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Philadelphia is regarded as one of the top sandwich cities in the world. From the famous cheesesteak to the locals’-choice roast pork, the City of Brotherly Love is a sandwich connoisseur’s haven. But a signature sammy in Philly’s sandwich trinity is the meaty simplicity of the humble hoagie.
Hoagie isn’t just another name for a sub, hero or grinder. It’s a lovingly crafted Philly staple that needs to be experienced firsthand.
The classic hoagie is built-to-order and typically filled with sliced deli meat and cheese topped with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, onions, oregano and a drizzle of oil-and-vinegar, all stuffed into a crusty-yet-chewy long Italian roll.
Hoagies, however, are as diverse as their creators. Most traditional versions use cold cuts or cold-cured Italian meats. But the varieties available are endless, often stuffed with items like tuna salad, chicken cutlets and roasted vegetables, or topped with punches of flavor including long hots, sautéed greens and artichokes.
Read on for our guide to a baker’s-dozen of the best spots for authentic hoagies in Philadelphia, or click below to learn more about Philly’s hoagie history.
Click for Hoagie History
While the idea of putting meat, cheese and condiments on a roll seems obvious, accounts of the then-new sandwich’s origin vary greatly.
One widely-accepted legend is that the concept — and the name — came from Italian-American shipyard laborers nicknamed “hoggies” working around South Philly’s Hog Island (now the site of the Philadelphia International Airport) who brought bread stuffed with meats, cheeses and vegetables for lunch during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Meanwhile, some claim it originates from late-19th-century Philly street produce vendors known as hokey-pokey men who would take their antipasto for sale and stuff it into newly-created long bread loaves from local bakeries called pinafores — and “hokey” eventually evolved into “hoagie.”
Yet others point the finger at Catherine DiCostanza of A. DiCostanza grocery store in Chester, who is said to have invented the modern hoagie in 1925 when a late-night visitor asked for a sandwich with everything in the store’s case on it.
No matter which origin story you subscribe to, the key elements are the quality and freshness of the ingredients that make a great hoagie. But what separates a hoagie from a run-of-the-mill ham-and-cheese sandwich?
It all comes down to the bread.
Philly’s best hoagies come on rolls delivered fresh daily from a local bakery like Carangi, Cacia’s, Liscio’s or Sarcone’s. From there, it’s all about the excellence of the provolone, the prosciutto, the soppressata, the turkey, the vinaigrette, the roasted peppers or whatever else may be going inside.
Nearly every Philadelphian has a regular spot for cheesesteaks, for pizza and for hoagies. But to a lot of folks, it’s all one place: Angelo’s Pizzeria South Philly. While most denizens happily wait in long lines around the block for steaks and slices, the hoagies are equally desirable.
Aside from the Philly standards, the cash-only Bella Vista shop just two blocks off South Street offers hoagie specialties like the JYS (with turkey and prosciutto) and The Pops (prosciutto, soppressata, capicola and mortadella with provolone and mozzarella), all served on a seeded Sarcone’s roll.
Where: Angelo's Pizzeria South Philly, 736 S. 9th Street, Philadelphia, PA
In South Philly (still the spiritual home of the hoagie), loyalists swear by go-to neighborhood shops like Antonio’s Deli. The fifth-generation Italian bakery — which also runs a second location in University City — serves up plump hoagies on Sarcone’s rolls available traditional with a choice of several meats (including coteghino, mortadella, soppressata, capicola and prosciutto) or in a selection of house favorites.
Among these specialties, try the Crispy Tomato with fried tomato, turkey, bacon and roasted peppers, or the loaded well-regarded Original Veggie with baked eggplant, aged sharp provolone and broccoli rabe.
Where: Antonio's Deli, 1014 Federal Street, Philadelphia, PA
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Antonio's Deli, 3849 Lancaster Avenue, Philadelphia, PA
Packing plenty of goodies into its bustling alimentari, Castellino’s Italian Market offers grocery items like fresh meats, cheeses, oils, pastas, bread and jams. You could make amazing hoagies at home with what’s for sale. Luckily, you don’t have to.
