5 Grocery Store Italian Subs That Might Make You Skip Jersey Mike's

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The Italian sub emerged as a regional pick with Italian immigrant roots, but today it's a top contender at the deli counter. It's a hearty, portable meal stacked with cold cuts and cheese on a sub roll. The origin of the first Italian sub is widely disputed, but Jersey Mike's, a New Jersey-based deli shop, gave the sandwich national recognition. It's a popular chain restaurant pick for a quick, authentic Italian sub.

It's tough to compete with the hand-sliced meats and cheeses that Jersey Mike's is known for. The Mike's Hot Italian Sub includes provolone cheese, ham, prosciuttini, cappacuolo, salami, and pepperoni. Customers love ordering a sub "Mike's Way" with onions, lettuce, tomatoes, red wine vinegar, spices, and an olive oil blend (also called "The Juice"). Reviews say several grocery stores are taking on the New Jersey chain deli head-on with an Italian sub that might make you skip Jersey Mike's. This list highlights the grocery stores ranking as favorites among Italian sub connoisseurs. Next time you're grocery shopping, make note to pick up an Italian sub.

Publix is headquartered in Florida, but it slowly conquered the rest of the Southeast region in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The grocery store's deli counter is famous for its Pub subs and is affectionately popular on social media today. Publix introduced the first Pub subs in 1992, at the opening of the Marietta, Georgia location. Customers flock to the deli counter, where the Italian sub is one of the most popular choices. A popular social media trend, "this and a Pub sub," often shows users enjoying their sandwiches in idyllic locations on hikes, at the beach, or under waterfalls. 

Regulars of Reddit often remark that the Italian Pub sub is in an "elite tier" of its own. Set against Jersey Mike's, Publix stacks up on account of its variability. The Publix Italian includes Genoa salami, tavern ham, and capicola with provolone. The veggie toppings, condiments, and bread are all your choice. Although you can pick your own, Publix recommends its Italian sub served on Italian five grain, but the Publix soft white bread sub rolls are also highly regarded and add a crunch that complements the layers of meat. At Jersey Mike's, your choices are pretty much white bread or rosemary parmesan. 

Publix presents a choice between private-label deli meat, or an upgrade to Boar's Head, the gourmet pick. Stick to the classic Italian sub toppings or branch out and create your own twist. The beauty of the Pub sub is that it's purely your own creation. When top Publix subs are ranked, the Italian sub consistently lands in the top, making it a grocery store sub you've got to try.

Wegmans locations are dotted across the Northeast. Its deli counter has risen in popularity as a place a quick sub. Upstate New Yorkers were blessed with Wegmans first, and today it's known as an upscale grocery store; since Wegmans is from the same area, its subs have to compete with serious competition, like Jersey Mikes.

Titled Danny's Favorite, the Wegmans Italian sub is a popular menu item amongst customers. The bread is baked daily, making it the perfect base for Danny's Favorite. Choose classic white sub bread or mix it up with whole wheat, sesame, or everything. The meats combine spicy ham, capicola, and salami, along with some lettuce and tomato.

You don't need a chef's palates to notice that Wegmans subs are famed. Folks have taken to a Where Syracus Eats Facebook group to call the Dannys Favorite, "the most GOATED sandwich of all time." Others mention that, with the addition of oil, vinegar, and oregano, the "flavor is there." That first ingredient is key. High-quality meats, fresh vegetable toppings, ideal ratios, and consistency are key for anyone seeking a great sub; but a Wegmans sub also needs its oil and vinegar. "You can slather an old shoe in that stuff, and I'd eat it," said on Redditor. There's a reason Wegmans sells it by the bottle.

Some reviewers call Wegmans subs expertly constructed sandwiches that lean toward generous portions, with a large sub sometimes stretching beyond one foot. When compared to Jersey Mike's, it's clear there's a deal to be had at Wegmans. If you want to take your Italian sub to the next level, spicy mustard tops reviews as an additional condiment.

One might think of the colorful produce section at Sprouts Farmers Market, the bulk buy-by-the-pound nuts, or even the store's mega supplement selection. The sandwiches mostly run under the radar, but genuine fans once took their sandwich discovery to TikTok, and Sprouts went viral back in 2022. Eaters were tearing into the sandwiches from their cars, without waiting, just to get that fresh bite and share their thoughts on social media. The viral deli sandwiches significantly impacted sales, as fans flock to try the stacked fresh ingredients and "two-meal" portion sizes.

Sprouts reviewers agree that the Italian is the sandwhich to order, though keep in mind that it's a cry from the traditional Jersey Mike's version. It includes Boar's Head low sodium ham, Genoa salami, pepperoni, and mortadella, however, it's not an East Coast classic Italian sub because it's typically served on sliced bread. At some Sprouts an Italian baguette option is available, which is when this enters the range of being a top grocery store sub. Customers aren't trading away flavor, by breaking with tradition. Just a price cut. Most notably, the sandwich at Sprouts is surprisingly budget-friendly at a hard to beat, sub-$8.

Market Basket isn't an overpriced grocery store. Its known for slashing prices, and appealing to budget-conscious consumers. Although the deli counter isn't serving custom subs, the grab-and-go options are not too shabby, and can save you time and money as opposed to a Jersey Mike's visit. With 90 locations in New England, it's a solid deli counter option when you're short on time. Their slogan is "more for your dollar," and the Italian sub delivers.

Reviewers are so favorable toward the Market Basket Italian sub that it gets nods among deli counter enthusiasts as a local favorite. The sandwich is loaded with Genoa salami, capicola, mortadella, cooked ham, and freshly sliced provolone. It's wrapped and ready to go, and it costs a little over $5 for a full. That's great savings from Jersey Mike's sub pricing. Another reviewer mentions that the Market Basket Italian sub feels old-school, with a 1970s vibe, when subs weren't as fancy. Either way, it tops our list as a great sub option when you're in a hurry.

As a big-box store, you don't expect a decent Italian sub at Walmart. It's known for everyday low prices, not the deli counter, but a deli counter is in almost every location nationwide. Its own Marketside subs are surprisingly popular. Pre-wrapped and heavy-handed on toppings, the Marketside Italian Hero should be on your list to try. Walmart subs come in half and full options, making them a savory pick that's good for a snack but also has a more filling option. Like many Walmart items, it's priced competitively low. You are trading off, however, for the fact that it is not sliced fresh like Jersey Mike's. Still, even a large Marketside Italian Hero will cost sub $10. 

The four-cheese bread helped the Marketside Italian Hero grow in popularity. Reviewers note. Between the bread, tavern ham, hard salami, capicola, pepperoni, and provolone, it is stacked high. Fans of this sub say the bread is a star sub. For our own reviewer, it was the dressing: A hot pepper relish is served in a packet on the side of the Italian Hero, for those who prefer a spicy version. While the Marketside Italian sub also strays from the classic version because of the cheese bread, it's worth sinking your teeth into.

The chain grocery stores for this list were selected based on the number of positive customer reviews online. Strong testimonials and opinions allowed us to rank the Italian subs. Customer reviews cited taste, and it was the primary driver of high ratings. We considered review components such as freshness, authenticity, and price. Editorial outlets were the top source, while social media posts on YouTube and Reddit supported the editorial sources. 

Many reviewers noted fresh meats, crunchy vegetable toppings, and a wide variety of toppings. Those notes were compared to the traditional Jersey Mike's Italian Sub order. Trends amongst the top grocery stores emerged, allowing us to consider their sub. Many national grocery stores have deli counters with Italian subs on the menu, but only these five stores have numerous positive online reviews.