwich for a picnic, a pool or beach day, and so much more. They're also great for kids' lunches during the week. They stay fresh for 2-3 days. Service is excellent and everyone there is so helpful. It's a very charming little market. read more

I was going to write some flourish-y, masturbatory review about how amazing the sandwich is, but there's plenty of that on this page already. It's a good sandwich. It's $7 now. read more

Best Italian subs in town for lunch. The general store also has a great selection of Italian cooking goods and gives the small Italian shop ambience that one normally looks for. Service is great and amazing as always. read more

Love their $6 deli sandwiches that are so perfect for whatever outing you have coming up! We have gotten them for the beach, airport meal, regular lunch time, etc etc They are a great price and great size! I remember them saying they tend to run out of them near lunch time so I always try to get them in the morning. Parking is always available even though it's a small lot. I have always found a spot. The cashiers are always friendly too (pretty sure it is family run). I highly recommend this place! read more

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We came here a while back because everyone was raving about their sandwiches. The wait was long but my partner loved it. It was a bit too plain for me but she got extras to take home. I love the other cute Italian items they had here too. read more

Great sandwiches and great service. They're all very helpful in the market.The ambiance was very nice . I would recommend the sandwiches to my family and friends. read more

Old school Italian market. Old, toothless Italian guy holding court sharing stories of 60 years making sandwiches. Felt like I was back east in little Italy or the north end. They have three sandwich options: meat and cheese, veggie or special order. The meat and cheese is just meat and cheese but it was delicious and at $7 an amazing value. I'll definitely be back for more. Highly recommended! read more

First time trying the sándwiches here and it was so delicious!! Wish I would have known years ago about this place! I will definitely be coming back! read more

$6 delicious sandwich. Doesn't get better than this. Friendly staff. Thank you and hope you guys keep this going read more

Roma Market - Delis Near Me - Pasadena, California

If you're a sandwich enjoyer, of any level, an expert connoisseur or an average Joe who tosses one together before a long work day, this is a MUST in Pasadena and truly one of its kind. The fact that this place only offers ONE type of sandwich with NO modifications is truly a confident testament in the high quality of their ingredients and their delicious taste. There is a veg version too but you have to call in advance for it. Apparently the owner has never taken a day off in years since he's made this sandwich and the man's an 80 year old sandwich master artisan. He knows what he's doing and stands by strongly to it. Before we get into the sandwich review, onto the actual deli and shop itself. It is a pretty busy plaza and a pretty popular place, so it DOES get pretty packed in such a small plaza parking lot. The shop itself is a bit small too and it can get a bit crowded in the aisles since its stacked to the top and brim with lots of delicious imported goodies ranging from olive oils, wine, frozen goods, meats, cheeses, baked goods, dried goods, snacks, and treats. We got their iconic sandwich, wrapped in pink deli wrapping paper (we got like 4 to be exact so we can have one for lunch the next day). Their sandwich is just meat, cheese, and olive oil with the meats being cured meats (mortadella, salami, and capicola) and the cheese being provolone cheddar. This is all inside a Sicilian roll. Sounds simple enough right? But it's so, so delicious! I liked that there's sesame seeds baked into the crispy bread and the rich, deep taste of the olive oil went really well with salty, flavorful cured meats. Slight pepperiness and spices and the different subtle tastes of the array of cured meats went beautifully with one another. To be honest, I thought that it was a tad too salty, but for some reason when I ate one the next day for lunch I thought it was heavenly perfection. Either there's very slight differences between each sandwich despite being made all one way (doubtful) or that hunger truly is the best seasoning (very true!). I also bought one of their baked, savory goods at the counter. I thought it was a pizza but it was a very garlicky herb pastry with cherry tomatoes on it. A bit oily but not bad. I don't mind dropping by and grabbing another sandwich, maybe 2 or 3 for the road and I highly recommend you take the opportunity to do so too! read more

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Can't beat The Sandwich for the value and what it gives you. $6 gets you good Sicilian bread that has a crunch on the outside and softness on the inside. It's perfect bread for a cold cut sandwich. You get slices of mortadella, salami, capicola and a slice of provolone with a drizzy of olive oil. That's it... No mayo, no mustard, no LTO. And you know what, It's great. I look forward to stopping in whenever I'm in the area. I say hello to Mr. Mazzeo (the owner of Roma Market & creator of the sandwich) out front, pick up the sandwich for myself (maybe others) and I say goodbye to him on the way out. Always give the OGs respect. They deserve it. We also get chips to go with our sandwiches. Other times we may get Kinder products and a jar of Calabrian chili peppers. Thank you Jonathan Gold... the GREAT Jonathan Gold for sharing this sandwich with all of us. Thank you Jenn Harris of LA Times for continuing to shine the light on Roma Market. read more

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Very simple sandwich that you can take anywhere! Took a few of these to opening day at dodger stadium and make the perfect meal/snack! read more

Roma Market - The sandwich! - Delis Near Me - Pasadena, California

Love Ross and the staff. Been going there for 30 + years.. just like a deli in Italy. He will always direct you to the best of what your looking for...Yes, the sandwich is great! A true gem of a place.. read more

After reading countless recommendations for this market, I am sorry to report that their famous sandwich is nothing special. The price is good for what it is but the sandwich itself needs much more character to live up to the hype. They have a basket of the viral sandwiches already made and ready to-go next to the register which makes getting the sandwich very easy. I cannot speak of the market itself as I was not shopping for any Italian products but they seemed to have a good selection from what I can tell. read more

I tried a cold sandwich once. It was okay, though I wished it had some tomato. The bread was a little dry, but it was all right.

