James Anderson 
Why are deli sandwiches so expensive now? Because every layer of the cost behind a sandwich went up at the same time — the meat, the bread, the vegetables, the wages of the person slicing it, the rent on the counter space and the card fee when you pay — and a sandwich shop has … Read more
Italian deli vs. Jewish deli comes down to two different counters, two different units, and two very different sandwiches. An Italian deli, or salumeria, is built around a cold case of cured meats sliced to order by weight, so you name a meat and an amount. A Jewish deli, or delicatessen, is built around a … Read more
If you only have room for one, order the pastrami on rye: cured beef brisket, hand-carved at the counter, piled onto seedless rye with spicy brown mustard and a kosher dill pickle on the side. That is the sandwich most people mean when they say classic New York deli sandwiches, and it is the benchmark … Read more
If you only remember one thing about the Cuban sandwich Miami vs. Tampa style fight, make it this: Tampa’s version layers in Genoa salami, and Miami’s does not. Everything else that people argue about, the bread shape, the pickle count, how hard you press it, is a consequence of that one addition. Both sandwiches are … Read more
A Philly cheesesteak at home is paper-thin shaved beef seared on a very hot griddle with chopped onions, buried under melted provolone, and slid into a soft, un-toasted hoagie roll. Thirty minutes start to finish, and the only genuinely hard part is getting the beef thin enough before it ever meets heat. Most home attempts … Read more
Start with the muffuletta if you only have time for one. It is the sandwich New Orleans actually eats every day, and it is the one you cannot get this quality anywhere else in the country. Order the po’ boy first instead if you want something hot, dripping and fried the moment it is handed … Read more
Short answer: yes, for a hot toasted sandwich with real portion size, and the best first order is the A Wreck on Original with provolone, deli mustard, and hot peppers. It is not the cheapest sandwich chain, and the chicken salad is not worth your first visit, but most people who try one come back … Read more
A Publix pub sub is a deli sandwich built to order at the service counter: you pick the bread, the meat, the cheese, the toppings and the dressing, and they slice and wrap it while you wait. The best Publix pub sub orders are the builds regulars repeat, from a plain turkey and provolone to … Read more
Wawa hoagies are made to order, and that is where the menu stops being a list and starts being a set of decisions you make at the kiosk. The best Wawa hoagie orders worth trying share one thing: enough sauce, enough pickle, and a filling that actually matches how hungry you are. Start with the … Read more
If you have never ordered from Jersey Mike’s before, start with the Prosciuttini, built on rosemary Parmesan bread and layered with prosciutto, melted provolone, tomatoes, onions, and shredded lettuce dressed in house wine vinegar. It is a hot, balanced sub that shows you what the chain does better than most: meat sliced thin in front … Read more