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Date: 5/14/2019
WEST SPRINGFIELD – Lunch-time at Calabrese Market and Deli is an adventure in new flavors and old favorites. Located at 54 Park St., in West Springfield, Calabrese offers an array of 19 different paninis for a variety of tastes.
I tried the Southender, a panini that reminded me of backyard cookouts with grilled sausage links, sliced length-wise and covered with cooked peppers and onions. Melted provolone blanketed it all and provided a gooey ribbon of cheese that stretched between the halves when I picked one up to take my first bite. It was flavorful and the cheese held everything in place so that nothing slid out of the sandwich. Calabrese will add a little splash tomato sauce if requested.
All of the paninis come with a bag of kettle chips and a pickle spear, which, as a pickle lover, provided the perfect end to my meal.
If you’re not a fan of paninis, Calabrese will make it on a half baguette or a water roll, too. In addition to paninis, they offer soups, salads, gourmet grilled cheeses, and simple cold sandwiches. They even have gluten-free bread for those with an intolerance.
I couldn’t resist ordering a ball of breaded asiago cheese and I was only slightly disappointed that it crumbled when cut into. All of the items in their cold case, including meatballs, stuffed peppers, and lasagna, looked tempting. I was glad I brought my restraint, or else I’d have left with one of everything.
The prices at Calabrese are very reasonable. A panini is $7.50, which brings it just under Panera’s prices. At Calabrese, however, you get a mom and pop experience and authenticity that can’t be faked.
The shop is small but packed with character. Over the meat counter, hang ristas of peppers and garlic, which adds to the Italian feel. An assortment of olive oils can be sampled and purchased by the bottle. I was delighted to find they sell Stewart’s soda in their familiar glass bottles.
Despite the lunch-time rush, the service was fairly quick and pleasant, and I look forward to returning.
As much as I enjoyed the Southender, I’m thinking of trying something new next time I go to Calabrese. With that much variety, I have a feeling I’ll find a lot of new favorites.