Capriotti's

Every once in a while I’ll get on a kick where I find some food at a restaurant that I like. Then I eat it. All the time. I stop this habit when I get sick of the food, feel guilty for indulging, or am embarrassed that the employees recognize my face and know my order. I’m currently indulging in the vegetarian turkey subs at Capriotti’s and feeling guilty. I’m not sick of the subs, yet.

Capriotti’s is a chain of Italian sub shops that started in 1976 in Wilmington, Delaware. In fact, the shop I’ve been frequenting on Union Street in the Little Italy section of Wilmington is the original location. Most of the stores are located in Delaware and Las Vegas, but a handful of stores are also located in Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Arizona, California, and Florida.

Capriotti’s excites me because I can walk in and order a vegetarian turkey sub. This is not a big deal if you live in a larger city with exclusively vegan and vegetarian sub shops. I could order any variety of vegetarian subs at a half dozen or so restaurants in Philly no prob, but Capriotti’s is a manly, no-frills sub shop in middle-of-no-where towns in Delaware…that serves vegetarian turkey subs!!

Vegetarians can also order veggie burgers subs or eggplant Parmesan sandwiches. I hear these are good, but why order these when veggie burgers are the standard vegetarian option at bars and restaurants, and eggplant Parmesan sandwiches can be had at any Italian joint.

Capriotti’s, and the fact that they sell vegetarian turkey subs, is not new to me. I’ve eaten a few over the years. I just never find myself in the area of a Capriotti's during eating hours. I take snacks to work, and don’t really take a lunch break, so these things don't help the probability of me eating at Capriotti’s. Recently though, their vegetarian turkey subs have been my food kick, and I’ve been going out of my way to eat there.

The real turkey subs are Capriotti’s mainstay. They don’t use processed deli meats, but roast fresh turkeys daily and hand carve the meat. The star of their menu is the “Bobbie” – a Thanksgiving inspired sandwich with turkey, cranberry sauce, and stuffing. I’d love to try this with veggie turkey, but the stuffing isn’t vegetarian. Ahh, you can’t have it all!

I’ve been eating a sub constructed with veggie turkey, Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, sweet peppers, and Russian dressing. I order my sandwich to go, run home, and pop that baby in the microwave to warm the turkey and cheese. It’s pure love. Big love, too. The small is 9 inches. I could eat half for lunch and the other half for dinner...if I possessed self control.

I’m running out to get a sandwich as soon as I finish writing this. I’m not kidding, either. This love affair is starting to get embarrassing.

Capriottis, mine is open Mon-Sat,11am-7pm, but call your location.