Regina's Grocery Moving On Up To Open First UES Spot In Yorkville

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — A famously tasty sandwich spot is moving on up from the Lower to the Upper East Side.

Regina's Grocery, a specialty Italian sandwich spot long heralded for their delicious sandwiches, is opening their fourth location in the city at 300 East 88th Street, between First and Second Avenues.

Over the weekend, a reader spotted signage on the window of a former Yorkville barber shop with Regina's name, as well as a cheeky advertised daily special: "pick any two sandwiches and pay for both."

When asked about the new location, the popular downtown sandwich slinger simply replied: "the rumors are true."

Regina's was started in 2017 by owner Roman Grandinetti, who named the shop after his mother, Regina. She also helps out with recipes in the kitchen.

The garlic-chili paste developed by Grandinetti's mother is the secret hot sauce behind the success of one of their most popular sandwiches, the Uncle Jimmy — prosciutto, provolone, mortadella, hot sopressata, Lettuce, olive oil, red wine vinegar and roasted peppers — according to an ABC 7 story from 2018.

"Her hot sauce is interesting," said Grandinetti to ABC 7. "It's more than just torture, it adds a lot of flavor."

Since opening at 27 Orchard St. in 2017, Regina's has expanded to Mulbury Street and to Greenpoint, Brooklyn just this past spring.

Their Upper East Side spot will be a bit more than a block away from a longtime Upper East Side sandwich destination, Milano Market on Third Avenue and East 89th Street.

While Regina's didn't respond when asked for an estimated opening date, with the owner's background in the downtown marketing scene, you can expect something clever when the doors finally open.