Sliced-to-order hoagies are the real draw at the Fishtown corner market, with a dozen singular house creations from which to choose. Try your hand at the Fig Pig (fig jam, prosciutto, mascarpone and sweet roasted red peppers on ciabatta) or the spicy tuna and artichoke salad with asiago creation called the Aunt Lucy.
Where: Castellino's Italian Market, 1255 E. Palmer Street, Philadelphia, PA
One of the oldest hoagie shops in the city, Cosmi’s Deli has the look of a corner market — and the sandwich cred of a champ. Dating back to 1932, this small spot churns out some of the best cheesesteaks and roast pork sandwiches in South Philly, plus nearly 20 fantastic hoagie selections served on seeded or plain rolls from Sarcone’s.
Two of the menu’s highlights are the Godfather with prosciutto, sopressata, mozzarella, roasted peppers and sun-dried tomatoes or the Big Dom Cugine stuffed with prosciutto di Parma, mortadella, burrata, pesto and more.
Where: Cosmi's Deli, 1501 S. 8th Street, Philadelphia, PA
Queen Village’s Farina Di Vita raised its profile significantly in 2025 by ranking at the top of Food & Wine’s list of best hoagies in Philly. With its name meaning “flour of life,” the deli gets its signature flavors from chef Jason Okdeh’s Italian-American and Syrian backgrounds.
Serving a dozen cold hoagie varieties on rolls from South Philly brick oven bakery Cacia’s, a pair of highlights include The Papale Special with pepper turkey, roast beef or ham and Cooper Sharp, or The Boujie Bucci Italian tuna with provolone, long hots and roasted peppers.
Where: Farina Di Vita, 250 Catharine Street, Philadelphia, PA
The self-dubbed “King of Gourmet Hoagies,” Fink’s Hoagies serves sliced-to-order meats on crusty seeded rolls for its traditional takes and a selection of gourmet hoagies named for Northeast Philadelphia neighborhoods. But look out for its two secret weapons: provolone chopped not sliced, and a house olive spread instead of oil-and-vinegar
At the head of the menu, the Tacony institution offers its signature hoagie (helpfully named Fink’s Signature Hoagie), a combination of pork sausage coteghino, Genoa salami, ham capocolla, pepperoni and sharp provolone on a sesame-seed French loaf, with optional homemade cherry pepper shooters.
Where: Fink's Hoagies, 4633 Princeton Avenue, Philadelphia, PA
Local-centric Liberty Kitchen deli offers roast porks, hot dogs and some of the city’s best tomato pies. But don’t miss the over-a-dozen 12-inch hoagie options, including the Della Casa with hot capicola, roasted eggplant, mozzarella and balsamic sundried pepper spread, and the Turkey Pesto filled with roasted turkey, pesto mayo, provolone, pickled red onion and artichokes.
Stop by the original Fishtown shop or locations in Chestnut Hill and University City inside Two Locals Brewing.
Where: Liberty Kitchen PHL, 1400 N. Front Street, Philadelphia, PA
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Liberty Kitchen Chestnut Hill at The Market at The Farway, 8221 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, PA
Liberty Kitchen West at Two Locals Brewing, 3675 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA
It’s small, cramped and time-worn, but beloved. Lil Nick’s Deli won’t win any beauty contests, but if you’re seeking the quintessential South Philly hoagie jawn, this is the place. Next door to his father’s Big Nick’s grocery store, Nick Maiale Jr.’s diminutive sandwich counter offers exquisite fried-to-order cutlet sandwiches and authentic Italian hoagies.
Choose from two-dozen classics or 10 specialty hoagies loaded onto seeded Aversa’s rolls, including the Our Prosciutto Special topped with extra sharp provolone and sweet roasted peppers and Nick’s Veggie Supreme of battered eggplant, broccoli rabe, roasted peppers and sharp provolone.
Where: Lil Nick's Deli, 1311 W. Moyamensing Avenue, Philadelphia, PA
Pronounced like “my pals,” the moniker Mi-Pals Deli is a quirky play on both friendship and shortening of the name Mike Palestino, co-owner (with brother Tommy) of the nearly 30-year-old corner shop. Flying a bit under the radar, Mi-Pals serves well-regarded cheesesteaks, pasta entrees and its spicy inferno sandwiches.
