Little Italy, big heart.

Every Sunday, without fail, the family table was set. There was bread, cheese and prosciutto, stories passed between generations, and the comforting familiarity of being together. Rosa’s afternoons at her grandparents’ home were more than a childhood memory; they were the beginnings of a lifelong dream.

Today, that same spirit lives on at Pane e Prosciutto, the traditional Italian deli she opened with her husband, Joe, in June 2023. In just three years, the couple have established themselves as a fixture of Putney’s village life, drawing locals in for freshly made panini, carefully selected deli provisions and something increasingly precious in a busy city: a genuine sense of belonging.

“Pane e Prosciutto was my dream for over 35 years,” Rosa says. “We wanted to share our love of Italian food and create a place where customers could feel part of our family.”

The early days were not without their challenges. On opening day, the point-of-sale system failed, and the majority of the shop’s products ended up selling for $5. It is the sort of story that becomes funnier with time, although the reality was less amusing in the moment.

“We laugh now, but there were tears that day,” Rosa says. “Seeing customers enjoy what we’d created and come back made it all worthwhile.”

The deli has since found its rhythm, though the work behind the counter begins long before the first customer arrives. Ingredients are prepared, shelves and displays organised, the team readied and the shop cleaned - a daily ritual that sets the tone for everything that follows. Then the doors open, the knives come out, panini are assembled and the conversations begin.

Even at its busiest, the intention remains simple: everyone who walks through the door should feel welcome.

The art of the everyday.

Joe, a qualified chef, brings his professional expertise to the kitchen, while Rosa draws on her passion for deli culture and more than 25 years of business management experience. Together, they make a natural partnership, sharing the work and the responsibility of building a business that reflects their values.

“Everything Joe touches turns to gold and tastes like heaven,” Rosa says with affection.

His homemade meals and signature panini spreads remain faithful to the recipes established when the deli first opened. Growth may bring new ideas and opportunities, but the couple are clear about what must remain unchanged.

“The quality of what we serve is something we’ll never compromise on,” Rosa says. “We want to be proud of every product we hand across the counter. That means choosing good ingredients, paying attention to preparation and being consistent.”

It is a philosophy that finds expression in the smallest details, from the balance of flavours in a sandwich to the care taken in preparing an order. Rosa's favourite is the No. 2 panini, combining prosciutto, burrata, fig glaze and rocket. Joe favours the No. 4, where smoked wagyu meets sliced pear, pecorino spread, honey and rocket - a combination he loves for its lightness and balance of salty and sweet.

But food, here, is never simply a transaction. The deli’s appeal lies as much in the experience surrounding it as in what is wrapped up and carried out the door.

A neighbourhood built around a counter.

Putney has embraced Pane e Prosciutto from the beginning, and the relationship between the business and its community has become one of its defining features. Regulars arrive for their usual order, stop in for groceries or drop by simply to say hello. Over time, familiar faces have become friends, and customers have become part of the couple’s extended family.

“Some customers have become like family, sharing their lives as well as their shopping lists,” Rosa says. “Whether they’re picking up lunch, planning a celebration or popping in to say, ‘Hi, who wants coffee?’, we want everyone to feel welcome.”

The connection extends well beyond the counter. Last year, the deli raised more than $18,000 for cancer research, an effort that opened the door to deeply personal conversations with people in the community.

“Many people felt comfortable sharing their own cancer journeys with us,” Rosa says. “Being trusted with those stories meant so much.”

Then there are the younger visitors, whose affection arrives in less complicated forms: spontaneous hugs and drawings made especially for Rose or Joe, proudly displayed around the shop. These small gestures are among the couple’s most treasured reminders that the deli has become part of people's lives.

“Being welcomed into these families’ lives means more than we can say,” Rosa says.

It is a form of community that cannot be manufactured through branding or carefully curated interiors. It grows through repetition, familiarity and the quiet act of showing up, day after day, with care.

Keeping it local.

When they step away from the deli, Rosa and Joe continue to support the neighbourhood that has supported them. Their love of coffee is well documented - three cups a day each, shared between the local cafés - alongside meals at nearby restaurants and an appreciation for the independent businesses that give the street its character.

For all the couple have built in three short years, the underlying idea remains much the same as those Sundays at Nonna and Nonno’s table. Good food brings people together. Hospitality is about making room for others. And the most meaningful traditions are often the ones repeated so regularly that they become part of everyday life.

“We both get a sense of belonging and pride in our work,” Rosa says. “There’s a lot involved in running a small business, and those moments with customers remind us why we do it.”

At Pane e Prosciutto, the bread is sliced, the prosciutto laid out and the panini made fresh each day. The conversations continue, the familiar faces return, and another little piece of Italian hospitality finds its place in Putney.

Sometimes, a neighbourhood institution takes generations to establish. But sometimes, it begins with a dream held for 35 years, a husband-and-wife team, and a counter where everyone is welcome.

Visit Pane e Prosciutto at 86a Charles Street, Putney - and for more information you can visit the website at www.paneeprosciutto.com.au.