We New Jerseyans will always argue that our state has the best subs– and well, it’s because we’re right. Whether you call it pork roll or Taylor ham (or even Taylor roll, as Governor Phil Murphy of Central Jersey called it), New Jersey does sandwiches so well that we have ones that you can’t find in any other state. What makes NJ bread so special, as Tiffany Rando of Florida Cold Cuts & Liquors put it, is “Definitely the legacy of it. It's been around for many, many generations.

Everyone says that the water here has something to do with this.” NJ water is soft and has lower concentrations of calcium and magnesium, which mixes well with bread flour’s high protein concentration. For this reason, South Jersey even has its kind of bread – the Atlantic City roll, which, according to Rando, is a long roll for hoagies delis that uses white flour.

The submarine sandwich was practically invented in New Jersey. Subs came from Italians who immigrated to the United States between the late 19th and early 20th centuries. New Jersey, sandwiched between Philadelphia and New York, the two largest cities for Italian immigration, became an Italian hub. When Italian immigrant Dominic Conti saw a submarine called Fenian Ram in the Paterson Museum in 1928, he started to call his Italian sandwiches “submarine sandwiches,” seeing a resemblance.

So, where can you get a taste of Jersey’s best subs? Whether visiting for the first time or a local craving a new spot, we have you covered with this list of South Jersey’s Best Delis and Sandwich Shops.

Florida Cold Cuts & Liquors - Ventnor, NJ

For 50 years, Florida Cold Cuts & Liquors has served Absecon Island with delicious subs, groceries, and alcohol. It was originally started on Florida Avenue in Atlantic City, but it was moved to Ventnor by Vern and Marion Sutley. Since their retirement three years ago, it has been run by Heidi and Ryan Bray, and Tiffany and Jake Rando, who have been faithful to keeping the original Florida Cold Cuts legacy alive. According to Tiffany Rando, what makes this sub shop so special is that “we are a little bit different than a traditional sub shop, just because we do deli meat. So we do sliced deli, and we bake our turkey, baked ham, chicken salad, and tuna, as well as roast beef, roast pork, and meatballs all in-house.” Visit https://www.floridacoldcuts.com/

Sack O’ Subs - Ventnor, Ocean City (2), Absecon, AtlanticCity, Egg HarborTownship

Sack O’ Subs has been an Atlantic Cape favorite since 1969 when the Sacco family opened their first location in Ventnor. Over 55 years, they’ve added Absecon, Atlantic City, Egg Harbor Township, and Ocean City locations. Known for their subs, Sacko’s also serves lunch, dinner, and breakfast at their Atlantic City and EHT locations. Ventnor, Absecon, and EHT locations offer catering, and Sack O’s even delivers their famous subs nationwide! Visit https://www.sackosubs.com/

White House Subs - Atlantic City, NJ (2)

White House Subs is a legendary Jersey sub shop and an Atlantic City staple. Founded in 1946 by Anthony Basile, it's one of the best sub-shops in the country. It's been featured on Food Network and honored with a James Beard Award. Their original Artic Ave location remains iconic, but you can visit them at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City. Visit https://whitehousesubshop.net/

Bruno’s Italian Market - Ventnor, NJ

Bruno’s Italian Market is a must for an authentic Italian sub shop. Enjoy their deli sandwiches, or ask for the Gabagoolfor a real Italian sub. You can also explore their Italian specialty meats, cheeses, wines, and desserts. They also offer catering services. Visit http://brunositalianmarket.com/

Giovanni’s Italian American Delicatessen - Sea Isle City, NJ

Giovanni’s offers much more than your typical deli fare. Their Italian specialty hoagies are a hit, so if you want to try a different version of an Italian sub, this is your spot. They also cater with sub and salad party platters. Visit https://giovannissic.com/

Rose’s Garden Grill - Northfield, NJ

Established by Frank and Rose Trifiletti in 2004, Rose’s has served Northfield with salads, chicken cutlets, wraps, and subs. You can enjoy a Jersey pork roll (or Taylor Ham) for breakfast, and they also provide catering for events. Visit https://www.rosesgardengrill.com/

Funky Cow Cafe - Hammonton, NJ

This unique restaurant, founded by Ricky Alverio in 2016, offers a sandwich menu featuring favorites like Cuban and brisket. It’s also known for its sweet waffles, soups, and Spanish coffee. In 2023, it opened a second location in Rochester, NY. Visit https://funkycow.com/

Ernest and Son Meat Market - Brigantine, NJ

Ernest and Son is a Brigantine institution founded in 1977 by Ernest Storino and his son Sam. For over 40 years, they’ve served famous steak subs, chicken cutlets, and burgers on Atlantic City rolls. They also offer catering for special events. Visit https://ernestandson.com/

Pete’s Subs and Deli - Egg Harbor Township, NJ

With over 25 years of experience, Pete’s Subs and Deli is known for bringing Atlantic City’s Ducktown restaurant influence to Egg Harbor Township. They serve sandwiches on Atlantic City bread and are vegetarian-friendly. Their breakfast pork roll sandwiches and Nan’s Famous Italian Meatballs are local favorites.

Whether you’re craving a fresh Atlantic City roll, a classic Italian sub, or Jersey’s famous pork roll (or Taylor ham), South Jersey has it all. With our fresh water and plethora of farms with fresh crops and livestock, we certainly aren’t called the Garden State for nothing. Visit https://petessubsanddeli.com/our-menu/

With so many great spots here in SJ we had to limit our list for print but here are some other great spots you cant lose and we would have included if we had unlimited print space. A daunting task to say the least.

Sugar Hill Subs | 5445 Mays Landing-Somers Pt, Rd Mays Landing, NJ 08330 | (609) 625-0538

Vic's Subs | 742 Ohio Ave, Absecon, NJ 08201|  (609) 645-0500

Bellino's Market |  45 S New York Rd, Galloway, NJ 08205 | (609) 568-6992

Dino's Subs and Pizza |  8016 Ventnor Ave, Margate City, NJ 08402 | (609) 822-6602

Five Girls Sandwich Shop | 2010 New Jersey Ave, North Wildwood, NJ 08260 | (609) 554-3925

Lee's Hoagie House | 9832 3rd Ave, Stone Harbor, NJ 08247 | (609) 368-2100

Primo Hoagies (one of many) 1209 New Jersey Ave, North Wildwood, NJ 8260| (609) 522-1300

Atlantic City Sub Shops | 6825 Tilton Rd, Egg Harbor Township, NJ 08234 | (609) 646-7799

Spanky & Son Subs & Deli | 3719 Porter Ave, Atlantic City, NJ 08401 | (609) 347-7457

Chico & Sons | 1620 Tilton Rd, Northfield, NJ 08225 | 609) 380-7788