Just in time for Super Bowl 2023 nourishment, Philadelphia Magazine has cited some of the best hoagies in the area. The assessment took three culinary experts from its staff to determine: Bradford Pearson, Regan Fletcher Stephens, and Victor Fiorillo.

What’s surprising about the list is there is one — and only one — Montgomery County hoagie creator on it.

And unlike other representatives of the local sandwich honor guard, this one isn’t in Norristown. Or Pottstown. Or Bridgeport. Or any of the other suspected locales.

In fact, it’s tucked in a small pocket community between Ambler and Montgomeryville.

A true underdog.

It’s Penna’s Italian Market and Deli in Spring House, Lower Gwynedd Township.

What’s more, this recommended spot is a newcomer, having opened only in 2021.

Even Philly Magazine’s panel expressed surprise about Penna’s nontraditional vibe.

“If a deli doesn’t shimmer with the ancient patina of oil-and-vin, can you trust it to make a great hoagie?” they asked.

And answered: “Penna’s proves you can.”

Penna’s was noted for accessing high-quality ingredients locally. Its rolls, for example, hail from Corropolese Bakery and Deli, which has been baking them in Norristown for a century.

But its sandwich crafters don’t hesitate to reach far for other components of quality. The prosciutto, for example, is imported from Parma, Italy.

More on Penna’s Italian Market and Deli — and the other hoagie hall of famers — is at Philadelphia Magazine.