Jen O’Mara, writing for The Keystone, set out on a quest for the best suburban hoagies.

She purposefully eliminated any of the legendary producers within the Philadelphia borders, seeking lesser-known masters from smaller communities.

Her best-of list across the suburban geographies yielded eight notables. Montgomery County is home to four of them, a notoriety that may make the other counties (lettuce) green with envy.

The in-county roll-meat-cheese-oil-seasonings-in-paper-wrappings masters are:

• Carlino’s Gourmet Italian Market, 2616 E. County Line Road, Ardmore. Its go-to versions are Angela’s Choice, which uses prosciutto and fresh mozzarella, and the Old Timer, heaped with capicola, fried eggplant, red onion, and tomato
• Eve’s Lunch, 318 Johnson E. Highway, Norristown. Be it a hoagie or a zep, Eve’s has been cranking out five-star versions of both since 1965
• Silvio’s Deli & Bakery, 100 N. York Road, Hatboro. Silvio’s can address a small yen for a hoagie (a six-inch version) or an absolute feast (24 inches of sandwich)
• Sonny’s Italian Deli, 250 W. Ridge Pike, Royersford. Sonny’s promises a “taste of the city in the suburbs.” Its top-shelf versions include the Philly Dilly, whose ample meats are accompanied by chunks (not slices) of provolone

The full list of best suburban hoagies is in The Keystone.

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A look at favorite sandwiches across the U.S.

Editor’s Note: This post first appeared on MONTCO Today in May 2023.