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Depending on where you are in New Jersey, the Italian sub could be called the Hoagie, Hero, or the Sub. In New England it’s called a grinder and in Connecticut a wedge. No matter what it's called, it's a delicious combination of meats, cheeses and spices.
The Italian sub made its way to New Jersey by way of southern Italian immigrants. The sandwich is housed in a baked crusty bread with pointed ends and stuffed with a variety of cured meats and cheeses. Italian laborers and dock workers loved the sandwiches as a convenient lunch, and soon delis started catering to them. Eventually this sandwich gained popularity outside of the Italian-American community. Typically it is made with crusty bread, provolone cheese, Italian hard salami, lettuce, tomatoes, oil and vinegar, oregano, salt and pepper.
10Best and Sandwich America recruited a panel of local foodies to nominate 20 of their favorite places to get an Italian sub or hoagie. For the past four weeks, readers have been voting for their favorites, and the results are in!
The top 10 winners in the category Best Italian Sub/Hoagie in New Jersey are as follows:
- Sapore Ravioli - Middlesex
- White House Subs - Atlantic City
- A Touch of Italy - Avenel
- Big Wally's Subs - Parlin
- Giovanni's Authentic Italian Deli - Vineland
- Mike's Giant Size Submarine Sandwiches - Keyport
- Jersey Subs - New Brunswick
- Riddle & Martin Sub Shop - South River
- Hershey's Subs and Deli - Westfield
- Sorrentos Subs - West Freehold
A panel of experts picked the initial 20 nominees, and the top 10 winners were determined by popular vote. Experts Jenna Intersimone (MyCentralJersey.com), Tammy Paolino (Eat My Words) and Deborah Smith (JerseyBites.com) were selected based on their expertise in the world of New Jersey restaurants.
Additional nominees included Carmen's Deli in Bellmawr, Croce's in Cherry Hill, Don's Famous Hoagie Shoppe in Somerville, Elsie's Sub Shop in Red Bank, Hoagie Haven in Princeton, Longfellow's Sandwich Deli in Morristown, Sandwiches Unlimited in Orange, Slater's Deli and Catering in Leonardo, Sugar Hill Sub Shop in Mays Landing and Tastee Sub Shop in Edison.
Congratulations to all our winning subs and hoagies!
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About 10Best Readers' Choice Awards
Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best.
The Experts
Jenna Intersimone
Jenna Intersimone, a digital-driven New Jersey... Read More
Jenna Intersimone, a digital-driven New Jersey journalist, writes a Tuesday Travel column and regularly contributes to the Wednesday Table section in the Courier News, Home News Tribune as well as MyCentralJersey.com and DailyRecord.com derived from her blog, LifeAboardTheTravelingCircus.com. Serving as the unofficial cheerleader of the Garden State, Intersimone loves all things Jersey from its sprawling beaches, to its bustling lifestyle, and, of course, its abundance of award-winning restaurants representing every corner of the world. Jenna chose her nominees by polling her readers on their favorite sub and hoagie spots in the state.
Jenna Intersimone
Jenna Intersimone, a digital-driven New Jersey journalist, writes a Tuesday Travel column and regularly contributes to the Wednesday Table section in the Courier News, Home News Tribune as well as MyCentralJersey.com and DailyRecord.com derived from her blog, LifeAboardTheTravelingCircus.com. Serving as the unofficial cheerleader of the Garden State, Intersimone loves all things Jersey from its sprawling beaches, to its bustling lifestyle, and, of course, its abundance of award-winning restaurants representing every corner of the world. Jenna chose her nominees by polling her readers on their favorite sub and hoagie spots in the state.
Tammy Paolino
Tammy Paolino is the Features Strategist and... Read More
Tammy Paolino is the Features Strategist and Engagement Editor of the Courier-Post and Daily Journal, as well as an award-winning food blogger and features writer. A home cook with a passion for local farmer’s markets, ethnic dining, regional cookbooks and family dinners, Tammy has reported on food trends in New Jersey for more than 25 years. Check out her Eat My Words blog.
Tammy Paolino
Tammy Paolino is the Features Strategist and Engagement Editor of the Courier-Post and Daily Journal, as well as an award-winning food blogger and features writer. A home cook with a passion for local farmer’s markets, ethnic dining, regional cookbooks and family dinners, Tammy has reported on food trends in New Jersey for more than 25 years. Check out her Eat My Words blog.
