Paradiso Delicatessen & Restaurant

Delish! The ravioli’s are amazing and so is the italian sausage sandwich! Would have gave it 5 stars but depending on when you go there, sometimes the lady working there has a bit of an attitude. But the food is delish!

Having grown up in Chicago, I was so very pleased to hear about Paradiso’s! Antonio and Theresa are family and have been at the deli for decades. Russ, Kyle and Wienceslao are part of the amazing team that takes care of you the way Mama Luisa would. I’m sure there was someone else in the back that I missed. Food amazing! Authentic, rich and not too salty so you know you are getting true flavors! Don’t miss this spot.

Great place to go for comfort food. The sweet lady, who helped me, reminded me of my nana… if my nana was Italian Which just goes to show that nana’s love is universal.
Anyway, back to the review. I would stick with the hot food as my friend ordered a cold sandwich and wasn’t nearly as happy as I was with my meatball sub. I’m more of a sauce and cheese girl and she made it how I liked. It’s a neighborhood spot that I look forward to visiting as the weather warms so I can sit out on the patio.

That meatball sandwich is still the best! I love coming here. It feels like the grandma’s house I never had.

I used to go to this local hole-​in-​the-​wall with my dad as a kid. It had been a good 20+ years since I had been and it hasn’t changed much, which I find nostalgic, cool and funky. I don’t need fancy décor and I can even deal with the yellowed, peeling, hand-​written lunch menu signs taped to the wall, but the service was seriously lacking. I saw the sign that said, if you aren’t served in 5 minutes, then you will be served in 7, 7, 12 minutes or when we can. Be patient.” I was greeted nicely by a woman in the hot foods area but completely ignored by the deli employee. When asked if I could place a order, he said «Hold on.» I waited patiently for about 10 minutes while he carefully prepped an order and then meticulously wrapped and stored the deli items. There was no one else waiting; I felt like I was in a time warp. I did only have a 30 minute lunch from work and I was extremely hungry, so no, I couldn’t wait. Sorry the employee wasn’t more responsive or communicative with patrons, and sorry that he didn’t call for help from staff in the kitchen.
I said I’d come back to eat when I have more time and ended up not able to eat on my lunch break. Somehow I don’t think I’ll be back. My visits to this deli shall have to remain as a distant childhood memory. I’ll head over to Chiramontes, another neighborhood Italian deli that’s been around and has great service!

This place is so cute and homey and their sandwiches are to die for! Also, inside is a small deli store with authentic Italian snacks, seasonings, and sides. The staff is very friendly and the customers (who are obviously regulars) really make this small-​town deli feel like home. Luckily, I work down the street, but I would go out of my way for this place! Seriously delicious!

Went here for an early Saturday lunch. The building is old and so is the décor, but it is also pretty great. It looks like most of the stuff has been added throughout the years, and definitely pulls off the ma and pop atmosphere that many Italian restaurants try to duplicate.
I had the meatball sub and it was delicious. The meatball was juicy, flavorful, and tasted fresh. The peppers were cooked perfectly. The bread was soft, and although it did fall apart, that is what is supposed to happen so I can deal with it. I would rather have fresh bread that soaks up the juice rather than something more sturdy.
In all… the food is excellent. My gf had ravioli’s that were terrific. Wasn’t too busy and the mom and pop running the place were polite and attentive. The only star off is because it doesn’t really give you the feeling like it is the cleanest place in the world… but I didn’t see anything that looked real sketchy, its just old.

I had the eggplant parmesan sandwich. The sauce and eggplant were good, but not really hot enough (it came from a hot bar). The bread was cold as well, so that didn’t help. The eggplant only had cheese on one side and they didn’t bother to put cheese on the other side. I ordered a side salad and it came with way too much ranch dressing and sliced tomato on top (sliced?).
Why not toast the bread? Why not melt the cheese? Why not restock your chips as you only had one bag of weird-​looking cheetos I had never heard of.
I get it — it’s a small mom and pop, it’s simple and not for «hipsters», but I don’t even think they’re doing mom and pop very well. Overall, these sandwiches were meh.

