Prosciutto, capicola, soppressata, oh my!
When it comes to meaty goodness, it's just not possible to cover all the bases, all of the time.
A couple of months back, we tried to do just that by declaring the 9 greatest Italian sandwich shops in New York City, but we just couldn't get 'em all.
So for our second installment, we took to the streets of New York City in search of 5 more delicious Italian sandwich shops... and we think we did a pretty good job of naming them all.
Did we miss any of your favorites this time around? If so, let us know in the comments below!
1. Sergimmo Salumeria (456 9th Avenue)
According to Sergimmo, "it's not a diet, it's a lifestyle" when it comes to Italian goodies. And how could it be anything but when it comes to fresh, house made mozzarella amongst other Italian meaty, cheesy specialities?
Paninis here are the bomb, stuffed to the brim inside crusty Italian bread and dressed with extra virgin olive oil and crema di balsamic.
Try "The Lombardia," with grilled chicken, mozzarella, tomatoes, mixed greens, and pesto or "The Trentino," with mortadella, marinated eggplant, and provolone.
2. Sal, Kris, and Charlie's Deli (33-12 23rd Avenue - Queens)
This gem of a sandwich shop in Astoria kills it when it comes to Italian-American heroes and sides like their macaroni salad.
If you take one look at one of these subs, you'll understand why Sal, Kris, and Charlie's is known as the Sandwich King of Astoria.
If you're looking for a super special hero with big bite under $10 bucks, this is your place.
Try your luck with "The Bomb," which really is a bomb of a sandwich with big, thick layers of ham, turkey, salami, pepperoni, and mortadella, plus three kinds of cheese: provolone, American, and Swiss.
If you thought that was it, toppings include lettuce, tomato, onions, roasted red peppers, vinegar, mustard, and mayo. If you've never believed that all this could fit perfectly on a hero, then seeing is believing.
It's literally as big as your arm.
3. Defonte's Sandwich Shop (379 Columbia Street - Brooklyn)
livexlarge Defonte's has the best sandwiches anywhere. Got a roast pork special and a prosciutto special. #guyswhoEAT
This charming, old-school Brooklyn Italian sandwich shop once made an appearance on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, which means you know that you can expect larger-than-life size and flavor on a sandwich.
Chicken cutlet, hot roast beef with mozzarella and fried eggplant, and prosciutto, mozzarella, and roasted pepper heroes are calling your name at Defonte's Sandwich Shop.
They also make a mean steak pizzaiola, an Italian steak sandwich with melt-in-your mozzarella.
Trust us, the best Italian flavors in meaty, massive portions have never been so appealing.
4. Cherry Valley Deli and Grill (12-29 150th Street - Queens)
tastyfoodpictures chicken fingers, mozzarella sticks, waffle fries, cole slaw, & Russian dressing on a sandwich! 🍗🍞🍟🍲 from: Cherry Valley Deli (West Hempstead) #cherryvalleydeli #sandwich #food #delicious #tasty #yum
Cherry Valley is notorious for its hulking, delicious chicken cutlet sandwiches. Chicken cutlets, the fried, crispy staple of essential Italian cooking, are that much better in sandwich form on a toasted garlic hero at this Whitestone sandwich spot.
Top sandwiches include "The Beast," with chicken cutlet, bacon, swiss cheese, brown gravy, and onion rings, and "The Corona," with chicken cutlet, bacon, cheddar, onion rings, and BBQ sauce.
Now that's some crazy mouthwatering, meaty goodness at its finest, right?
5. Leo's Latticini-Mama's (46-02 104th Street - Queens)
Italian specialities abound and adorn the shelves of Leo's Latticini, but that doesn't mean that you can't grab a great hero or two from here as well.
Besides, all those Italian groceries make for some great sandwich assembly, right?
"Hot Roast Beef" is a hot-ticket item on the menu here, so enjoy it served with cheese, peppers, and the gravy that it comes smothered in. Another Italian great is the "Mama's Special," with spicy Genoa salami, ham, sweet peppers, and fresh mozzarella.
Load your sandwich up with marinated favorites like mushrooms and eggplant, and you're good to go.
So are you hungry yet or what?
If you're craving even more deliciousness, check out 8 Scrumptious Sandwiches in NYC.
[Feature Image Courtesy: UrbanSpoon]