Mangia's Sandwiches: Your next go-to sandwich stop
You may have seen signs for a new sandwich shop along Granville called Mangia’s Sandwiches, and we’re here to tell you it’s worth the visit.
Mangia offers a no-nonsense menu with nine sliced-to-order sandwiches for you to choose from. We had a chance to sit down with owner Kirk Bergez to talk about the new venture and more importantly, try some delicious sandwiches.
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The inspiration for Mangia’s Sandwiches
“This is more back to our roots,” said Bergez when asked about the inspiration to open an Italian deli. Mangia is a sister restaurant to the beloved Jo’s Italian Deli which is known for its affordable Italian carbs like pasta and sandwiches. While Jo’s has an extensive menu, Mangia’s goal is to keep things simple.
“The first store we opened in Chilliwack, which was Jo’s Italian Deli, actually started out to be relatively similar to this,” continued Bergez. “What happened over time is people would ask, ‘Oh, you have a meatball sandwich, ever make spaghetti?’ We just kept saying yes, yes, yes, yes, yes until Jo’s Italian Deli became what it is today.”
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“Then we decided, why not try to go back and build a business around the sandwiches and salads concept that we originally had in mind and see if we could do that?”
The influence of Jo’s can be seen throughout the sandwich shop, but Mangia still has its own unmistakable vibe. Think modern Italian deli.
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The sandwiches
It was difficult not to look longingly as Bergez and his team crafted each sandwich sliced to order. During our visit, we had the opportunity to try three sandwiches: the Italian Deli, Meatball, and Roast Beef.
From there, you’re able to customize your sandwich the way you want. We’d recommend ordering “The Classic” which includes provolone, dressed lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and mayo. You’re also able to add roasted red peppers, roasted mushrooms, and pickles. Pesto, spicy chili spread, extra cheese, and extra meat are available for an additional charge. But don’t worry, we tried each topping and can assure you they are all delicious.
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To no surprise, our favourite was the Italian Deli which we ordered the classic way. Everything tasted incredibly fresh and it was neat watching your meat and cheese get sliced right in front of you. If you’re looking for a delicious classic Italian sandwich, look no further.
According to Bergez, there are a couple factors that go into making a good sandwich, starting of course with the bread.
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“We order our bread par-baked so you get that good, fresh, soft roll that can still hold up to the toppings,” he said.
“In terms of toppings, they have to be fresh. You want a mix of fatty, clean, and acidic. So, our vinaigrette is a bit acidic, we use balsamic vinegar for a bit of sweetness, and then we add the lunch meats and cheeses which are more substantial.”
As we said earlier, customers are able to add whichever toppings they’d like. Bergez told us that a good sandwich is whichever kind of sandwich you like.
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While the Italian Deli was our favourite, we’d be remiss to not talk about the Roast Beef and Meatball.
The Meatball had this incredible sauce that covered three hefty meatballs. It was all covered with melty provolone cheese and while we’re sure you can add as many other toppings you’d like, there’s nothing wrong with just sticking to the basics in this case. However, we also ordered the Roast Beef with all possible toppings and had absolutely zero regrets.
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Worth the visit
While the food and atmosphere are both stellar, the customer service needs its moment to shine. One of the great things about making each sandwich sliced-to-order is the person making your sandwich has time to chat with you. We shamelessly eavesdropped on some of these interactions while enjoying our sandwich and each conversation was genuine as opposed to some other fast-food sandwich shops that just yell hello at you when you enter (we’re not going to name names).
Overall, Mangia offers high-quality ingredients and tasty sandwich options with a focus on customer service. And while we can go on and on about how much we enjoyed our visit, we’d recommend just going in yourself.
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Mangia’s Sandwiches
Address: 2690 Granville Street, Vancouver