Cuisine: Italian – Sandwiches
Average price per person: 10€
Environment: 7/10
Food: 8.5/10
Service: 8/10
Other: Solo-dining, Delivery, Take-away
Website: https://www.ilmorso.es/
When you think about street food in Italy, the first thing that comes to mind is probably pizza. However, for Italian food enthusiasts, it is well-known that focaccia sandwiches are some of the most sought-after options. Cities like Florence have sandwich shops operating for decades and you can always expect a line to grab a sandwich.
Divorare (previously known as Il Morso) is modeled after these classic Italian sandwich shops. Although the space is more modern, Divorare uses Italian products in classic combinations to create delicious focaccia sandwiches.
Divorare’s original location is in Chueca, while this year it opened 4 new spots across Madrid.
Location/Environment
The original location in Chueca was recently renovated to reflect the new name and branding changes. The prepping area where the sandwiches are assembled, dominates the space. Around the walls and the front window, there is a sitting space in a bar/stool arrangement.
This seating arrangement works well since it’s meant for a quick stop to eat your sandwich.
Menu
The menu includes a little over 10 focaccia sandwich options, one of which is a dessert. You can also opt to add extra ingredients to your focaccia.
Divorare – Food
The Focaccia Nonna includes meatballs in sauce, provolone cheese and basil. However the protein was not actual meatballs, but minced meat in tomato sauce. Not what was advertised, but nevertheless tasty.
The focaccia bread was piping hot and very fresh. A fresh vegetable in addition to the refreshing basil, might have added a nice contrast to this sandwich.
Next the Focaccia Come a Casa with mortadella, stracciatella chesse, pesto and pistachio. Good crunch from the pistachio and nice sweetness from the pesto sauce. I am not a big fan of mortadella, but this is a traditional combination in all Italian sandwich shops.
The Focaccia Campagnola was my favorite. Baked tomatoes, pesto and stracciatella cheese. Great ratio of bread to fillings and all the flavors worked together. Some combinations are classic for a reason and this is a great example.
The last savory sandwich I tried, was the Focaccia Tradizionale. This option includes prosciutto crudo, parmesan cream, cherry tomatoes and arugula. While theoretically, this could have been another favorite of mine, the execution was problematic.
There was an excessive amount of prosciutto to the point that it overpowered everything and made the sandwich extremely salty. The quality of ingredients was good, so if this ratio improves, it can be a solid sandwich. This time, it was my least favorite.
The dessert option is Focaccia Capriccio, filled with Nutella cream. If you are the person who as a kid (or adult) loved to eat bread with any kind of chocolate spread on top, this is for you. The crusty focaccia bread is a great vessel for the decadent Nutella. Although I was skeptical in the beginning, I enjoyed this one a lot.
Conclusion
Divorare has great quality ingredients with the focaccia bread as its main star. Some of the sandwiches can be improved, but overall it has the potential to be compared with any sandwich shop that you come across in Italy. No wonder Divorare grew so fast, opening multiple locations during this year.
Visit: May 2024
Address: Original location – Calle de Augusto Figueroa 18, 28004 Madrid