Peter and Dana Burdi have opened a new Italian sandwich shop called Pronto. (Jim Slonoff photo)
Pronto Italian Sandwiches
Address: 8 E. First St.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily
Website: http://www.prontosandwiches.com
Opened: Feb. 1
Owners: Peter and Dana Burdi
Type of business: pickup and delivery sandwich shop
What's on the menu: eight Italian sandwiches named after famous Italian celebrities like Brando, Pacino and Sinatra, along with a kid's turkey sandwich and soft drinks
Peter and Dani Burdi were visiting their daughter overseas when they discovered a delicious treat.
"Our daughter was studying in Italy and we would eat these amazing sandwiches," Dana said. "She found a place she loved and she brought us there. We fell in love with the Italian sandwiches with the special bread, schiacciata. We thought this would be great to bring back to the states."
"Schiacciata" basically means "squished" or "pressed," and is a cross between a focaccia and a ciabatta. The bread is filled with meats and cheeses imported from Italy, and sandwiches are made to order.
"If you order a chicken parm (the Coppola), the chicken is literally fried and put on a bun with mozzarella and vodka sauce for you," Peter said.
The pickup window is on the eastern side of the couple's Italian restaurant, Il Poggiolo. The building's history as the site of the first silent movie theater in Hinsdale inspired the names of the sandwiches.
Reception so far has been great, the Burdis said.
"We sold out on Saturday and Sunday - breads and meats and cheeses," Peter said of opening weekend.
Customers can order using Door Dash, Grub Hub and Uber Eats.
Pronto also offers catering for offices, with the Oscar Box (20 half sandwiches) and the Emmy Box (12 half sandwiches).
Il Poggiolo chef Saul Maya helped the couple develop the flavor profiles.
"I tell you, I never ate so much bread," Dana said. "This has been a lot of fun eating sandwiches."
