The Best Sub Sandwiches on Delmarva: A Delmarvalous Delight

March 25, 2022

My one true love is a good sub sandwich (just kidding, it’s my husband, because he’s going to read this). I’m always in search of a terrific sub and I have a few requirements that determines what makes a superior one:

1)     The bread needs to have a slightly crusty outside and a soft inside. I don’t want the sandwich to be so chewy I feel like I’m a cavewoman tearing off bites by the fire. And the bread needs to be fresh, with a nice bready, yeasty, maybe just a little sweet flavor. Basically, bad bread can completely ruin an otherwise decent sub, so I want some attention to detail here.

2)     Fresh topping variety. Lettuce is fine, but ultimately kind of boring if that’s all that’s on offer, or just lettuce/tomato/onion. Meh, fine but not enough. I like to basically be able to have a salad on top of my sub. Some of the toppings I want to see on a sub menu include: lettuce, tomato, green pepper, onion, cucumber, hot peppers, sweet peppers. I don’t need mushrooms, jalapenos, or some others but I think it’s great if those are on offer. And honestly, if a place has cucumber as a topping option, they automatically get a piece of my heart because the crunch of cucumbers takes a sub to another level.

3)     Cheese options. GIVE ME SWISS. The end.

4)     Meat options. Most places just do a few things: Italian cold cut, cold cut and either turkey or ham. I’m so happy when I can do a club sub, such as ham, turkey, roast beef and hell yeah, add bacon! I also occasionally really jam with a chicken salad sub but please, for all that’s holy, don’t put celery in the chicken salad, because why? And OH MY GOD, NO RAISINS. *barf sounds*

5)     Sauces and seasoning. I’m a straight up mayo girl (and Duke’s mayo is the best unless we’re talking Kewpie Japanese mayo. Don’t talk to me about Hellman’s) so as long as there’s mayo (yes, and extra mayo) I’m good. But I think a place that offers a spicy brown mustard should also get props. I’m not an oil and vinegar person, and I don’t care about salt, pepper, oregano but I know some people totally dig those things.

6)     Put it all together: I love when a sub is overstuffed. Yes, it’s messy and hard to eat, but it makes me feel like I’m eating a meal, not just a sandwich. And it makes me feel as if I’ve gotten great value. And as if the establishment really likes me.

So with all that said, I’ve definitely tried my fair share of places around Delmarva to have subs and here are my three current favorites:

1)     Hiatt’s in Salisbury, MD.

I absolutely love their subs. I wish they had more meat options (they definitely don’t have what I prefer for meat but I still go there because they hit other marks. Though they seem to have removed cucumbers from the list, which is a bummer. And the last time I was there (uh, yesterday, lol) they didn’t ask me if I had a cheese preference, but whatever. The sandwich was fresh, the bread delicious, and it was absolutely, 100% overstuffed.

2)     Trax Deli, also in Salisbury.

It’s been a few months since I’ve been there, but similarly to Hiatt’s, they deliver an overstuffed sandwich with fresh-tasting ingredients and great bread. Their menu is a bit more extensive than Hiatt’s and I have to say that everything we’ve gotten from them, not just the sub, has been excellent.

3)     Anthony’s Liquors Deli in Ocean City, MD.

This is one of the best sandwich shops on the shore and my favorite beach stop. They have an absolutely HUGE assortment of subs and sandwiches they’ll make fresh to order and I always end up standing there for way too long trying to decide. My teen and I have started ordering two different subs and taking half each so we can have different things because their menu variety is ridiculous and so satisfying. If you get overwhelmed by option, or just like a plain sub, this might not excite you as much but like the other two shops, their quality is top notch, the sub bread is perfect, the meats and cheese fresh and tasty and they also have a variety of side salads to go with your sub (alongside, not on top, lol).

I know there’s a wide variety of other places on Delmarva to get subs. I haven’t been to Princess Anne for subs yet, and I’ve seen some random gas station type places recommended but never figured out where they are to go order, so I still need to check those out. I’m going to!

But in the meantime, I’m happy visiting these favorites and if you’re in the mood for a sub sandwich and you’re similarly a sub sandwich elitist snob like I am, I am confident in recommending you visit them as well!

Do you have a favorite Delmarva location for subs? Vote and/or comment on the poll in the Facebook group and I’ll visit the one (other than these three) that has the top votes and write a review of it this summer!

These businesses are a Shop Local Delmarvalous Delight and I highly recommend them! 

Angela James is a resident of Salisbury, MD and active in the Delmarva community through volunteer work for organizations such as National Folk Festival, Humane Society of Wicomico, Salisbury Pride Parade and more. A fiction editor, author career consultant and public speaker, she’s a small business owner who understands the power of word of mouth and customer reviews.

Delmarvalous Delights highlights the best of Delmarva, along with hidden gems, and shines a spotlight on those businesses that stand out consistently as Delmarvalous Delights.

If you’d like to invite Angela to visit your business, or try your products, please email angie@delmarvalousdelights.com