Hand-held goodness: Our 13 favorite sandwiches from Cape Coral to Marco Island — JLB
While National Sandwich Day is officially recognized Nov. 3, in our JLB world, we celebrate it nearly every day.
From classics like pastrami on rye and tuna melts to (depending on where you’re from) grinders, heroes, hoagies, subs or po’boys, we love them in all shapes and sizes.
But we do have our favorites.
To compile the list of our top 13 in Southwest Florida, we focused on independently owned mom-and-pop sandwich shops where the love and passion for wonderful bread — and what’s between it — is tasted in every bite.
Next, we eat (#BestAssignmentEver).
And eat some more.
You should too.
Artisan Eatery
I’m late jumping on this quaint, cozy, wondrous south Fort Myers restaurant’s bandwagon. Everything is chef-created, scratch-made and oh-so-tempting. The house-made pastrami, for example, is smoked for eight hours overnight. It’s on the breakfast menu in the hash and in two of the sandwiches — the Reuben and New Yorker. One bite into the latter and I was hooked. That pastrami was lovingly layered under sauerkraut and Swiss cheese, with beer mustard aioli (oh my) on marble rye. That delightfully crunchy, gooey, lean goodness will have me coming back again and again. There’s plenty of room on the bandwagon for you to join in too. (8951 Daniels Parkway, Fort Myers; 239-0887-4844; artisaneatery.com or on Facebook and Instagram) — RG
Big Al's
From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekdays, you won't find a longer line on Marco than at this sandwich shop. It’s worth the wait. My pick: the tuna melt with bits of chopped onion and pepperoncini. (715 Bald Eagle Drive, Marco Island; 239-642-8080; find them on Facebook) — DB
Big Nick’s BBQ
Although this south Fort Myers drive-thru barbecue joint has been open for less than two years, I feel like we’ve been lifelong friends. I can always count on it for mouthwatering ribs, Carolina pork, brined and smoked turkey and one of my favorite smash-burgers around. But it’s the brisket sandwich that I order most often. The meat is smoked tender for 15 to 16 hours over black oak wood, melting the marbled fat and marinating from the inside out before being hand cut to order. If that’s not enough, you’ll find more of that brisket in the mac & cheese too. Order online and schedule a pickup time. It’ll be there waiting for you like a good friend. (9211 Cypress Lake Drive, Fort Myers; 239-204-2498; bignicksbbq.com) — RG
Blue Dog Bar & Grill
Mullet, which can be bony and strong tasting, is a tricky fish to work with. But you need not worry at this Matlacha gem. Co-owner Jesse Tincher gets his Pine Island mullet fresh daily and goes through “600 pounds in a week.” He came up with more than a hundred different ways to serve it when the restaurant had Mullet Madness Mondays. Now you can find it in his smoked fish dip, added to salads, in bowls, in tacos and of course, in sandwiches. We got our half-pound of fresh, light, flaky perfection blackened on a buttered and toasted brioche bun. The lettuce, tomato and tartar sauce it comes with on the side stayed on the plate so we could go all in on the fish alone. It’s that good here. Trust me and the folks at Blue Dog. (4597 Pine Island Road, Matlacha; 239-558-4970; bluedogmatlacha.com and on Facebook and Instagram) — RG
Larry's Lunchbox
Can you really call yourself a Naples resident without visiting this kosher-style sandwich joint that’s been open for 37 years? Like that goofy hit song from the 70s, I am torn between two lovers — hot pastrami on rye and “Marci’s Main Mover,” a Reuben-esque turkey sandwich named for co-owner and front-of-house self-proclaimed “sandwich nazi” Marci Redding. Husband Larry is in the back cheffing sandwiches, soups and other goodies at their original across-the-courthouse eatery. Their daughter runs the uptown store. If you fall in love with the hearty rye bread, take home a humungous loaf for $14. (Two Naples locations: 2650 Airport-Pulling Road; 239-775-2500 and 870 Neapolitan Way; 239-263-2713; larryslunchbox.net) — DB
Lelulo’s Pizzeria
The French fry lover in me gasped when my order came. It was the first time I didn’t order a pie from this popular Cape Coral pizza joint. Transported to Steel City and surrounded by black and gold, I opted for the Pittsburgh-style sandwich. A generous-outrageous-spectacular amount of fries is piled along with coleslaw, tomato and cheese on top of your choice of meat — ham, salami, turkey, corned beef (our choice on this day), chicken, capicola and more — and placed-packed-crammed together on a homemade roll. It’s big, bold, brash and now beloved by me. It’s enough to make a food writer gasp. (3123 Chiquita Blvd. S, Cape Coral; 239-205-6935; lelulospizza.com) — RG
