On 20 September 2025, Old Compton Street staged a familiar scene for anyone who has queued on Florence’s Via dei Neri. Lines formed early and curled around the block for All’Antico Vinaio London, which marked its debut with a giveaway of 500 sandwiches. The event read less like a routine opening and more like a public performance calibrated for smartphones. The queue worked as a theatre and proof of demand. It generated the user videos and posts that have always powered the brand’s rise from local favourite to international name. In Soho, as in Florence, the line itself functioned as an advertisement.
The choreography matters. In travel blogs and social feeds, All’Antico Vinaio is often represented by two elements: overfilled schiacciata and the queue outside. The opening reproduced both. That approach contrasts with the previous tenant at 61 Old Compton Street, I Camisa & Son, a long-standing Italian deli that rarely drew pavement-length lines. Where Camisa conveyed continuity and community, the newcomer foregrounds scarcity, velocity and spectacle. For a viral brand, that is the point. The queue signals that time is the currency, and that the product is worth waiting for. It also sets expectations that the operation inside must work flawlessly once a customer reaches the counter.
What the London menu signals
The London menu blends Florence’s greatest hits with a local special. Headliners include La Favolosa with Sbriciolona, pecorino cream, artichoke cream and spicy aubergines. La Paradiso marries mortadella, pistachio cream and stracciatella. La Boss pairs prosciutto crudo with pecorino and truffle cream. These compositions act as brand anchors. They tell returning fans that the core has travelled intact.
Localisation arrives in La London, a UK-exclusive with porchetta, matured cheddar, potato cream and caramelised onion. The swap to cheddar states the intent clearly. It signals recognition of local taste while keeping the architecture of the Florentine sandwich intact. Vegetarian choices such as Caprese AV and Ponte Vecchio provide a path for non-meat eaters, although there is no explicit reference to halal options. The offer is broad enough to satisfy first-time visitors who want the classics and Londoners who prefer a local nod.
How London prices compare with Florence
Price is the fault line. Early customer feedback converges on the same theme. London sandwiches priced at £11.90 to £14.90 feel expensive next to Florence, where typical equivalents have been widely reported at around €8 to €12. Using an illustrative exchange rate of £1 = €1.18, a £11.90 sandwich converts to about €14.07, which can be 17% to 76% above some Florence listings depending on the item. That places All’Antico Vinaio Soho in London’s premium lunch tier, competing with sit-down casual options as much as with other sandwich counters.
The shift has consequences. In Florence, the value story blends generous portions, strong flavour and a price that many consider fair. In London, similar generosity at a higher price invites sharper scrutiny of service speed, accuracy, cleanliness and consistency. If any element slips, the perceived value collapses faster because the customer is paying more. A brand can charge a premium price for a premium experience if it consistently delivers one. Early reviews suggest a gap between promise and delivery. Closing that gap is now the operational priority.
From family shop to global brand
The company’s origin story begins with the Mazzanti family and a modest panineria near a historic wine cellar on Via dei Neri. Accounts differ on the first year of trading, citing either 1989 or 1991, but the arc is clear. For years, the shop served traditional Tuscan sandwiches to locals and tourists. The inflexion point came when Tommaso “Tommy” Mazzanti entered the business. After graduating from hotel school, he joined in 2006 and helped push the brand into a modern growth phase. Milan arrived in 2020. The United States followed in 2021. London is the latest proof that the formula scales across borders when the conditions are right.
How social media powers demand
Mazzanti treated the internet as part of the shop floor. He started with TripAdvisor, soliciting reviews that multiplied visibility. As Instagram and TikTok matured, he turned his sandwich-making skills into a form of content. The founder’s persona, the famous catchphrase “Bada come la fuma”, and slow-motion clips of steaming bread created a loop where every service became marketing. The queue fed the feeds, and the feeds fed the queue. By 2014 the business was being cited for extreme review volumes. Over time the hashtag around the catchphrase drove tens of millions of views.
This is an inversion of the usual hierarchy. Marketing is not a wrapper for the product. It is an integral part of what customers are buying. People purchase a large, photogenic sandwich and the right to share that moment. That is effective when the shop floor experience aligns with the digital promise. It is brittle when it does not. In Soho, the brand inherits both the power and the risk of its own visibility.
Corporate structure behind the UK move
The international push is built on partnerships. In the US, All’Antico Vinaio works with the Bastianich family, the group associated with Joe Bastianich and Tanya Bastianich Manuali. The UK vehicle follows the same logic. Companies House records show AV OLD COMPTON STREET LTD incorporated on 9 August 2024, with Tommaso Mazzanti, Joseph Victor Bastianich and Tanya Maria Bastianich Manuali appointed as directors in September 2024, alongside British director Katarina Safai in September 2025. A registered office in central London signals capital, governance and intent. The structure mirrors the American rollout that enabled rapid growth there, suggesting long-term plans for the UK rather than a single flagship.
Inside the product and process
The signature bread is schiacciata, not focaccia. It is thinner, often larger, and baked for a crisp shell and a tender, aerated crumb. Staff slice big sheets horizontally, brush with olive oil and release a plume of steam. That moment embodies the brand’s catchphrase and communicates freshness.
Replicating this across continents is difficult. Early London feedback includes critiques that loaves felt smaller, drier or less aromatic than in Florence. Differences in hydration, proving, ambient conditions, oven calibration and handling can produce noticeable variance in texture. Because the bread is the base of every item, small inconsistencies ripple through the entire offer. When the bake is right, the crunch-to-chew ratio complements rich fillings, and the whole thing comes together as a cohesive piece. When the bake is off, fillings lose their frame.
