Since 1994, La Piadineria has built a following around its piadinas, an Italian flatbread now making its U.S. debut in New York’s Flatiron District. The brand was founded by two guys in Brescia, Italy — Pierantonio Milani and Franco Besccaria — with a secret recipe and a dream, bringing together the same elements of quality, freshness, and authenticity that Italians embrace in their comfort-food culture.
As New York is known for its world of cuisines, with people open to them, piadinas serve as a perfect example of an everyday, all-day item.
La Piadina felt there was space for an authentic Italian flatbread, something familiar enough to feel approachable, yet distinctive for many consumers. Piadina is a lighter, more versatile grab-and-go.
“People come in here multiple times a week, I’d say like 2-3 times, especially workers,” Guarino, the US Country Manager, says. “It’s very popular when you’re finishing dinner, because it’s very light and rich in protein, a very easy item to eat.”
The product’s name is stated in the restaurant’s name, La Piadineria, seemingly coincidental, but in reality, it shows the restaurant’s mission of being simple.
A flatbread from La Piandineria.Photo by Bridgette Leahy
“We wanted a name that felt simpler and more immediate for an American audience while still keeping a strong connection to our Italian roots,” Guarino says. “Piadi is easy to remember, easy to pronounce, and keeps the focus on piadina itself, while the authenticity of the brand remains exactly the same.”
The shocking simplicity is surprising to most customers who aren’t Italian.
“It’s all in the concept of how we get customers to get them to their first bite,” Guarino says. “The simplicity of the ingredients is very common in Italian ingredients; put them together in a warm flatbread, which is the magic in the sandwich.”
There’s a very strong backbone in Italian recipes; even in Italy, the best sandwiches are usually the ones people make themselves. So, La Piadineria Brezze says they try to select a variety of ingredients so people can make as many different sandwiches as they want.
U.S. Market Brings Higher Risk
Year after year, La Piadineria has successfully built its brand, expanding to over 550 locations across Europe. What could have been the biggest turning point to locate in New York?
“New York’s starting point for the US adventure because New York is a very culinary and curious city, and the Italian heritage is very strong, so it felt an absolute natural step and continuing to grow throughout the US,” Guarino, the US Manager, says.
Despite the successful grand opening in January, La Piadernia still faced significant risks to its success. The Italian market differs substantially from the U.S. market; however, Guarino felt they could have a broader cultural impact in the Big Apple.
Managing hundreds of stores across Europe has taught La Piadernia three key business concepts: consistency, speed, and operational discipline.
“It also taught us the importance of customer experience—making sure every piadina feels fresh, reliable, and welcoming every single day,” Guarino says.
New York stands as the capital city of competition and high standards, especially when it comes to food. However, La Piadernia felt that the concept of compétions makes “it exciting — if people here connect with the concept, it can have a much broader impact internationally.”
Meat options at La Piandineria.Photo by Bridgette Leahy
“New Yorkers know Italian food so well; therefore, we felt confident because La Piadina represents a very genuine part of Italian everyday food culture.”
For first-time customers, Guarino recommends the Giulio-prosciutto di Parma, arugula, olive, and sarchitato cheese, the most classic, or the Gabriella, filled with chicken.
People can experiment with something new and different after trying all the signature sandwiches.
“We stick with our authenticity, we get the order and cook it as soon as possible.”
Italian cuisine is usually associated with slow cooking and a slow pace, but La Piadernia can create a fast-casual concept that demands authenticity and speed.
From New York to Italy
Something customers really love about La Piaderineria is the freshness and authenticity it brings straight from Italy, especially for all the Italian customers.
“In Europe, from the moment you place the order, it gets prepared and served within five minutes, delivering a fresh, warm meal that’s ready to eat,” Guarino says. Made with ingredients imported from Italy, the dough is freshly cooked to order and assembled perfectly, from the moment it is sheeted and grilled to the final layers of cheese, vegetables, prosciutto, and olive oil.
Every Italian who has walked in here since January brings in their American friends and family.
“They get so emotional because this was the only Italian piadernia in New York, it’s the exact same product you can get overseas, so you can have that element of relief and nostalgia that hits them,” Guarino says.
From the red pastel colors, the benches, the ingredients, the people, the paintings, and the language, there is always Italian inside.
“Somebody that approaches our store for the first time is like how you would in Italy because it’s not something that you have to sit down and eat, you can just take it to go and walk with it at any moment of the day, which is part of our traditions in how we eat the piandini,” Guarino says.
Italian cuisine is often associated with slow cooking and a leisurely pace, but we can create a fast-casual concept that demands authenticity and speed. In Europe, like Italy, once you place an order, it’s shipped, cooked, and within 5 minutes, you have an awesome, fresh, warm product ready to eat.
“I personally associate it with the beach and free time; it’s comfort food at the end of the day.”
La Piadineria is located on 18 East 23rd Street.