Sandwich & Slice = Everything Nice

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Club:Sandwich
April 30, 2025

Growing up in Pittsburgh we were #blessed to live near a stretch of 2 blocks that boasted 3 very solid pizzerias - Mineo’s, Aiello’s, and Napoli’s. If you ask 3 Pittsburghers their favorite one, you’ll get 3 different answers and a bunch of supporting statements for why each of them is correct. I did some reddit research and confirmed this is still the case 30 years later. I also found this take about my personal favorite, Mineo’s, that stung quite a bit: 

“Mineos is straight up trash. Never liked it growing up, but all the boomers around me with dead taste buds would insist on getting it.”

Sadly I guess I’m a boomer with dead taste buds - not ideal if you’re putting out a food related newsletter.

Anyhow, what isn’t often discussed when it comes to these pizzerias is the deep section on their menus devoted to “Hoagies.” To some degree it’s strange to go to a specific type of restaurant and find they have a dozen or more options under a totally different category of food. On the flip side, what better way to get your bread toasty and cheese bubbling than to stick your sandwich into a piping hot pizza oven. Also, pizzerias are masters of dough which can translate very well to delicious sandwich bread.

Lately some of the most talked about sandwiches are coming from places that are primarily considered pizza joints. 

Mama’s Too in NYC is one such location. I ended up there with another club member last week. Late in the evening the line was out the door for the sandwich specials of the day, prompting us to pull an audible at the cash register and order up their cheesesteak with cacio e pepe sauce and onions. It got me thinking that we needed to explore this category a bit more. I mentioned it to my counterpart in Oakland who recalled his recent excursion to Pizzeria Violetta to scarf down their Italian Sub special. 

Digging around a bit, we found more than a few pizza shop sandwiches we’d love to try. Here is a sampling:

Angelo’s Pizzeria : Philadelphia

These guys are putting out what has been widely recognized as the best cheesesteak in Philly. They also have a sandwich section of the menu that’s longer than the pizza section. Maybe they should be called Angelo’s Sandwicheria?

Often regarded as the best slice in NYC (and therefore the world), L’Industrie offers up a single sandwich special every Wednesday. Pictured here is the beloved Chicken Caesar. It seems worth the wait in the very long line it usually causes.

Pequod’s Pizza : Chicago

This old school spot offers thin and deep dish pizza options (it’s Chicago after all). They also serve up another Chicago classic - a Hot Italian Beef sandwich. Their take comes with the bubbly browned cheese that only a hard working pizza oven can get you.

This beloved San Francisco pizza parlor’s most popular sandwich doesn’t get heated in their oven, but it fits the vibe nonetheless. The Italian Combo piles fresh local ingredients on delicious house made bread from actual gluten geniuses.

No doubt, there are plenty of other great pizza shops all over pumping out mouth watering sandwiches. If you have one where you love the slices and sandwiches, let us know about it in the MSD. 

Until next week, may your cheese be molten and the roof of your mouth not too badly burnt. 

 

Club Sandwich is the world's first ever members-only club for sandwich lovers (as far as you know). Together we discover, order, make, eat, and discuss sandwiches while building the largest, most comprehensive database of sandwiches ever. Grab or make a sandwich and then share it with us by adding it to the Million Sandwich Database. Uploading sandwiches will earn you points that have no value and cannot be used in any way.