The locally famous Dirienzo's is what first inspired Sandwich Thursday. I would phone the boyfriend, take his order and make a mad dash from work to Dirienzo's in Little Italy where I would impatiently stand in line, pick the perfect buns and order two sandwich masterpieces. When I got back to work I would attempt to eat lunch discreetly, trying not to draw attention to my spicy #14 but I couldn't hide the saran wrapped sandwich monster from my coworkers and they wanted in on my Thursday treat. My two sandwich trip eventually turned into 30 sandwich pilgrimages. I don't do the large orders anymore but I still drop in for the occasional #14 and to chat with the guys behind the counter.
Dirienzo's is fresh, cheap ($5.00!) and also pretty fast. Yes, the line curls around the grocery shelves and may seem a little intimidating but these are sandwich professionals who have mastered the art of the sandwich lunch rush. At the peak of lunch hour you won't be in line for long unless you're behind someone like me who must examine every bun in the bin before picking the one destined to be made into a sandwich. Besides cold deli sandwiches they have a selection of hot sandwiches (chicken parm is a favorite), fresh pastas, tarts and the occasional cannoli. If you drop by on the weekend save room for some of the great Italian desserts that come from a bakery in Montreal - my favorite is the tiramisu and of course, cannolis!