Who knew that there was an Italian deli so close by in Pasadena? There's a sweet grandpa who still comes in (might be the son of original owner?). Great ambiance. Don't worry about the long checkout line - it moves really fast. You have to come for the $6 sandwiches right at the checkout. They make the French roll fresh and all the meat and cheese inside ditto in fresh made and sliced at the deli. There's also a fridge against the wall with everything from tiramisu to fresh made pasta and other Italian foods. The aisles ate full of yummy desserts that bring me back to Roma. There's even a bunch of different pannetones, including one giant one that's $200?! Come here for all your italiaphiles in your life. There's a tiny parking lot in front but you might need to wait for a spot as folks are enjoying their fresh sandwich before getting in their cars to drive off! Forget subways or jersey mikes. Get your amazing sandwich here. Just beware that they're huge so it's really $6 to feed 2 people. And get your Italian drinks and gelato too!will definitely be back! read more

We love stopping by Roma on our way to Dodger Stadium. Their sandwiches are AMAZING!!! They are seriously the best sandwich I've ever had. They are simple yet so tasty. I'm so glad we found Roma. We found out about Roma from some other people attending a dodger game. We were sitting behind them at the stadium and saw them eating these sandwiches in pink paper. So we had to ask them where they got them. We're so glad they told us about Roma! read more

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This place is an institution. It has been featured in the LA Times and reviewed by countless food influencers around the world. The meat, the cheese, it's all imported directly from Italy. The 86-year-old owner, Rosario Mazzeo, is still there every day. The legacy of this place is beautiful, the food is unbelievably affordable, and there's a reason this is considered the best Italian sandwich in Southern California. read more

Great sandwich; it's simple and priced affordably. It was large enough I ate half then the othe half later...

We went here due to all the hype and we really liked the sandwich for the price. I don't think it's amazing but very good. The bread was fresh and the meats were high quality. It reminded me of a sandwich you might get in Europe such as the baguettes you can eat in France. We actually bought two sandwiches so we can eat it for dinner as well. The more we eat them, the more we like them. I would say don't expect anything too amazing but it's a solid, good sandwich that won't disappoint you. read more

QUICK AND EASY SERVICE Walked in, waited in line and got two sandwiches that were already out. The lady behind the cash register was SO sweet and had the nicest smile. I've never been to a market where I wasn't able to choose the type of sandwich i wanted since I came in with 0 clue. But i wasn't disappointed. The sandwich was simple yet so flavorful. Perfect amount of meat and cheese--crunchy bread. I highly recommend! read more

I got the famous sandwich and it lived up to the hype. I've eaten a lot of sandwiches from all around the world and this is up there. It's simple cured meat and cheese. The quality of the ingredients is what makes it and also the price $6. You buy the sandwich from the counter there was a couple left at 2:30 pm on a Monday. There's no seating so I took the sandwich to Brookside park by the Rosebowl. I would come here again and again just for this sandwich. read more

Roma Market - Deli sandwich - Delis Near Me - Pasadena, California

This place has been here for a million years!!! I've always loved their produce and cheeses and of course the famous sandwich!!! Family owned, great authentic Italian store! read more

The sandwich was really great Value. Lots of great food products from Italy. It's like a quick trip to Italy. read more

Back in town for another visit. Grabbed a sandwich for lunch today on our way back from Ojai. Delicious as always! Will stop by tomorrow to get one for the plane ride back to NJ on Saturday. Thank you! read more

Yelp deleted my review so I'll keep it simple.... A must try if you're ever in Pasadena. Simple and delicious Friendly staff and plenty of other things to get inside their market. read more

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The market is on the smaller end but really stocked with diverse items. Fast service counter. If you need a quick trip, you should be set with it not taking longer than 10 mins. As for The Sandwich; overall it was more bread than deli meats. Not my style but can respect the versatility you can add to the sandwich since this is inside the shop/market & you can add whatever sauces you want to ring up on the counter after buying it. read more

I LOVE this place so much, the Saturday cannolis, daily sandwiches for under $6! Delicious meats and snacks. (Marinated artichokes and the prosciutto and cheese stuffed peppers also. I know devastation ravaged Altadena and that this wonderful market was near those borders and hope they are all well. It's a little old school lookin deli market, a little dusty sometimes but has a good selections of all the sweet, salty and savory treats! read more

Roma market is an iconic Italian shop in Altadena. "The Sandwich" is what made it famous with its simple, flavorful ingredients. You'll find Italian breads and imported cookies - even some gluten free options! There are plenty of Italian imported ingredients and sauces and the staff so nice and helpful. When picking out the sandwich to take with you, the best in my opinion are made with the crusty bread. The sesame rolls (although I loooove sesame seeds) for some reason just aren't as satisfying as the crunchy exterior of the plain rolls. Just a tip - they can also make a veggie version of the sandwich for you too! read more