When I first stepped into Spianata & Co, I was taken by the simple yet quaint decor. It's somewhere between a kitchen slash cafe, with it's white linoleum covered walls, display of Italian flour and olive oil used to make their pizza bianca romana, espresso machine, simple wooden shelving stacked with panini, and a large glass window boasting of a little bakery behind it. There are a few bar stools where patrons can sit up on counters, but the space is small and more ideal for takeaway.
Spianata offers a wide variety of panini, and choosing one's usually the hard part. I normally stick to Speck & Taleggio (cured and smoked ham, taleggio cheese, walnuts) or the Mediterranean Humus & Fresh Red Pepper. Take 'em up on their offer to have it toasted. The bread becomes crisp on the outside, with this nice give when you bite into it. Really nice quality pizza bianca, which they make and bake fresh in there every morning. The panini are light and satisfying, and the ingredients within each panini, fresh and of a good quality. Great quality cured meats and cheeses. Friendly cheerful staff. And, they offer a frequency card. 10 panini = get one free. Sweet.
If you haven't been to Spianata and are around EC1, I highly recommend it if you've got a hankering for a good ol' panino (they close sometime around 3 pm daily). read more