Panzerò: bringing you fresh Italian street food in Rotterdam

Just a few minutes’ walk from Blaak station and the Markthal, you’ll find a cosy but delicious restaurant serving you godly Italian food. 

This fun-sized restaurant climbed to the top three of TripAdvisor’s best restaurants in Rotterdam. So, what sets it apart from your local Italian eatery?

Say you’re in the mood for Italian food, but — and this happens — not just for classic pizza and pasta. Instead, you’re on the hunt for:

Can’t be that hard to find such a place in a big city, right? You’d be surprised! Thankfully, we found Panzerò.

Real Pugliese food

My expat experience consisted of a short year in Italy — this was during a time when Facebook was still cool, and Mark Rutte wasn’t prime minister.

Much has changed since then, but I’ve never lost the love (or resulting kilos) for all that good food my Pugliese roommates served me.

While Rotterdam may not have my old housemates, it does have Luigi, our passionate host from Puglia and the proud owner of Panzerò. Upon founding Panzerò, the team had a few goals: 

A little bustling Italian holiday

Sitting down in Luigi’s restaurant makes you feel like you’re on a holiday in Southern Italy for a moment. Adding to the good vibes are the international staff, who you can tell really enjoy working there. 

Now it’s time to really lean into that holiday feeling and start your food journey with a giant spritz and some starters.

The freshness of it all

It’s here when you can really taste the difference. Olives, burrata and sun-dried tomatoes — the flavours hit harder than normal, and you can feel the Italian sunshine in your mouth. 

Did I mention that it’s totally suitable for vegetarians too? There was no meat in sight during our meal, and the sumptuous menu is well balanced with tons of great non-meat options. 

If you’re feeling extra fancy — or it’s just a Tuesday evening — treat yourself and order a glass or bottle of Primitivo as well.

A tale of Panzerotti, Polposition, and Parmigiana

Second serving, Panzerotti time! The difference (and beauty) is in the dough. With just one bite of a Panzerotti, you can immediately tell the dough is different from a regular pizza and that it’s ultra-fresh. 

I fell in love with the Alberobello because of the used ‘Nduja (a spicy spreadable salami-like substance). My friend found the Tonnato one a bit unconventional, but I loved the combo of tuna and citrus-like salsa — I’d suggest you give it a try!

A special mention goes to anything with octopus on the menu. We tried the Polposition sandwich, and everybody agreed that this was some amazing grilled octopus. If you’re a fan of a good eight-legged meal, it’s not to be missed.

The Parmigiana, which is without pasta, brought the same feeling to my veggie friend (but by all means, share all those dishes with each other, everything goes here).

And yes, they make a mean lasagna

This Italian restaurant still smuggles in some pasta — how could it not?? Luigi and his crew can bake you a few oven dishes that will soothe any Garfield-like lasagna fiend such as myself. 

I’ve already thrown heaps of deserved praise on the Parmigiana, but there’s more. The lasagna caserecce is the comfort food you need in life, and actually a steal for just €18. 

Book that holiday

While we were completely stuffed after all this good food, we did manage to devour some desserts. And boy, do we have some recommendations for you.

The pistachio lava cake is their best-selling pastry, and you can see why; who doesn’t love pistachio creme in a pastry, after all?

Combine it with an espresso and/or a limoncello, and you’re all good to go back into the Dutch streets — a bit heavier — but also much happier. 😉

If you’re looking for fresh food, something different than your classic Italian menu or just want to taste some of that passion that Luigi and his colleagues are bringing to the plate, then say no more. 

Will you be heading over to Panzerò for a bite of delicious Puglian food? Tell us in the comments below!