Diners say these chain restaurants serve Italian subs loaded with top-quality meats and big flavor.
I love a good Italian sub. As a cured meat lover, the combination of various types, including ham, salami, pepperoni, and cappacuolo with a little bit of mayo, veggies, and oil-slash-vinegar, on a fresh Italian roll, is the chef’s kiss. Over here in Philly, we are spoiled with all the mom-and-pop sub shops. However, if you live in other places in the country, you can still get a great Italian sub at a chain near you. Here are five chain restaurants with the best Italian subs, according to diners.
Jersey Mike’s
When I am craving an Italian sub and only chains are around, I will head to Jersey Mike’s for fresh-sliced meats and a perfect balance. “Absolute perfection,” a Redditor declared about The Original Italian, which comes with provolone, ham, prosciuttini, cappacuolo, salami, and pepperoni. I order it Mike’s Way, with all the fixings.
Jimmy Johns
Jimmy John’s
You can also get a reliably delicious Italian sub at Jimmy John’s, which is “aesthetically constructed,” according to our reviewer Megan Hageman. “The cold cuts and toppings–namely lettuce, tomato, and mayo–are perfectly tucked into the fluffy French bread, making it easy and mostly mess-free to carry,” she writes in her review. She notes that the bread is perfect, “plump, fresh, and delicious–I think I could have eaten just the bread by itself and been happy,” she said. “It’s meaty enough, with the salami particularly standing out, and it tastes less oily than it looks.”
Penn Station East Coast Subs
Penn Station
The Classic Italian grilled sub is popular at Penn Station Eat Coast Subs. It comes stacked with smoked ham, hard salami, pepperoni, provolone, lettuce, Roma tomatoes, red onions, banana peppers, olive oil & red wine vinegar, salt & pepper, oregano, mayo, and amazing bread. “I like Jersey Mikes a lot, but nothing beats Penn station for me. So yummy,” a Redditor says.
Potbelly Sandwich Shop
Potbelly
Potbelly serves a skinny version of the chain’s Italian creation, “stacked with preassigned meats” and cheese, including salami, old world capicola, pepperoni, mortadella, and provolone, Hagemann says, adding that the sandwich is toasted. “There’s something about the combination of Italian meats here that’s superior to the rest. Just by looking at them piled on top of each other, you can tell they are all deeper in color, and the taste follows suit. All together, the four components unite to create a flavor bomb of saltiness, spice, and an ounce of fattiness. Everything else, including the oil and Italian seasoning, sits back and allows the meat to take center stage. In addition, the cheese doesn’t play a large role here, but the bread certainly does. Crackly, but not to the extent that it scrapes your mouth, it’s a nice, warm touch and makes for the perfect sturdy base,” she says.
Which Wich
Which Wich is an excellent option for custom builds with decadent toppings. Their classic Italian is called The Grinder, and comes with Salami, Pepperoni & Capicola. According to diners, it has a kick. “I just had it for the first and last time. I didn’t expect it to be this spicy hot,” one Redditor says.
Leah Groth
Leah Groth is an experienced shopping editor and journalist for Best Life and Eat This, Not That! bringing readers the best new finds, trends, and deals each week. Read more about Leah
