Written by Karen Pacifico
Photography by Donna Huffman

t seems appropriate that as we welcome the new year, we also welcome a new restaurant to our area that offers fine dining with familiar dishes prepared with a unique touch.

Owners Nick Borreggine, Sr. and Nick Jr. provide us with years of experience and award winning cuisine. During its’ existence, Panini’s Café in Beaufort won the Taste of Beaufort award two years in a row and took first place at the Annual Shrimp Festival. It’s no wonder with Nick Jr.’s background. He graduated Johnson and Wales Cooking School where he learned valuable career skills and a recipe for success. He then apprenticed under Patrick O’Connell, co-owner and Executive Chef at the prestigious The Inn at Little Washington.

Panini’s Café boasts a brick oven where the pizzas and calzones are baked and you can also enjoy fresh foccaccia bread, which is baked on premise daily. The menu also offers hoagies, salads, soups and panini (little breads) which is a distinctive grilled Italian street sandwich, the ultimate comfort food. There are eight kinds of the grilled sandwiches. It can be ordered in cold versions like Hard Salami that comes with hard boiled egg, olives, artichokes, and caper cream cheese or hot, such as Roasted Porkette that comes with caramelized onion, poached pears, and with gorgonzola cheese. Both of these selections are $8 and all the panini choices are served with a spear trio and pasta salad.

A plate that was as pretty as any picture arrived at our table with Donna’s colorful and flavorful Antipasto while I tried a delicious Prosciutto and Roasted Peppers panini that is prepared with parmesan, and extra virgin olive oil. Both of our selections were $9.

If pizza is your preference, you can choose from nine types of brick oven pizza and you can request a Pizza Your Way for an additional charge. Chef Jeff Pufal suggests one of many entrée selections. You may want the Pan Seared Chicken Marsala with portobello, feta cheese, and mushroom essence over fettuccini for $16. Or perhaps the Veal and Shrimp Duet with truffled polenta and mushroom cream for $18. There’s a Ricotta Filled Tortellini with prosciutto and mushroom cream for $14 and an extraordinary Lump Crab Lasagna for $19.

When we visited for lunch the restaurant was open just one week. We were very impressed at the cordial manner in which all customers were greeted and found the general manager, Brook Pearse along with our server, Patricia to be caring and enthusiastic about this new venture. And they should be. Plans are being drawn up for outdoor dining and the creation of a dinner theater.

Donna and I brought a colorful, flavorful and delicious lunch to an end with a shared Tiramisu, which was excellent and not too sweet. And lastly, you know a good restaurant when the coffee is good. In that case, Panini’s Café is here to stay. We extend our best to the owners and staff who have a genuine concern for all their customers.

Panini’s Café is located at the Bridge Center, Highway 278.
Hours:
Lunch: 11am –3pm
Midday: 3pm-5pm (pizza, calzone and soups)
Dinner : 5pm – 10pm
10pm – closing (Limited menu)
Happy Hour : 3pm – 7pm
837-2676