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It’s Friday afternoon and I’m in South San Francisco hungry and dreaming and craving for a big seafood sandwich. I am in luck because there are 2 legendary sandwich shops, Teani’s and Little Lucca just a few doors apart!
Many locals may not know that Howard Teani owned the original Little Lucca from 1980–2001 before opening Teani’s Italian Deli nearby.
I checked the lines and Little Lucca’s line is out the door and down the block and so I ventured to Teani’s down a few doors as both have a Seafood Sandwich on Fridays.
For atmosphere, Teani’s wins hands down. Walking inside feels like stepping into a time capsule, with walls covered in memorabilia, vintage photos, an old cash register, rotary phone, toys, and figurines. They also carry Italian groceries, pasta, sauces, focaccia bread. There is a small table often filled with longtime friends catching up over lunch.
Both shops are famous for their oversized sandwiches and beloved garlic-jalapeño spread. On this visit at Teani’s by the time I reached the counter they had just run out of bread!
So it’s back to Little Lucca. I’ve been going to Little Lucca since the 1990s, and it remains one of my all-time favorite sandwich spots. Fresh ingredients, generous portions, house-made spreads, and sandwiches stacked so high they require two hands to eat and so messy you need a stack of napkins. Meat, cheese, and toppings are packed , stacked and so juicy and dripping with every bite.
Friday’s Seafood Combo is the dream order—shrimp and imitation crab piled high onto freshly baked Dutch Crunch bread, hold the hot sauce and onions and extra pickles. I ate 1/2 for lunch and the other 1/2 for dinner for under $16.75. Wait 10 minutes Teani… 20 minutes Little Lucca).
This is the kind of sandwich you crave and dream about, and happily drive across the Bay Area for.
Teani’s or Little Lucca’s both are winners!
