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August 1, 2026Short & citedBlog
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Everyday Life • Food & Drink

Submarine sandwich

A submarine sandwich, commonly called a sub, is a sandwich made on a long roll split lengthwise and filled with meats, cheeses, vegetables, and condiments.

Updated August 1, 20261 min readCited sources

A submarine sandwich is a long roll split lengthwise and filled with meats, cheeses, vegetables, and condiments. It's commonly called a sub and has many regional names across North America.

What it is

A submarine sandwich is a large sandwich built on an elongated roll rather than sliced bread. The roll is split lengthwise and then packed with ingredients such as deli meats, cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, and condiments. It can be served cold or hot, depending on the filling.

Key details

There is no single standard filling set. Common versions use cold cuts and cheese, but hot fillings like meatballs or sausage are also popular in some regions. The name comes from the sandwich's resemblance to a submarine, though the exact origin is not settled. Regional names include hoagie (Philadelphia), hero (New York City), and grinder (New England).

Canada angle

In Canada, the term submarine sandwich is used, and it's labelled as US and Canadian usage. Canadian readers will encounter both "sub" and regional North American alternatives in menus and casual speech.

In short

  • A sub is a long roll split lengthwise, filled with meats, cheeses, and vegetables.
  • Regional names include hoagie, hero, and grinder.
  • In Canada, "sub" and "submarine sandwich" are common terms.
Canadian angle

In Canada, the term **submarine sandwich** is used, and Wiktionary explicitly labels the usage as US and Canada. Canadian readers are likely to encounter both "sub" and regional North American alternatives in menus and casual speech.[5]

Quick questions

What is a submarine sandwich?
A submarine sandwich is a long-roll sandwich split lengthwise and filled with ingredients such as meats, cheese, vegetables, and condiments.
What is the difference between a sub and a hoagie?
They are usually the same kind of sandwich, but the name varies by region. "Sub" is the general term, while "hoagie" is especially used in Philadelphia and western Pennsylvania.
Where did the submarine sandwich originate?
The exact origin is not settled in the provided sources. Some accounts associate it with Italian-American communities and others with naval or regional American traditions.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Submarine_sandwich
    Supports: Definition, common fillings, and regional alternative names such as hoagie, hero, and grinder.
  2. Britannica — https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/submarine-sandwich
    Supports: Concise definition of the sandwich and common alternative names.
  3. Delighted Cooking — https://www.delightedcooking.com/what-is-a-submarine-sandwich.htm
    Supports: Typical ingredients, serving style, naming from submarine resemblance, and origin theories.
  4. Wiktionary — https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/submarine_sandwich
    Supports: US and Canada usage, definition, and regional synonyms.
  5. Tony Luke's — https://tonylukes.com/cheesesteaks/the-history-of-the-submarine-sandwich-aka-the-sub/
    Supports: Italian-American origin tradition and historical discussion of the sub sandwich.
  6. Sandwich Tribunal — https://www.sandwichtribunal.com/2019/08/submarine-sandwiches/
    Supports: Regional naming differences, possible origin traditions, and common ingredient patterns.