Supply chains and consistency
Authenticity claims rest on ingredients. The menu lists protected and regional products, including prosciutto crudo di Parma, mozzarella di bufala, pecorino and Sbriciolona. For US stores, customers and trade sources have long discussed direct imports from Italy to protect flavour integrity. It is reasonable to assume London follows a similar path for key items. Air freight, cold chain logistics and import duties raise costs and complexity. Vegetables and herbs can be more sensitive to transit than cured meats. If greens lack snap or tomatoes arrive at the wrong ripeness, the sandwich balance shifts. Managing a trans-European supply chain to Soho standards is an operational discipline as important as baking.
Service training and hygiene risks
The opening fortnight generated reports of slow service and mis-steps at the counter. Several customers described a two-stage wait, with a 20- to 30-minute wait outside followed by a 10- to 20-minute wait inside. Others said staff appeared unsure of recipes, which led to incorrect builds or omissions. A handful referenced cleanliness concerns and the need for clearer task separation to prevent cross-contamination.
Launch-week pressure amplifies flaws. High staff turnover, unfamiliar equipment and uneven training can produce bottlenecks. The cure is process. Clear roles reduce friction. A visible expediter improves flow and accuracy. Standardised builds and allergen briefings cut error rates. For a £12 to £15 counter service product in central London, these are not extras. They are foundations of the value proposition. Every minute saved and every correct order reduces the risk that the queue becomes a liability rather than an asset.
Impact on Old Compton Street
A long line is not just a marketing device. It is a physical intervention in a busy street. Old Compton Street is narrow, with dense footfall and tightly packed frontages. A queue that wraps around the block can slow pedestrian flow and complicate access for neighbours. The address sits within Westminster’s West End Cumulative Impact Zone. That policy focuses on licensed premises and the impacts of the late-night economy, but persistent daytime obstruction can still draw attention from responsible authorities and local groups, such as The Soho Society.
Mitigations exist. Stewards can manage spacing. Clear signage can keep entrances and fire exits free. Timed in-store collection or number allocation can cut pavement dwell time. If the brand wants to reassure neighbours and regulators, proactive queue management will help.
Competition in Soho
Soho is a sandwich city. Within a short walk are other destination counters, including Crunch, plus category crossovers such as smash-burger specialists and pizza-by-the-slice vendors that also draw lines and dominate feeds. Price points overlap. A £10 to £15 spend buys a top-end sandwich, a burger with sides, or two large slices. For many customers, the decision is less about cuisine and more about experience, portion, speed and bragging rights.
To win repeat business, All’Antico Vinaio Soho must defend on three fronts. Product quality must be consistent across the day. Service must be brisk and accurate. The queue must feel like momentum, not friction. Local competitors already execute well on at least two of those three.
Stepping into the Camisa legacy
The site brings history. For more than 60 years, I Camisa & Son anchored Italian food culture in Soho. Its closure in 2024 produced an outpouring of affection and concern. The arrival of another Italian operator softens the blow, yet the contrast is stark. Camisa embodied a slower, neighbourhood cadence. All’Antico Vinaio operates at the speed of social media and international expansion.
The inheritance cuts both ways. There is a ready audience for Italian produce and sandwiches. There is also a memory of how the corner once felt. The newcomer does not have to mimic the old shop. It does need to prove that it is a respectful neighbour that adds to the street rather than eclipses it.
Is it worth the hype
The product can be excellent when the bread sings and the fillings are balanced. The size satisfies. The ingredients deliver bold flavour. For a food-motivated visitor who wants to sample a global hit, the experience can feel like a 7 out of 10, justifying a special trip.
The caveat is consistency. At London prices, the threshold for disappointment is lower. Reports of slow service, recipe confusion and hygiene worries erode goodwill quickly. The queue that signals popularity can become an hour of sunk time if the sandwich disappoints. The verdict today is mixed. Worth trying if you arrive early or catch an off-peak window. Harder to justify if you face a long wait and expect perfection.
What will decide the next 12 months
The founders have indicated that the UK is a target for growth, not a one-off. With experienced partners and capital in place, expansion is plausible. Success hinges on operations more than marketing. The feed already works. The fundamentals now need to catch up.
Three measures will settle the question. First, bread consistency across batches and days. Second, a training programme that locks in build accuracy, pace and hygiene. Third, a queue plan that respects the street and reassures neighbours. If those elements come together, All’Antico Vinaio London can convert opening-week buzz into a base of repeat local customers. If they do not, the shop risks becoming a one-time selfie stop in a competitive district that rewards reliability.
Fun fact: The catchphrase “Bada come la fuma” refers to the steam that escapes when hot schiacciata is cut open, a moment the brand often films because the visible vapour plays so well on camera.
Practical takeaways for readers
If you plan to visit, aim for mid-morning or late afternoon to reduce waiting time. Review the menu online and decide in advance to accelerate your order. If you are sensitive to allergens, confirm ingredients at the counter and watch the build. If the queue is long, weigh the opportunity cost against nearby options. Soho offers strong alternatives at similar prices.
Broader food business lessons
The launch demonstrates how physical retail can be integrated with digital distribution. The street provides spectacle. The phone provides amplification. The risk is that performance wins attention while operations fall behind. The cure is process discipline and an honest appraisal of what customers experience at the till, not what they see on the feed. Brands that scale across borders must treat bread hydration curves and staff briefings with the same seriousness as influencer partnerships.
Closing reflection
Soho has absorbed ambitious imports before. Some settle and become part of the fabric. Others flare brightly and fade. All’Antico Vinaio London has the assets for a successful outcome: a photogenic product, a refined marketing engine, and heavyweight partners. Whether it earns permanence will depend less on hashtags and more on the quiet work of baking, training and queueing with care. In food, momentum attracts the first visit. Consistency earns the second. As the proverb runs, measure twice, cut once. The future of the schiacciata that conquered the queue will be decided at the counter.
