20. Menu Monday: Frantonio’s Magnifico Sub Sandwich

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2 mins read
Magnifico Sub at Frantonio's Italian Deli & Cafe

It’s Menu Monday and time for this week’s look at a delicious menu item found at a Barrington area restaurant.  Today, I’m dreaming of an amazing sandwich you can only find at Barrington’s own Frantonio’s Italian Deli, Café & Catering.  The 20+ year-old deli owned by Franco and Patti Bruno is tucked away on the east side of Route 14 between the Barrington Area Library and Lake Cook Road.

Frantonio’s Italian Deli and Cafe – 421 N. Northwest Highway

Frantonio’s is quite a find if you love quality deli meats, Italian Subs, New York Style pizzas, imported Italian delicacies, homemade pastas, lasagna, sausage, cheeses and sauces.  The menu offers 36 subs to choose from, but one sandwich called “The Magnifico” came highly recommended by a friend and became a fast favorite.  That’s actually an understatement.  There was a period when I had a serious Magnifico addiction.

The Magnifico is not stuffed and overflowing with hearty deli meats, which makes it seem lighter to me.  It’s a thinner sandwich, but it’s loaded with flavor thanks to Frantonio’s sliced prosciutto, which is one of the main ingredients.  It reminds me of something I once ordered while on vacation in Italy.

Magnifico Sub at Frantonio's Italian Deli & Cafe
Magnifico Sub at Frantonio’s Italian Deli & Cafe

In addition to thinly sliced prosciutto, the Magnifico is made with Frantonio’s own fresh Mozzarella homemade by owner Franco Bruno.  Franco once showed us how he makes the mozzarella right in Frantonio’s kitchen and, let me tell you, this cheese is fresh, mild and so soft, it almost melts in your mouth.

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Franco adds tomato, basil, olive oil and Italian spices on top of the mozzarella cheese for a Magnifico sandwich that lives up to its name!

mag·nif·i·cent  maɡˈnifəsənt/ – adjective
late Middle English: via Old French from Latin magnificent – ‘making great’

1. impressively beautiful, elaborate, or extravagant: striking.  “a dramatic landscape of magnificent mountains”
2. very good: excellent “Frantonio’s Magnifico sub is magnificent”

Frantonio's Magnifico Sub
Frantonio’s Italian Deli, Cafe & Catering Owner, Franco Bruno

And there’s much more where the Magnifico came from.  Frantonio’s menu is full of authentic Italian options inspired by Franco’s home in southern Italy where he started cooking in a banquet hall at age 12.

The “Buon Appetito” Sub, for example, is “Cappiciollo, Genoa Salami, Mortadella, Provolone Cheese, Lettuce, Tomato, Onion and our Seasoned Dressing”. The “A La Delecto” Sub is “Roast Beef with Cheddar Cheese, Pepperoncini, Lettuce, Tomato and our Seasoned Dressing”. The “Fromaggio Abondanza” Panini is “Two Delicious Italian Cheeses: Asiago & Auricchio Provolone with Roasted Red Peppers and Italian Spices”.

And they have a colorful selection of homemade sides and salads, like Antipasto, Tortellini, Artichoke, Italian Potato and Eggplant salads. We love the Caprese, also made with Franco’s homemade mozzarella cheese.

Frantonio's Gourmet Deli in Barrington, Illinois
Frantonio’s Homemade Sides & Salads

You can reach Frantonio’s Italian Deli, Café & Catering by phone at 847-382-2997 and you’ll find them at 421 N. Northwest Highway in Barrington. For more information and a closer look at their menu, CLICK HERE to follow Frantonio’s on Facebook or visit their website at Frantonios.com.

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