Panini Palace Coming to Ridgewood

Self-proclaimed kings of the panini hope to set up shop in Ridgewood by the end of March.

La Botegga, a franchise specializing in paninis, salads, soup and bruschetta is scheduled to take over the space formerly occupied on Oak Street, according to franchise owner Frank Dimaiyta.

Based out of Long Island with roughly 20 locations in the U.S. and in Italy, the Italian gourmet promises cozy, casual and fresh dining options to the village.

"The reason I believe in the concept is it's fresh, it's simple, it's moderately priced and it's healthy," Dimaiyta said. The restaurant operates under the catchphrase of "We didn't invent the panini, we perfected it!"

All products are made from scratch and there are eat-in, take-out and delivery options, he said. Many items are vegetarian and some are gluten-free.

When the store sets up shop, it will be open seven days a week at its location at 14 Oak St. Hours of operation Monday through Thursday are 11:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Sundays from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m.

A PDF of the menu is attached at the right of this article.