Hoagies vs. subs: There’s a real difference in these NJ lunch favorites
The sandwich we all know and love as either subs or hoagies here in New Jersey is known by other names in other parts of the country.
Right over the river in New York, they're known as heroes.
In New England, they're sometimes called grinders.
In New Orleans, a similar sandwich is called a poorboy or po-boy.
Back here in New Jersey they're called hoagies in the southern part of the state, and north of Trenton and that line down to LBI they are subs. There's even a long-established deli in Surf City on LBI called "Subbogies" where they want to make both parts of the state happy.
Primo Hoagies, is a Philadelphia-based franchise that is spreading from the Philly suburbs and South Jersey to North Jersey. They are opening their newest store in Allendale in Bergen County on Feb. 14.
This is their second Bergen County location with other stores in a few towns in Central and North Jersey. Will this change the way that part of the state calls a sub? Probably not. They'll just say, "I picked up a couple of subs at Primo's Hoagies."
Jersey Mike's is the dominant sub-shop in most of the northern part of the state and even some of South Jersey.
They are nationwide and even in foreign countries. Is there a difference between a sub and a hoagie? Yes, I believe there is.
The best explanation of the difference came from our co-worker Frank. As he explains it and I agree, a hoagie's roll is sliced on one side and stuffed with the meat, cheese and toppings, whereas a sub roll is cut all the way through and then piled with the stuff and topped with the other half of the roll.
That's about it other than what we call it in our halves of the state. BTW, in other parts of the country, like Texas, it's called a sandwich. Yeah, what do they know?!
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Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Dennis Malloy only.
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