One of my favorite San Jose institutions is a falafel spot that has been open since 1966. This business could be its mother, so to speak. I would not be surprised if some of the folks behind the counter have been there since the family first opened it in 1947, and the longevity is no accident.
Paradiso’s is a market and deli on Auzerais Avenue close to 280’s Bird Avenue exit. Their parking lot is small and probably fills up daily, but the lot across the street is also welcoming of customers. They’re closed on Sundays and Mondays, which thwarted my plans to stop by a few months back. They only open around lunch, which seems to work just fine because they drew a decent crowd even on the day before Thanksgiving.
The creaky floors, the almost antique machines, and the real live fireplace make you feel as if you’ve walked into your grandma’s house. There are also posters, model trains, humorous signs, and really old bottled or canned foods and drinks (not intended for consumption). The actual food could well be grandma’s cooking as well, if you have an Italian grandma anyway. Maybe the one serving sandwiches and salads acts as a surrogate for her regulars. I’m not currently a local, so I regretfully can’t become one of those regulars.
Orders are placed at one of two counters, either on the hot food sauce side or the cold, sliced deli meats section. I convinced my friend to split some sandwiches with me. The roast beef looked pink and juicy, and it was relatively fresh because we’d gone early enough to beat the lunch rush. I had my half of the roast beef sandwich ($ 8.95) with both the mushroom gravy and the red tomato sauce. The beef was meaty, savory, and tender. The gravy and red sauce were probably not necessary except to enhance the bread, which is a bit boring and isn’t heated or toasted. I may have to inquire about substituting garlic bread next time.
It was a decent start, but the meatball sub with sweet peppers and provolone ($ 7.75) was yet to come. We both ate our first bites of it at the same time, and we agreed that it was fantastic. Fall-​apart tender meatballs, delicious red sauce, and the peppers and cheese that I’d been aware enough to order (they offer a meatball sandwich without the additional accoutrements) combined to make a delicious sandwich that was neatly held together by that same bread. It could have been better with a crunchy crust, but the entire sandwich is still wonderful without that detail.
Drinks are available in bottles and cans. They have beer and even wine if you’re so inclined, but we weren’t. My friend recommended a lemonade brand that I neither of us had heard of before, so I followed suit. The peach flavor of Hubert’s Lemonade ($ 2.10) was a half-​sugar, half-​Stevia mixture with 10% actual fruit juice, and that was the right ratio to make me not regret having aftertaste-​ridden Stevia. I don’t usually go with beverages that aren’t tap water, but I’m not entirely sure whether they would’ve had that available.
That lunch would’ve been memorable enough an experience alone, but I also picked up eggplant parmesan a la carte ($ 8.50) to enjoy later that evening. I haven’t had a better eggplant parm, nor can I imagine one. It’s as rich as any rendition and instantly makes you forget that it’s essentially meatless (although the red sauce may have hidden a few bits). The very middle part of the eggplant may be called underdone by some, but I liked the juicy reminder that it was started as a real vegetable.
It took the entire trip, but this visit to San Jose finally delivered a gem! Paradiso’s serves food as good as any lunch spot in town while also offering an unmatched charm. I can’t wait to return for more meatballs and eggplant parm.

This is a true mom and pops that has their loyal fans. Unfortunately, I’m not one of them. Their food is okay. An even vanilla flavor, nothing that jumps out.
But they seem to be doing well. Just need to dust and update the place.

I love the food here and enjoy the old fashion service and homely feeling of the place
I am considering only going there for take out in the future, the little old Sicilian busboy who knows it all, and has to stand by your table talking, and talking, and talking and knowing it all and asking questions often enough to personal to answer, is so annoying! if Theresa or Anthony came to talk to me I’d want them to pull up a chair and share their stories with me and my friends. they are so nice and mainly the reason why I keep on returning
I don’t know if I could take another trip to Paradiso’s if I had to have endure another torturous encounter with unsolicited conversation Sicilian busboy
Get a clue today I had to tell him 3 times that we came to have a nice meal and to talk not to him but to each other at the table the third time directly «we didn’t come here to talk to you can we eat now?»
Please bus your tables say hello good but and thank you that’s all

As someone who grew up with Italian food in the NY/​NJ metro area, I really want to love this place. It’s been here forever, has an authentic feel, and is unique given it’s surroundings.
With that said, I haven’t been overly impressed with the sandwiches I’ve tried there on two separate occasions. The chicken parm hero is OK, and they don’t really make the prosciutto/​mozzarella/​balsamic/​roasted red pepper sandwich that I think can define an old Italian deli like this. I’d give it 3.5 stars I could given it’s charm and the fact that it’s been family-​owned since the 1940s, and I’ll probably give it another shot soon.
Also, the kid/​guy behind the counter really could be friendlier.