But the South Philly delicatessen’s bread and butter is the enormous hoagies, piled high with Boar’s Head meats and cheeses on secret-stash seeded Italian rolls. Their signature sammy (among over 40 options!) is the All-American with ham, salami, bologna and American cheese.
Where: Mi Pal's Deli, 2300 S. 16th Street, Philadelphia, PA
Whether visiting the flagship Washington Square West luncheonette or its full-service Clubhouse offshoot restaurant and bar in Fishtown, Middle Child has quickly risen the ranks among best hoagie joints in Philly. Inspired by old-school Philadelphia Italian, Jewish and Greek eateries, nearly everything from meats to condiments to pickles is made in-house.
While offering two distinct dining experiences blending casual and upscale, both locations feature the same tongue-in-cheek takes like the Vietnamese-inspired vegan Pho-agie (with Hoisin eggplant, frizzled onions and avocado) and their classic Italian So Long Sal amped up with artichoke relish and balsamic mayo.
Where: Middle Child, 248 S. 11th Street, Philadelphia, PA
Middle Child Clubhouse, 1232 N. Front Street, Philadelphia, PA
The offerings at Paesano’s Philly Style are decidedly new-school thanks to chef Peter McAndrews’ flourish. The Daddy Wad, for example, marries classic Italian meats with sharp provolone and roasted tomato, and the Statiooch features roasted turkey breast, burrata and basil pesto mayo.
But it’s Paesano’s eponymous sandwich which beat the man himself on Throwdown with Bobby Flay, a brisket hoagie with fried egg, sharp provolone and horseradish mayo on an unseeded Liscio’s Italian roll. Judge for yourself at the shop near South 9th & Carpenter streets — the third spot they’ve occupied in the Italian Market.
Where: Paesano's Philly Style, 943 S. 9th Street, Philadelphia, PA
Founded in 1992 with one South Philly shop, PrimoHoagies has exploded into 155 locations nationwide, with about two dozen across the Philadelphia region. But the quality and taste remain the same, as do the hunger-satisfying whole-sized hoagies packing two pounds of meat.
The expansive menu features over 30 varieties, from five kinds of prosciutto and capicola Italians to a pair of popular vegetarian hoagies. Or try one of a half-dozen Primo Specialties, including the Abruzzi with roasted pork, sharp provolone and broccoli rabe or the Genoa salami, hot capicola and pepper shooters “R” Special.
Where: PrimoHoagies, Various locations including 128 S. 11th Street, Philadelphia, PA
With over a hundred years of hoagie-making excellence and a Philadelphia magazine Best of Philly Best Hoagie award in its back pocket, Ricci’s Hoagies offers a classic sandwich experience. Founded by Carlo Ricci in 1920 and currently led by Michael Pagliarella, Ricci’s remains proudly family-owned.
Both its original South Philly location and its recently-opened Logan Square outpost offer over 35 made-to-order varieties, with the Old Fashioned Italian as the signature selection. But for a different flavor profile, sink your teeth into The Punisher with thin-sliced Buffalo chicken, honey turkey and pepper Jack.
Where: Ricci's Hoagies, 1165 S. 11th Street, Philadelphia, PA
Ricci's Hoagies, 1825 Callowhill Street, Philadelphia, PA
Joe Beddia’s renowned pies took the nation by storm when his Pizzeria Beddia was named Bon Appétit’s Best Pizza In America a decade ago. His small walkup window has since moved into a full-service Fishtown space — named one of the “Greatest Places” in the world by Time — which also serves up a very Philly dining experience: a private two-hour hoagie and pizza omakase feast in the Hoagie Room.
The intimate hoagie hideaway inside the pizza parlor offers an all-in smorgasbord for parties of six including cocktails, apps and a chef-chosen selection of hoagies, pizzas and signature soft serve.
Where: Pizzeria Beddia, 1313 N. Lee Street, Philadelphia, PA
The only way to fully experience Philly? Stay over.
Book the Visit Philly Overnight Package and get free hotel parking and choose-your-own-adventure perks.
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Which will you choose?