Mozza Paninoteca, a new Italian sandwich shop, will open on MLK this summer | St Pete Rising

A new Italian paninoteca is preparing to open on MLK in Crescent Heights.

Mozza will debut this summer, offering artisan sandwiches, fresh-stretched mozzarella, wine, and imported Italian goods in the former Little Llamas Boutique space at 2319 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street North.

The concept comes from local cheesemaker Michael Deininger, better known as “Mozzarella Mike,” a St. Pete native who began hosting pop-ups and catering events last April centered around his freshly made mozzarella.

Since launching, Mozzarella Mike has collaborated with a handful of local businesses including 86 Wine Bar, Golden Isles Brewing, Stew’s House of Bagels, Cipolla Rossa Pizzeria, and Cellarmasters (RIP).

“We realized people really connected with what we were doing,” Deininger said in a conversation with St. Pete Rising. “The feedback on the sandwiches has been incredible for a while now, so we wanted to expand all that and do something special.”

local cheesemaker Michael Deininger, better known as “Mozzarella Mike” | Mozza

Deininger describes Mozza as a traditional Italian “paninoteca,” an Italian shop that serves sandwiches, wine, and pantry items.

“In Italy, you can stroll into these small shops and grab a really simple sandwich with really good ingredients, maybe some olives or a bottle of wine,” Deininger explained. “We’re trying to embody more of that and less of the deli vibes.”

At the center of the new concept will be fresh mozzarella stretched on-site daily in small batches.

“Once we go through a certain amount of sandwiches, we’ll stretch a new batch of cheese, so the mozzarella never hits refrigeration,” Deininger said. “It’s always super milky and super tasty.”

The 630-square-foot space will feature a small dining room with bar seating along the front window, a handful of tables, and an outdoor seating area in the future (pending city approval).

Rather than operating like a traditional deli counter, Deininger wants Mozza to feel more like a place people hang out than simply grab a sandwich and leave.

Carnegie pastrami on a house-made caramelized onion & gruyère bialy with deli mustard | Mozza

“I want it to feel approachable,” he said. “I want people to sit down and feel like they’re getting a curated experience.”

Mozza’s menu is still being finalized, though Deininger says guests can expect a mix of classic Italian-American sandwiches and creations centered around the shop’s fresh cheeses.

Beyond sandwiches, Mozza plans to offer imported olive oils, olives, spreads, conservas, soft cheeses, and other Italian pantry items sourced through specialty provisioners.

Deininger said many of the ingredients are products rarely found locally, even among traditional Italian markets.

“If people haven’t been to Italy, I can almost guarantee they’ve never had anything like this before,” he said.

Sandwich lineup from a recent Mozzarella Mike catering event | Mozzarella Mike

The shop is also expected to feature a small wine program, allowing guests to pair sandwiches and cheeses with glasses of wine on-site.

When Mozza opens this summer, it’ll join a growing collection of independently owned restaurants and bars on MLK, like 86 Wine Bar, The Violet Stone Pizzeria, Calida Kitchen & Wine, Pineapple Espresso, Blush Tea & Coffee, and Golden Isles Brewing.

“To everyone who has supported Mozzarella Mike from the beginning, thank you. Truly,” Deininger wrote on Instagram. “This has been a dream for us for a long time, and it honestly still doesn’t feel real.”

Be sure to follow Mozza on Instagram for updates on the grand opening announcement and the latest offerings.