Disappointed that Boston’s Financial District didn’t offer the same quality panini as ’Ino in New York’s West Village, Big Apple transplant Laurence Wintersteen did the next best thing — he rounded up partner Jack Schoaf and consulting chef Ed Doyle, and at the end of March opened his own panino shop. Located just outside Post Office Square, Pressed Sandwiches might not earn points for creative naming, but it does garner high marks for its breakfast and lunch menu of, well, pressed sandwiches.

Pressed sandwiches often flirt with oily, buttery disaster, but not so the dry Beef and Blue ($5.95), which has a nice balance of thinly sliced beef, melted Great Hill blue cheese, horseradish sauce, and tomato slices on grilled country-white bread. Ditto the grilled cheese and tomato ($4.75), whose creamy, aged Gouda contrasted well with tangy tomato slices cut just so — they stayed put under parmesan focaccia. The arugula in the goat-cheese-and-portobello sandwich on multi-grain ($5.95) was understated; unfortunately, so was the red-pepper mayo in the smoked turkey and Swiss on country white ($5.50), which could have used a bit more kick. Although we didn’t have time to sample the breakfast menu, we promised to come back for the American in Europe ($4.50). A sandwich that features a Hershey Bar and hazelnut spread on brioche would make an effective diplomatic tool in any foreign embassy.

On hand are two cashiers and a phalanx of cooks manning the presses, and it’s obvious that Wintersteen has impressed upon his efficient staff the needs of the I-have-only-30-minutes-until-my-next-meeting lunch crowd. In a location where time is often more important than taste, Pressed gets it right on both counts.

Pressed Sandwiches, located at 2 Oliver Street, in Boston, is open Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Call (617) 482-9700.