Deborah Smith
Deborah Smith is the founder of New Jersey’s... Read More
Deborah Smith is the founder of New Jersey’s popular food blog, JerseyBites.com, and the author of The Jersey Shore Cookbook (Quirk Books, 2016). Jersey Bites spotlights all that is great about food in the Garden State. Launched in 2007, the site is now home to talented food writers throughout the state and welcomes over 50,000 visitors every month. Readers enjoy the latest news about restaurants, farms, wineries, breweries. They also use Jersey Bites as a resource for seasonal recipes based on New Jersey fresh seafood, meats and produce. In her role as Executive Editor of Jersey Bites, Deborah served as a founding member of Jersey Shore Restaurant Week and most recently as a judge for Jersey Shore Restaurant Week’s TASTE AWARDS. Over the years, she has served as a judge for numerous food competitions and continues to speak about food in New Jersey, for in-person appearances and on the air.
Deborah Smith
Deborah Smith is the founder of New Jersey’s popular food blog, JerseyBites.com, and the author of The Jersey Shore Cookbook (Quirk Books, 2016). Jersey Bites spotlights all that is great about food in the Garden State. Launched in 2007, the site is now home to talented food writers throughout the state and welcomes over 50,000 visitors every month. Readers enjoy the latest news about restaurants, farms, wineries, breweries. They also use Jersey Bites as a resource for seasonal recipes based on New Jersey fresh seafood, meats and produce. In her role as Executive Editor of Jersey Bites, Deborah served as a founding member of Jersey Shore Restaurant Week and most recently as a judge for Jersey Shore Restaurant Week’s TASTE AWARDS. Over the years, she has served as a judge for numerous food competitions and continues to speak about food in New Jersey, for in-person appearances and on the air.
Jennifer Daskevich
After winning the World Sandwich Championships,... Read More
After winning the World Sandwich Championships, Jennifer took her love of America’s first and still favorite “hand held device” better known as the sandwich, and founded Sandwich America, America’s comprehensive sandwich driven meal occasion platform. Jennifer believes that “a sandwich is the only food genre that is good for breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, or a snack.” Jennifer has won numerous cooking competitions and is a restaurateur, wine sommelier, award winning food photographer, TV food personality with NBC Affiliate WFLA in Tampa and appeared on FYI’s original series World Food Championships. She looks forward to embarking on The Great American Sandwich Trail this summer. Socialize with Sandwich America on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Jennifer Daskevich
After winning the World Sandwich Championships, Jennifer took her love of America’s first and still favorite “hand held device” better known as the sandwich, and founded Sandwich America, America’s comprehensive sandwich driven meal occasion platform. Jennifer believes that “a sandwich is the only food genre that is good for breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, or a snack.” Jennifer has won numerous cooking competitions and is a restaurateur, wine sommelier, award winning food photographer, TV food personality with NBC Affiliate WFLA in Tampa and appeared on FYI’s original series World Food Championships. She looks forward to embarking on The Great American Sandwich Trail this summer. Socialize with Sandwich America on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Terry French
Terry French, The World’s Extreme Chef, has cooked... Read More
Terry French, The World’s Extreme Chef, has cooked in 86 countries and traveled around the world 8 times. His global-to-local cuisine perspective and belief that “ hand-held ” food is the carrier of food culture may seem in stark contrast to his being born and raised in Evansville, Indiana. But diversity and uncommon is Terry defined. Winning Food Network’s World Extreme Chef in 2012 celebrated his amazing and adventurous life and his “French’s KISS” belief to food – Keeping it simple and sustainable. From Ice fishing with his father and cooking with his mother as a boy to hosting Taste Asia in Times Square, Terry French makes every meal a cuisine adventure. Terry believes that “Hand-held foods and sandwiches are the global cuisine language. From Thai street food to Philly cheese steaks – the world eats with our hands for centuries and now more than ever”. Follow Terry’s Extreme Chef adventures on Facebook and Instagram .
Terry French
Terry French, The World’s Extreme Chef, has cooked in 86 countries and traveled around the world 8 times. His global-to-local cuisine perspective and belief that “ hand-held ” food is the carrier of food culture may seem in stark contrast to his being born and raised in Evansville, Indiana. But diversity and uncommon is Terry defined. Winning Food Network’s World Extreme Chef in 2012 celebrated his amazing and adventurous life and his “French’s KISS” belief to food – Keeping it simple and sustainable. From Ice fishing with his father and cooking with his mother as a boy to hosting Taste Asia in Times Square, Terry French makes every meal a cuisine adventure. Terry believes that “Hand-held foods and sandwiches are the global cuisine language. From Thai street food to Philly cheese steaks – the world eats with our hands for centuries and now more than ever”. Follow Terry’s Extreme Chef adventures on Facebook and Instagram .