Compagno’s Market & Deli
2000 Prescott Ave., Monterey
(831) 375-5987, www.compagnos.com
Owner-operator and sandwich creator extraordinaire Bennet Compagno has a gift for the service men and women that frequent his DLI-adjacent storefront and for regular folks around the county willing to make the trek up the enormously steep hill that is Prescott Avenue. With his hot and cold deli sandwiches – which are presented in proportions so huge it’s nearly comical – Compagno’s has a reputation built around the idea of a meal big enough to feed an army. Military-inspired sandwiches like the Air Force Special (smoked turkey breast with cream cheese and cranberry sauce piled high with the fixins’) or the crowd favorite #27 (breaded chicken with bacon, avocado and pepper jack) are noteworthy, but the delicatessen has a full arsenal of meats, cheeses, breads and veggies to special order just about any sandwich under the sun. So man your battle stations and get ready for a fight: your appetite versus the biggest, tastiest sandwiches around.