I have gone around the world and have sampled almost every variant of the cheese sandwich known to man, but one variant I have never discussed is the Italian cheese sandwich.  No… Not, pizza. I refer instead to piadina, the Italian flatbread sandwich which comes from the Romagna region of Italy (also famous for parmesan cheese, basalmic vinegar, and spaghetti bolognese).  My friend Hakeem is from this region, so he decided to take me to Piada, a small sandwicherie in Lower East Side of Manhattan.

I ended up ordering the piadina with mozzarella, roasted red pepper, and zucchini, a very simple yet delectable treat.  It’s arguable whether this is a true cheese sandwich, but it is definitely a good cheese sandwich.  One of the great things about Italian food is its simplicity, and while it would be tempting to put some kind of pesto sauce or roasted garlic hummus, it would do nothing but ruin the taste of the sandwich.  I am a firm believer in the philosophy of “more is less”, when I’m not believing in the post-structuralism.

I am told by Hakeem that they do not make the flatbread in house, but they do import it directly from Italy, and it is the quality of flatbread that makes the sandwich so great.  It is a little pricey for what they offer, and they have a very limited vegetarian selection, so I can’t give it much more than three cheese sandwiches.  If you don’t mind shelling out a little more for a sandwich, Piada is a good option to try when you’re in the Lower East Side.

Piada
3 Clinton Street
New York, NY 10002 
(212) 677-5415