Pepèn

You cant find a more typical place in Parma. Excellent food and people !!
I recommend to order the same like the locals and not ask about the ingredients
(especially about pesto di cavallo)

Pepèn was our saviour when the whole Parma was having their riposo and there was no food in sight.
This place was tucked in a side street and was rather invisible from the outside until you went inside where it was packed with locals having their lunches standing, Italian style, while conversing animately with the sandwich shop workers.
It’s probably one of the local joints that Parmanites (is that correct?) frequented since there were more locals than tourists as far as we could see. We were probably as obvious as Hansel & Gretel lost in the jungle because we didn’t know where to start or whether there was a menu anywhere (there was, on the wall).
So we ended up asking recommendation on what to order — and we got the famous Spaccaballe and a ham and cheese (which in Parma means prosciutto & parmigiano sandwich — none of those pinkish industrial ham and yellow cheese, thank you!) and two white wines on a glass.
Sandwiches were delicious, prices were so low, we were happy. Everything was right in the world again.
So if you happen to be in Parma and don’t know where to go for light bites or stuck in riposo time like we did, make sure you go visit Pepèn.

When you see locals outside eating while they are standing up that tells a story. We stumbled accross this place by accident and boy are we glad we did. It was authentic Parma and very tasty. We had a pork sandwich which was fantastic…
Also had the pizza which was very good, not the normal thin crust you see around Italy. Highly recommend

Definitely great sandwiches, a lot of choice, it’s always full of happy local people and it’s a pity there isn’t one like this near my home in Germany. Highly recommended!

It was a little hard to find, but I’m glad we did. (It’s actually tucked in the alley off of Via Giuseppe Mazzini.) We heard it was the best place in Parma for panini, and it didn’t disappoint. It’s tiny and fast, made for eating on your feet or at a bar stool (if you’re lucky). The panini were outstanding and the staff was very patient as I muddled through the menu.

My Parmigiano friend took me to this historic paninoteca specialized in «Lo Spaccaballe» (Liteal meaning is hysterical, lol. Check your dictionary!) which is a sandwich with roast beef, tomatoes, mayonnaise, spicy sauce, chili pepper, & lettuce and «La Carciofa» (savory pie with artichoke and cheese). There is always a long line outside and you can’t really sit down to eat (it’s more like a take-​out deli) but it’s worth the wait. I personally prefer the nearby «Da Walter“‘ for panini but Pepen makes pretty tasty sandwiches. If you are a Juve fan, don’t let the chef find out because he’ll make your sandwich extra spicy!!!