I remember stopping by here a few years ago but couldn’t remember much besides that the sangria was yummy. I recently stopped by again because I’ve been on a binge of sandwiches that I like to bring to the misterfriend’s office for lunch. I came on a Friday so I was able to get their steak sandwich. I don’t know what I was expecting, but the process was really slow. The steak is extremely thin sliced and kinda lacking in flavor. The mushroom gravy saves it, but not by much. Skip the ravioli because it was just way too mushy. Even the meat was mushy. Maybe because I was the first customer that day I got yesterday’s ravs. The staff though is incredibly sweet and nice. A nice mom and pop shop that you want to support. Maybe I should try their cold sandwiches next time…

Customer service was a little slow.
Establishment is older and a little hidden.
Sandwich was super delicious. Worth the wait.

This place.
Is it a hipster vintage joint? Nope.
Is it a place with trendy food like pork belly? Nope.
Is it a place where people instagram their food? Nope.
Is the service that fast? Nope.
Is it a clean place? Nope.
But
Is the food good? Yup.
Is it cheap? Yup.
Is it a place where some of the patrons (and canned food) are older than the combined age of your group? Yup.
It’s a cheap and satisfying place with a lot of character. Don’t come here for a refined experience. Be here to feel at home, to get in touch with a part of America that is hard to find in the Bay Area anymore as tech companies chase out real people… This is a place with real grit, having seen San Jose go through so many changes… at least the food here hasn’t changed!

I heard great things about this place. Unfortunately it did not live up to the hype. The sauce looked old. The ravs were over cooked and mushy. The meatballs did not have much flavor and bread became mushy very quickly. I was not able to even finish half my food. The people that worked there, I’m assuming the owners, moved very slowly and used the microwave to heat up some of the food. Grant they seemed like the nicest people, but you had to yell your order at them a few times for them to hear it, and then there was still a chance the order would not come out right. I’m used to eating at La Villa where the food comes out freshly cooked, hot and with prompt customer service. I will not be coming back.

Sorry to say, had really expected a lot more out of this jaunt. The interior with exception of a small dining area in the back with many old photos and antiques, is tight quarters. Some of the areas seemed a bit dusty. The woman behind the hot counter was super friendly and very eager to tell you about the food or about the owner who comes in at 1am every day to begin prepping that days food. I got a couple of sandwiches for lunch and a couple of hot meals for dinner.
The chicken parm sandwich was more like baked chicken with a lot of sauce. My husband missed the breading normally chicken parm arrives in. I had the mortadella and it was good but expected it to stand out from a mortadella can get anywhere else. The hot foods despite I can clearly see the pasta and ravioli are sitting in their sauces and maybe a bit too cooked. I was right hence the flavors of the ravioli and the sauces are definitely authentic long cooked. It is competitively priced, flavors on the hot meals authentic, some cookies from a well known place in Jersey. There are soda’s, beer, wines for sale. Some pastas, oils, imported pasta sauces and tuna.
I’m just not one of those quantity and price over something could probably find elsewhere in a more organized setting for a bit more money.

I had heard about Paradiso’s sandwiches and thought I’d get in here.
All the sandwiches are posted on the wall; I spotted my fav: Soppresata.
I asked for Soppresata; was told they didn’t have any. I promptly ordered Coppa.
Your choice of cheese: I asked for Mozzarella. It was the pre-​sliced square type mozzarella. The Italian Combo means ‘everything on it’: includes mustard, cheese, tomatoes and pepperoncinis.
I asked for my peppers on the side.
i looked around the store for other Italian goodies and saw some dried pasta’s, wine, canned eggplants, pepperoncini’s, etc. After ten minutes, my Coppa was ready.
The bread was soft and tastey, the Coppa was ordered medium spicy and it was not spicy.
It’s a good sized sandwich for $ 6.05, enough for two light eaters. Chips are extra.
Props to the owners: At the hot lunch counter, I said to the attendant, I hear this place has good sandwich’s; she said they have been there since 1947.
Kudos: the lady behind the hot counter came out to chat with us: she was polite and informed us, the marinara cooks 18 hours.
My sandwich was tastey; if monochromatic: and lacking anything standout. Sorry to say that.
Customer service at the deli counter: ok, if ambivalent.
Décor: homey.
Parking: plenty right next door and across the street.
2.0 stars for now, but since there is no half star, I’ll bump them up to 3 stars.
Will return for the ravioli and spaghetti hot lunches.

