We discovered this wonderful gourmet cafe, deli, and wine market called il Paesano about five minutes from our home on East Oakland Blvd in Fort Lauderdale. It’s on the north side of Oakland Park Boulevard which I pass by several times daily but I passed it by for months without noticing it until my husband suggested that we stop one day.
il Paesano is a cafe in the classical sense of the term; not a restaurant. It’s also very thoroughly Italian, so much so that I wouldn’t know the difference between eating here or in Italy. It’s a family run business that not only serves fresh authentic Italian meals, but alway sells delicious products, mostly imported from Italy.
Besides having a display case of daily food offerings, they also have a blackboard of daily specials, generally consisting of Panini Sandwiches. The menu changes daily and the food is made fresh daily.
We ordered the Italia Panini with prosciutto de parma, fresh buffalo mozzarella, homemade pesto, tomatoes and extra virgin olive oil. As we waiting for our paninis to be prepared, they bought us a plate of olives and assorted cheeses and cured meats.
My Italia was delicious, prepared with Italian panni bread, and was true in every detail to those I’ve had in Italy. And, the simple small dining arrangements also held true to the cafes of Italy.
We enjoyed our lunch so much that we went back again for dinner. This time I went for the eggplant lasagne, and a salad of fresh arugula, buffalo mozzarella with slides of prosciutto. My husband had their gnocchi, which I tasted and it too was delicious. The owners Vergilio and Paola are incredibly friendly and happy to accommodate. It’s more like being a guest in someone’s house than being in a commercial restaurant.
We were stuffed but couldn’t resist ordering one of their Italian desserts on display. The Nutella cake was scrumptious.
As both a cafe and market, il Paesano has a vast selection of Italian wines, cheeses, sausages, pastas and other food products.
The Italian wine selection is fantastic and you take it off the rack. The wine cellar area is also used for private dinners, and can seat up to six adults.
iL Paesano hosts wine tasting classes for beginners. It’s a fun way to spend a few hours and tasting a selection of 5 wines, paired with food to accompanying the wine. Space is limited to 15 persons per class.
il Paesano Italian Gourmet Food Cafe, Deli and Wine Market 2645 East Oakland Park Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33306
(954) 396-1700
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Kathy Kirby
June 6, 2016 at 10:57 amWe discovered il Paesano last February and I believe we probably ate there 15 times before heading back to Michigan late April. We made a huge effort to share this little piece of heaven with all our friends who live in the area year round. Virgil and Paola are just like family and we are hopeful that they’ll have a great summer and fall so we can join them again in January. The market and the dining are truly authentic, fantastic and delicious.
Carmen Edelson
June 6, 2016 at 11:49 amThat’s wonderful! Just like you we have been there multiple times as well for either lunch or dinner. When I don’t want to cook, I go by and pick up some homemade pasta and salad for dinner. All the meals are delicious and I can eat their everyday.
Suze - Luxury Columnist
June 6, 2016 at 1:00 pmYou just can’t go wrong with Italian food, they take real pride in it! I hope you enjoy the wine tasting class if you go
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Carmen Edelson
June 6, 2016 at 1:17 pmYou cannot go wrong with pretty much anything on their menu. I haven’t had the chance to do the wine tasting class yet, but will eventually.
Andra
June 26, 2016 at 5:21 amI just love Italian food. Restaurants serving authentic Italian foods are rarely missed in our travels. It’s so nice that you guys got to discover this little Italian gem.
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Carmen Edelson
June 26, 2016 at 11:50 amI can eat Italian food everyday. We just happen to drive by one day and my husband said lets stop here for lunch. It was truly a great find.
Vicki Louise
June 26, 2016 at 7:44 amIt looks and sounds lovely – Italian is my favorite cuisine! Will definitely look this place up when I am in the area! Looking forward to hearing how the wine tasting goes if you make it.
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Carmen Edelson
June 26, 2016 at 11:51 amI happen to miss the wine tasting event this month because I was traveling, but will definitely make their next one.
LeAnna Brown
June 26, 2016 at 10:51 amNice to know that even after we move back to the US from Europe that we’ll still be able to find little gems that remind us of life in Europe!
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Carmen Edelson
June 26, 2016 at 11:52 amOne of my favorite things when we travel to Europe is dining in little off the beaten track places like this one.
Fiona Maclean
June 26, 2016 at 10:53 amSounds very good and pretty authentic! I am not suprised you ended up feeling very full!
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Carmen Edelson
June 26, 2016 at 11:55 amOf all the Italian food that I have tasted in the states, this is one of the best restaurants.
Mar Pages
June 27, 2016 at 2:42 amIts always exciting to find new restaurants in the area, I should make it a point to try eateries I’ve seen but never tried. Love the authenticity in this cafe!
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Carmen Edelson
June 29, 2016 at 7:16 pmI really like finding local restaurants like this one that I consider a gem. The food is fantastic!
Jen Joslin
June 27, 2016 at 4:52 amI love Italian food and this post made me hungry! Everything looks so delicious, especially that nutella cake 🙂 Great find!
Carmen Edelson
June 29, 2016 at 7:20 pmI can eat here everyday, but would put on 25 pounds by the end of the month.
Carly Moore
June 27, 2016 at 5:16 amYou just can’t beat a family run business. They survive for so long because they’re so good! Love the look of their wine selection!
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Carmen Edelson
June 29, 2016 at 7:25 pmBeing a family run business makes it extra special for us. It’s like having a home cooked meal each time we go.
Jennifer Melroy
June 28, 2016 at 2:03 amThis looks like a great little place to have a glass of wine and a sweet treat. Very cute.
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Carmen Edelson
July 4, 2016 at 7:27 pmIt’s the perfect place to stop for a glass of wine and some fine Italian cheeses and snacks.
lisa
April 12, 2021 at 11:10 pmI really, really love your sharing. See those photos, i could not help drooling. Hope to have an opportunity to eat Italian food.
Carmen Edelson
April 14, 2021 at 6:45 pmMeans a lot, Lisa! Thanks.
Christofeer Linda
May 16, 2021 at 1:54 pmWhat an excellent combination of these Italian foods. Yum! I don’t want to miss this opportunity to eat this Italian food when I visit Itali next time. Thanks for sharing this authenticity in this cafe!
Carmen Edelson
May 18, 2021 at 2:47 pmAlways happy to share great food recommendations!
Mustard
June 12, 2021 at 1:55 pmI have been looking for references in Italian food for some time and this restaurant seems to have quality food and wine. As a tourist guide I will definitely recommend this site and this restaurant.
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Carmen Edelson
June 14, 2021 at 4:46 pmThat’s great! Enjoy.