Arcadia has a population of over 33,000 Asians in its community, and unsurprisingly, there are a lot of Asian restaurants in Arcadia. However, a new shop breaks the norm of sushi and ramen shops. Introducing Little Provence Sandwich Bistro, a small sandwich shop in Arcadia inspired by Provence, a region in France.
The restaurant itself opened in April 2023. Located on 1326 S Baldwin Ave, Arcadia, CA, the quaint shop offers both indoor and outdoor seating for guests, with a merchandise aisle in the middle selling items from mugs to soap. Along with those, they sell a variety of food related items such as jams, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil. These range from $13 to $23.
“The Pesto Panini is a good sandwich when you’re in a rush,” said freshman Sheyenne Huang.
As stated before, Little Provence specializes in sandwiches both hot or cold. The prices of the food range from $12-$18. Offerings range from the warm and vegetarian pesto panini, to the classic with a twist: a French ham and cheese sandwich. However, the shop sells more than just sandwiches. If you don’t have space for a sandwich, there are always the salads. Choices include a classic Caesar salad, and a good tomato salad. Little Provence also hosts an impressive coffee bar, from piping hot espressos to cold and sweet frappuccinos. There was also a nice selection of cakes and cookies. The restaurant also had a cookbook written about the food in Provence that is for sale. It covers the wide variety of dishes from toasty home baked bread, to light yet refreshing salads.
“It tastes like a better Subway Sandwich,” said freshman Ethan Hung.
Little Provence Sandwich Bistro started with Grandmother Rosise, who came from Provence, France. While Provence is known for many things such as the rolling fields of lavender and houses built into the hillside, there’s also a variety of cuisine to choose from such as hearty seafood dishes, light salads, and locally grown vegetables. Much like Provence itself, the bistro uses ingredients that are found there. From caramelized sweet onions, to nicely seared salmon in between two slices of toasted bread, the food looks and smells delicious.
The owner of Little Provence is Ms. Alexandria Constanzo, an alumni of Arcadia High School (AHS). Little Provence isn’t the first time Constanzo has worked in the restaurant business, as her father owned a restaurant that she would help with as a child.
After AHS, she went to Pasadena City College for two years and transferred to the University of Southern California to earn a business degree.
When asked why she bought the shop on Baldwin Ave., Constanzo said, “This place was for sale, and my dad saw this place. He saw the two sidewalks and he said, ‘I’m going to make another restaurant here.’”
So now Constanzo runs the restaurant, and six months into opening, the business is booming. She hopes that this year the Arcadia Festival of Bands will be on Baldwin, as she remembers she would rush to the restaurants on the street when she would play in the band.
“Anyway, it’s a lot of hard work. Definitely a team effort, but I would say go for it,” said Constanzo when asked what running a restaurant is like.
Little Provence Sandwich Bistro hasn’t been around for a while, but the food is fresh and delicious, whether it be the warm hearty sandwiches, or just a nice cup of coffee to start the day or afternoon. It should be a place that people in the neighborhood check out.
Photo by Colette Chen
