Pictured: The Chicken Cutlet Prosciutto Mozzarella Hero at Faiccos. Photo Courtesy of Faiccos.

Sandwiches are deceptively simple. All you need to make them is some bread and fillings, right? Or maybe there’s something else at play when it comes to crafting a great sandwich. At Faicco’s, dedication to freshness and homemade ingredients make for out-of-this-world sandwiches that have been delighting guests for over 120 years.

In 1900, Edward Faicco opened the original Faicco’s restaurant in Manhattan. The Faicco family passed down the business through different generations, and it’s now owned by Eddie Faicco, the founder’s great-grandson. After visiting the Gulf Coast and seeing his daughters attend college in Tampa, Eddie decided to make the move to Florida, where he opened Faicco’s Sarasota location in October of 2022.

Faicco’s specializes in heroes, the New York term for a sub sandwich. “All of our heroes are kind of unique. I don’t do what everybody else does,” Eddie says. The Italian hero, which comes in a spicy version as well, is the most popular, featuring prosciutto, ham cappy, hot soppressata, mozzarella, lettuce, tomato, roasted peppers, olive oil and vinegar. “We do a roast beef Italiano hero with shaved parmesan, balsamic glaze and sundried tomatoes, which is very popular,” he adds. While meats are a primary focus at Faicco’s, vegetarians and vegans can enjoy the vegetarian hero, with spicy broccoli rabe, roasted peppers, sundried tomatoes and arugula. Another tasty option is the Muffuletta, which is filled with Toscana salami, Genoa salami, hot soppressata, provolone cheese, an olive spread and pepperoncini.

Aside from heroes, the eatery serves a burger with meat which is ground in-house, as are its sausages. “We make our sausage on the premises. That we’re very famous for from New York. When we originally started the business back in 1900, that’s what my grandfather was known for. They used to call it a ‘pork store,’” Eddie says. Guests can sample Faicco’s sweet sausage, hot sausage and cheese and parsley sausage, made with the same recipe used by Eddie’s great-grandfather. During the weekend, the restaurant also makes fresh mozzarella. For dessert, don’t miss the cannolis with homemade filling and shells imported from Sicily. Patrons hosting larger gatherings can order catering sandwich platters and appetizer platters, which are a great choice for upcoming holiday festivities. “Almost everything we make here is homemade. Nothing is frozen out of a box. We do everything fresh ourselves,” he adds. “A lot of people don’t do it that way anymore. They do what’s easy. But over here, I feel like we still do things the old-fashioned way.”

Faicco’s, 3590 Webber St., Sarasota, 941-960-1395, faiccossarasota.com.

Pictured: The Chicken Cutlet Prosciutto Mozzarella Hero at Faiccos. Photo Courtesy of Faiccos.

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