A breaded chicken sandwich from Cousin Vinny's held against a red background — Credit: Cousin Vinny's Sandwich Co/Facebook

Cousin Vinny’s, a Tampa-based sandwich shop known for its New York-inspired menu, is making its St. Petersburg debut. The shop is expected to move into its second location at 2063 Central Ave. by November, replacing another northeast-inspired sandwich spot, Little Philly.

The shop began as a ghost kitchen in 2023. Co-owners Vincent “Vinny” Andriotti and Russell Leone operated out of a commissary kitchen on Nebraska Avenue, where the only pickup slots were limited to Saturdays and Sundays.

“Our customers were planning their weeks around picking up a sandwich on Saturday or Sunday—it was absolutely wild,” Andriotti previously told Creative Loafing.

In response, Andriotti and Leone opened their first location on West Cass Street in 2025 alongside business partners Jake Schmidt and AJ DeSimone.

Soon after, Michelin jumped on the bandwagon, adding the shop to its Florida guide of recommended restaurants.

Michelin inspectors praised the house-breaded cutlet sandwiches and crispy house-made schiacciata, which are often completed with various Italian fillings like pesto, mozzarella, tomato, or red pepper.

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