Detroit has a rich Italian history dating back to its settlement in 1701, when Alphonse de Tonty co-founded the city with Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac. Today, Italian delis dotted throughout metro Detroit serve as community gathering grounds for the Italian American community at large.
Many of these grocers offer delicious cold-cut sandwiches wrapped tightly in butcher paper, a quick and understated lunch that’s been embraced by just about everybody. And the best part? No two sandwiches are ever the same. Each one is a unique expression of the Italian American/Midwest experience.
A good Italian sandwich equates to simple excellence — good bread, cold cuts, sliced vegetables, and a tangy dressing of some kind. What’s more, Detroit is a city untethered to rigid East Coast traditions. Many of the Italian sandwiches on this list deviate from classic preparations and ingredients, making for a refreshing catalog of sandos.
I ate more than 20 different sandwiches to compile this list, and I revisited my top picks. Though these rankings represent the order in which I prefer them, the list is mostly for fun. Read: Don’t take the order too seriously. I urge you to find your own personal favorite Italian sandwich and then sing its praises to whoever will listen. After all, a good Italian sandwich is worth yapping about.
Jim Bommarito Dolceria Palermo: Italian Submarine Sandwich
Ingredients: Salami, ham, provolone, lettuce, tomato, onion, sweet or hot peppers, and Italian dressing on a seeded Italian sub roll
Cost: $8.99
Notes: The most exceptional Italian sandwich in Detroit hails from Bommarito’s — a title exacted in large part due to its fabulous bread. The soft, crusty Italian rolls at Bommarito’s are made daily and akin to the legendary hoagies of Philadelphia. These golden, chewy, crusty baguettes also contain an outrageous number of sesame seeds, guaranteeing each bite is nutty and flavorful. Good bread wins every time, and Bommarito’s makes some of the best in the country.
Address: 21830 Greater Mack Ave., St. Clair Shores
Zingerman’s Deli: Frank & Kathy’s Half-Italian Sub
Ingredients: All-beef salami, Fra’Mani mortadella, Arkansas peppered ham, provolone, lettuce, tomato, onions, olive oil, red wine vinegar, and spicy fire-roasted New Mexico green chiles on a homemade paesano roll
Cost: $16.99 small, $18.99 regular
Notes: Zingerman’s updated take on a classic Italian sandwich features spicy fire-roasted New Mexico chiles, which add a nice smoky-sweet flavor. Its deli meat also stands out — thick, textured slices of Arkansas ham are sliced directly off the bone. The house-made paesano sandwich loaf is substantial and crusty, holding the ingredients well. Zingerman’s also imports its red wine vinegar directly from Italy. The deli sources some of the best ingredients in the world. No, it’s not a traditional Italian deli, but Michiganders are sleeping on this sandwich.
Address: 422 Detroit St., Ann Arbor
Ventimiglia Italian Foods: Italian on a Hard Roll
Ingredients: Mortadella, ham, salami, provolone, hot giardiniera, lettuce, tomato, oil, and vinegar on a hard roll
Cost: $11.99
Notes: Ventimiglia provides a consistent, quintessential Italian sandwich. The ratios of meat, cheese, and vegetables feel like pure science; each bite is a perfect mouthful. Italian meat gives way to a delicious trifecta of hot giardiniera, crisp shredded lettuce, and fresh tomato. The move here is to order the hard roll, which deliciously soaks up the olive oil and vinegar.
Address: 35197 Dodge Park Road, Sterling Heights
Rocco’s Italian Deli: A Love Letter to the Corner Deli
Ingredients: Genoa salami, capocollo, mortadella, sharp provolone, tomato, onion, shredded lettuce, and house vinaigrette on ciabatta bread
Cost: $13
Notes: A love letter to the corner deli indeed. Rocco’s ode to the classic Italian sandwich chooses its ingredients perfectly, right down to the sharp provolone. The ciabatta roll is soft, and the house vinaigrette is tangy and slightly sweet. Rocco’s also has excellent house-made condiments, so think about adding hot giardiniera and spicy red pepper relish.
Address: 3627 Cass Ave., Detroit
Angela’s Italian Deli & Bakery: The Italian
Ingredients: Genoa salami, sweet capocollo, hot soppressata, mortadella, prosciuttini, provolone, shredded lettuce, and house vinaigrette on a sub roll
Cost: $10.99
Notes: The only sandwich on this list to feature a saccharine dressing, The Italian at Angela’s is singularly delicious due to its stark contrast of flavors. The honeyed dressing, when paired with hot giardiniera, makes for a fantastic spicy-sweet combo that’s hard to pass up. Angela’s deli is
the treasure of Macomb County, and its sandwich alone warrants multiple visits.
Address: 48852 Romeo Plank Road, Macomb Township
The Original Gonella’s: Italian Sub (6 layers meat, 1 layer cheese)
Ingredients: Hard salami, salami cotto, mortadella, smoked ham, capocollo, provolone, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and a homemade dressing
Cost: $7.50
Notes: Gonella’s is a Detroit institution for a reason — its down-to-earth, deli-slicer sandwich is convenient, cheap, and delicious. Every ingredient is sliced thin, and its tangy red wine vinegar cuts through the richness with robust pungency. Oh, and it’s stacked with meat. That this convenient sandwich costs only $7.50 is a huge service to the community.
Address: 295 Oakwood Blvd., Detroit, and 10021 Telegraph Road, Redford
La Pecora Nera: Italiano
Ingredients: Genoa salami, fire-roasted ham, turkey breast, mortadella, capocollo, provolone, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, and house Italian dressing on a sub roll
Cost: $14
Notes: This sandwich isn’t Italian American; it’s Italian and American. The inclusion of pickles and turkey is rare, but they provide a fantastic touch of flavor. The Italiano at La Pecora Nera also features a whopping five meats, so you get your money’s worth. It’s rich and hearty but features an herby, tangy Italian dressing to cut through the meatiness.
Address: 1514 Washington Blvd., Detroit, and 23631 Farmington Road, Farmington
This story originally appeared in the October 2024 issue of Hour Detroit magazine. To read more, pick up a copy of Hour Detroit at a local retail outlet. Our digital edition will be available on Oct. 7.
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