Italian cold cuts (mortadella, capicola, salami, prosciutto), sharp provolone, lettuce, tomato, onion, oregano, oil and vinegar on a long Amoroso roll. The classic Philly lunch.

The hoagie was born in South Philly's Hog Island shipyard during the First World War, when Italian-American shipyard workers (called Hoggies) brought submarine-style sandwiches to lunch. The roll, the cured-meat layering and the oil-and-vinegar finish were codified by Italian-Market salumerias like Sarcone's, Esposito's and Cosmi's. In 1992, Mayor Ed Rendell declared the hoagie the official sandwich of Philadelphia. The defining variables are the bread (a long, crisp-crusted Italian roll, Amoroso or Sarcone's), the meat stack (mortadella, capicola, hot or sweet salami, prosciutto) and a careful drizzle of oil and red-wine vinegar with dried oregano. Ordering it 'Italian' means all of the above; 'tuna' or 'turkey' hoagies are a parallel tradition.

3 editor picks for Philadelphia hoagie in Philadelphia, ranked by editorial score. All Philadelphia signature dishes · Philadelphia hoagie across every city.