This little gem is hidden from most other deli restaurants. Located away from downtown it is on a side street west of downtown. There are two counters, one for hot sandwiches the other for cold. I had the meatball. It was a large meatball that they cut into many pieces for your sandwich. The meatball looks wonderful but lacked flavor. The bread is good but not fantastic like the fresh sourdough at other sandwich shops. The best thing is that it is a family owned business and is worthy of your business. There is a large selection of meats and pastas. Seating is available in the back of the deli. A good find.

Wow this place is off the beaten path a bit. It’s old school, im talking 50s ish. A bit cluttered but it smells wonderful inside. Sandwich area and tea up front, hot foods in the middle and a dining room in the back. There’s some seating up front in a patio too. Got the Italian Combo as we were there on the later side and the hot food seemed to be pillaged and what was left looked desiccated. sandwich was decent as they use a certain Italian American producer in SF for their meats. Folks are pretty friendly and you can tell theyve been here for longer than ive been alive. I think the hot food needs a run at but id have to get here way earlier

I had a craving for some delicious Italian sandwiches while I was pregnant, but totally regret actually consuming the food here. This place could easily be on Kitchen Nightmares!
I walked towards the back to get the hot food, and since it was Friday, I ordered their speciality, Italian steak sandwich. An older gentleman took the cooked Italian steak from a container and put it on top of a dirty, unsanitary board where I could tell other meat had been and had fallen into the cracks. He very slowly cut the meat while talking to his friends. Then he wiped the board with a dirty rag before he put another Italian steak to cut for the second sandwich. It probably took about 15 minutes for this process. I was a bit perturbed, but I continued to stay positive because of all the good reviews. We also ordered one cannoli and a drink, and we paid something like $ 25, which I thought was high for what we actually got.
The sandwiches were so gross, flavorless, and barely warm. Both the brown and marinara sauce were not tasty. They brought out the cannoli, and when we saw it, there were two ants crawling on it! We were disgusted! The dining room was dusty with lots of knick-​knacks about. I decided then and there that if they couldn’t be bothered to clean the shopping and dining area, the kitchen was probably not clean either and that’s why there were ants on our food. It was incredibly careless for them to serve food with ants and I’m sure there are sanitation issues with the meat they serve.
I really hope people read this and decide not to patronize a disgusting place like this! Visit La Villa on Lincoln Ave. instead. Much cleaner, tastier, and better customer service.

Meatball sandwiches! If you’re looking for a tasty, no frills, meatball sandwich, come to paradiso. Don’t be alarmed when you walk in and see a bunch of things in your way. The lady saw I had a confused look on my face and she knew I was a first timer. She nicely told me how it worked. The front area had cold sandwiches, the middle area had hot food and sandwiches, and the back area is the dining section.
Throughout the store is a bunch of groceries and such too. It does feel a bit tight and dark inside, so don’t be turned off by that.
I went to the back area to look at the hot menu. The meatball sandwich menu item is actually on a piece of paper. There are a few ways to get it. We got the regular and the ones with fried peppers and provolone cheese. The sandwiches are huge! They are about 6 – 7 dollars each and can be sharable. I would have been fine with half, but I tried to finish and was able to eat another ¼. The sandwiches are a bit messy but they are good. The worker puts some sauce on the bread and then a huge meatball. She then cut the meatball into small chunks so it spread across the bread better. Added more sauce and toppings (like peppers and cheese, if you got them) and wraps it up.
Parking lot is a bit tight right next to their store, but they also have a lot across the street that is bigger.

5 Stars, 3 Reasons:
1. Meatball, Jack, and Jalapeño Sandwich
2. Service
3. Consistency

To me, this is what a chain like Buca di Beppo is trying to imitate.
It’s an Italian family’s kitchen. I mean literally, this is like being in someone’s house (I think it was a house).
I personally love the interior. It’s like it hasn’t changed in ages. Like you could visit your grandparents and find their house like this –comfortable and lived-​in. Many people have walked in here over the years and they keep coming back. Some might be turned off by it because it’s not like The Olive Garden or a franchise but I really find it charming and homey.
The meatball I had today was huge. It was probably the size of a cue ball. I was blown away by the sauce. It was out-​of-​this-​world. They don’t use bread crumbs in their meatballs and they’re fall-​apart tender. Wowee-​wow-​wow.
Good parking.