Neapolitan Gourmet
When Kayla Pfeiffer, one of the top chefs in Naples who's busy prepping her new Bicyclette Cookshop for a planned November opening, says her favorite sandwich is an Italian hero from new owner Kimberley Pace-Arquilla's shop ‒ 1,000 per month are sold during season — attention must be paid. “The sandwich is stacked with some of my favorite cured meats, including mortadella, the most underrated of cured meats." We split half of this fantastic hero and still had a quarter to take home. My pick: if the daily special is the sublime house-made sausage with plump roasted peppers and onion, get it. (5415 Airport-Pulling Road N., Naples; 239-594-8285; neapolitangourmet.com) — DB
Ori's Bakery & Cafe
Italian beef with all the trimmings from a Portillo’s alum? Yes, and every bite melts in your mouth. Though there’s ample gravy, many customers order an extra side cup; it’s that good. Peppery (and optional) giardiniera sauce made my head sweat. Pro tip: ask the kitchen to slice this seven-incher in half for easier eating and ask for extra napkins because you’ll need them. This new spot from Oriana and Tom Reed is en route to Marco's public South Beach. (945 N. Collier Blvd., Marco Island; 239-450-4062; oriscafe.com) — DB
Pizzata Pizzeria + Aperitivo
I’ve always said my last meal on earth will be eggplant Parmesan. If this happens in Naples, I hope my caretakers will head to this year-old spot co-owned by dough wonk Vinny Gallegher and Davide Lubrano Lavadera. Warm seeded rolls, marinara, smoked mozzarella and optional Black Forest ham amplify the delish. (1201 Piper Blvd., Naples; 239-631-1021; pizzatanaples.com) — DB
10 Twenty Five
The motha clucka is one of the most popular items at this always cool, always trendy Cape Coral (and downtown Fort Myers) neighborhood gastropub. And that’s saying a lot on this creatively eclectic menu. Maybe it’s the sneakily hot (but not too hot) crunchy coating on the Nashville hot buttermilk fried chicken. Or maybe it’s the moist and flavorful chicken itself. Or it could be the combination of the green onion slaw and house-pickled onions. The brioche bun is nothing to sneeze at either. Whatever it is, we’re glad this hand-held wonder is getting the attention it deserves. (1025 Santa Barbara Blvd., Cape Coral, 239-829-0407; and at 33 Patio De Leon, Fort Myers, 239-208-6903; 10twentyfive.net and on Facebook and Instagram) — RG
Wally’s Deli
When Wally Crane tells you his favorite sandwich is the Sgt. Pepper’s, you nod. After all, the owner of this quirky, cool south Fort Myers sub shop should know what’s best. And even if you’re not in the mood for a breakfast item that comes in a flour tortilla, knowing it technically may or may not be a sandwich (you can order it on a roll), you order it anyway. And as you inhale/devour the scrambled eggs, steak, hash brown, jalapeno, pepper jack and chipotle ranch concoction, you nod some more. After all, Wally knows best. (8024 Alico Road (B2), Fort Myers; 239-689-4505; wallysdelifortmyers.com and on Facebook and Instagram) — RG
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Wolfmoon
While interviewing Executive Pastry Chef Clara “Cla” Fasciglione, who owns the cafe, we talked while she ate lunch, sharing a quarter corner of her delectable croque. Did I mention the from-scratch sourdough baked every morning with premium flour? Next time, I want the whole sandwich. The perfectly toothsome lemon-dill potato salad too. (27975 Old 41 Road, Bonita Springs; 239-494-3046; wolfmoon.co) — DB
Yacht Club Subs
OMG that bread! Each bite was better than the next, but don’t just take my word for it. Outside tables were full, and not that JLB is a busybody (curious is a nicer word), but I had to ask if everyone was enjoying their lunch. The consensus, all tourists: it was the best meal they ate during their Naples vacation. Frankie and Lizzie Paladino's shop is a tad hard to find and not visible from the street. It's worth the search. (1200 Central Ave., Naples; 239-913-9230; yachtclubsubs.com) — DB
Jean Le Boeuf, aka JLB, is the brand under which our restaurant critics have written for more than 40 years. This article came from food writers Robyn George (rhgeorge@gannett.com) and Diana Biederman (diana.biederman@naplesnews.com).
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: From Artisan Eatery to Yacht Club Subs: Our top 13 sandwiches in SWFL
