My pepperoni roll research continues. The presence of pepperoni rolls is limited and I believe the first one I found at Omega Bakery is the best in the capital city and most likely the state, with the possible exception of the ones made by Kevin Cordi‘s West Virginia raised mother in his home city of Akron. During a Twitter discussion, Matt “Pork Slayer” Swint of Per Zoot suggested Vincenzo’s as a possible pepperoni roll purveyor.
I should briefly mention what Vincenzo’s has to offer. It might be described as a gourmet Italian convenience store or a deli on steroids. The place carries a selection of Italian wines and beverages, a larger variety of homemade pastas, sauces and breads as well as a selection of ready to eat meatballs, sausages and other dishes. It is a place to stock up for dinner or drop in for a snack.
I did find what looked liked a giant pepperoni roll and what I might describe as a pepperoni loaf but what Vincenzo’s would call pepperoni bread. A few of the bites had a pepperoni roll balanced flavor but most did not. The core ingredients of each (bread, pepperoni and cheese) are the same but the proportions are significantly different. With a little bit of modification by the creator in the kitchen or the purchaser at home this bread could transform into a very respectable pepperoni roll. In its current form, it would still place on the upper part of the pepperoni bell curve. I will continue to look for this culinary icon of central West Virginia in the capital city but I will not be looking too hard, because I already found the best at Omega.
Vincenzo’s
6393 Sawmill Road
Closed Sunday
614.792.1010
CMH Gourmand - Eating in Columbus & Ohio 