Power Rank: Sandwich Shops

@ChadP my one and only (not a cheater lol) is Gioia’s Deli in STL. Been going here since as far back as I can remember. Sandwiches are amazing, and they recently won a James Beard award to prove it! If you are ever in the Lou I highly recommend it.

https://www.feastmagazine.com/article_ebdf8d44-e314-11e6-9032-d3eb07246e12.html

Here is my current ranking:

1. Jersey Mikes - Mostly for the pepper spread
2. Firehouse Subs
3. Capriotti’s
4. Schlotzsky’s
5. Potbelly
6. Any other place
7. Subway

If you are in the North Dallas area, my current best ever sandwich shop is The Sandwich Spot in Frisco. Dutch Crunch Bread 4 life

Well my first list is only local places, and then very regional chains. If I have to go with mostly national chains:

1. Firehouse
2. Jersey Mike’s
3. Potbelly
4. Which wich
   I don’t think there’s another big chain I’ve been to in the last 10 years.

Subs N Such. The bottled/canned soda selection is crazy!

Coco’s Food Truck. Sandwich places run in his family but I have not had the chance to try the physical stores.

Lucky 7 Deli. Mainly for the honey pressed Cubans.

Moxie’s and Moxie’s Too (yes as in also). Home of the Sear’s Tower sandwich. When my friend got it I never heard someone complain so much about a sandwich he liked.

Thuy Cafe. Bahn mi and boba tea.

Publix from the mid '90s to early '00s was super. Nowadays it is just ok. Main issue is that the bread is not as good.

Everything else still open is just ok or worse.

Closed.
Shelly’s Deli. Amazing and massive Cuban sandwiches. Named before it became a Shell station. Original owner’s daughter was named Shelly.

Boom Boom’s. Best bread ever. First time you go you would be confused by how they put the ingredients on the bread but they had a folding technique that would evenly distribute everything. It was cool to watch.

This thread makes me realize how many places we have had but no longer do in my local area.

We used to have:

• Schlotzky’s (still love a pastrami on rye)
• Jersey Mike’s, victim to being in the hot shopping real estate part of town where few things renew their lease if they last that long. Lesser places are slammed for a month at opening and then gone within six months, and JM lasted a few years
• Lenny’s (or was it Larry’s?), which opened basically next door to Jersey Mike’s so never had a chance
• Which Wich, was in basically an outlet mall so it was hard to get to unless you were already there for something else
• Quiznos, victim of self destruction of the brand?
• Blimpie, I barely remember it
• Tom + Chee, whose concept (gourmet grilled cheeses) sounded amazing but was in practice overpriced garbage
• Probably more I’m forgetting

We still have:

• 2 Firehouse Subs which I used to love but our local ones don’t seem to have fared well since 2020
• Newk’s and McAllister’s, which though different are kind of the same so they can share a bullet point
• Jason’s Deli, which last I went had seen better days, but still get props for the ice cream machine.
• 2 or 3 Jimmy John’s, which I always think I like and get it and then am kind of let down. Kind of like a reverse Mountain Dew, which I always forget I like and then get pleasantly surprised
• Approximately 763 Subway locations that range in quality from pretty much OK to complete ass on a bun
• The most run down Arby’s I’ve ever seen, averaging all the local locations

A Nice Try award goes to Roly Poly, the sign says sandwiches but come on, you’re not fooling anyone. Those are all wraps.

There’s much better local places, though. Shout outs to Fat Tuesday, Po Boy Express, and World Sandwich. Two of those three bake their own bread, too.