King Street is quickly becoming a great foodie hotspot. Not only are there many fantastic places to eat but none of them seem to overlap, offering a wide variety of choices in a small area.

One of those exciting options is Kings Dough, a café-sized Italian sandwich shop claiming to be the first place to bring the panuozzo to Cambridge. But what exactly is a panuozzo?

Think of it as a beautiful marriage between a sourdough pizza and a toasted panini. The dough is shaped into a long, oval and then baked until it reaches that perfect sweet spot. It is light and crispy on the outside while still being soft with airy pockets on the inside. Then, it is packed with your classic Italian ingredients and briefly returned to the oven to toast for that maximum crunch, melting everything together. I don’t know about you, but it sounds amazing!

As you can guess, the bread is the star of the show. They bake it in-house every morning and only use top-quality Type 1 flour for their own special sourdough to keep the bread light and crispy. Beyond the bread, you will notice the same time and effort go into the ingredients themselves, providing the same love and care Italians are well-known for. This isn’t just another sandwich; it’s a carefully crafted love letter from Italy to you.

The Vibe

The atmosphere here is warm and friendly, with an interior that is refreshingly unpretentious. It feels like a proper local independent, with staff who genuinely seem to enjoy what they do. I was served by a delightful lady who was chatty and couldn’t do enough for me. She took her time to talk me through the menu and gave me her personal recommendations. It was a beautiful day, so we decided to take advantage of the outdoor seating and soak in the sun. If I closed my eyes and concentrated really hard, I was almost on holiday!

The Main Event

I decided to dive into a few of their most popular items to get an idea of what they are all about. The panuozzi came out in good time and were presented in a cardboard box, making it easy to eat on the go. I was immediately struck by their size; they were quite large but also thin, making them incredibly easy to manage.

I started with the Nonna. It’s loaded with homemade meatballs in a classic bolognese sauce, topped with melted mozzarella, parmesan shavings, and basil. It’s hearty, comforting, and a total flavour-bomb. The meatballs worked perfectly with the crispiness of the panuozzo, adding a satisfying texture. I was really impressed with the portion size, and the mozzarella added some stringy fun that brought the whole thing together into a glorious, gooey mess.

Next was the one simply called The Bolognese. It features slow-cooked pulled beef brisket that has been cooked for 28 hours and then rested for a full day. It’s a perfect example of the extra love and care that makes all the difference; that slow-cooking process resulted in an impossible tenderness and depth of flavour that has had me thinking about this sandwich ever since I left. It was, by far, my favourite.

And lastly, we had the Mortadella e Pistacchio; a more sophisticated choice featuring a gourmet Italian salumi. It is filled with homemade pistachio cream, buffalo stracciatella, and crumbled pistachios. As you can see from the photo above, the Mortadella was generously loaded with the meat folded over several times (seriously, how many times have you seen a rather sad single slice of ham in a sandwich these days?) and an inevitable rich creaminess from the pistachio cream. thinking about it, maybe this was my favourite? Ahhh, I cant decide!

If a full-sized panuozzo feels like too much, they also offer the option to buy halves. For those looking for a complete meal, they offer deals that include a drink, chips, and a panini. Speaking of the chips, they look rather ordinary by eye, but they were cooked really well, crunching without being dry.

The Verdict

Whether you’re after a quick lunch or something a bit more indulgent, King’s Dough is an absolute must-try. The bread is fantastic, the fillings are generous, and the whole concept is just executed so well. I left already planning my next visit to try the Tiramisu, which comes highly recommended by just about everyone who’s been.

If you haven’t been yet, do yourself a favour and get down to King Street. You won’t be disappointed.

Thanks for reading!