The 7 Best Grocery Store Deli Subs, According To Reviews

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When you're strapped for time and need a quick, easy lunch, grocery store deli subs have you covered. Whether it's pre-packaged offerings grabbed right from the shelves, or a dedicated prep area with freshly-made sandwiches, deli subs are a perfect quick meal during a mid-day shopping trip. However, some sandwiches are better than others, with a multitude of stores offering undeniably tastier meals than their counterparts.

After reading a wide swath of customer reviews from various websites, we've pieced together the best deli subs that grocery store chains have to offer. From the simple and effective taste of Walmart's gargantuan Marketside New York Deli Sub, to the extremely customizable Publix Italian Sub, there are plenty of delicious possibilities. This list consists of subs harboring exquisite taste, affordability, and mouthwatering customization. All of these factors were used to determine the best of the best from grocery stores, revealing which subs are mightier than the rest. Grab your grocery basket and let's get to it!

Named after Wegmans chairman Danny Wegman, Danny's Favorite is a simple yet effective deli sub, a perfect purchase for a quick lunch. This meaty sandwich features capicola, salami, and spicy ham as its core ingredients, accentuated by the mild creaminess of provolone cheese. While customers attest to its customizable additions, such as spicy mustard and pickles, Danny's Favorite typically comes served with crunchy lettuce and soft tomato inside.

Available in both a medium and large size, the sandwich boasts a thick interior, complimented by a sub roll of the customer's choice. Testimonies from reviews emphasize how the sandwich offers a generous amount of meat, to the point where a large can easily be shared or even split into two meals. As for bread options, some are partial to a ciabatta roll, while others like theirs seeded.

Regardless of bread, the customizability is a major selling point. While the default ingredients make for a strong base, buyers often cite additions like onions and oil as strong flavor enhancers. Some even purchase theirs without cheese, elevating the deli meat's taste with a custom makeup. Each order can be unique and massive, a combination that makes Danny's Favorite a delectable option for those seeking a sub that no two customers will make the same.

Considered by some to be a hidden gem of the New England-based supermarket chain, Market Basket's Steak Bomb Sub is a meaty, affordable option sequestered to its "From the Grill" menu. This greasy steak and cheese sub comes equipped with a variety of vegetables, with customers noting the presence of mushrooms, peppers, and onions between a thickly-cut roll. Reviews attest to how fresh the ingredients are, elevated by the sandwich being made in front of them so they can observe as it's masterfully put together.

Reflecting Market Basket's low prices on the shelves, the Steak Bomb is also said to be a cheap purchase given the sheer level of quality. A multitude of customers mention how it costs $6.99 for the gargantuan sub no matter the location. It's a constant selling factor, making it affordable in contrast to a typical restaurant sub. In one Reddit thread discussing the best steak bomb subs in Boston, Market Basket's was the second-most upvoted as a "sleeper pick." Coupled with an irresistible flavor, this Steak Bomb Sub is a perfect deli choice, both for its inexpensiveness and taste.

When Walmart comes up, one often thinks of easy-to-afford groceries and deep discounts. What doesn't come up as often, though, are its large, rather tasty deli sub options. The most well-reviewed of these is the Marketside New York Deli Sub. Weighing in at 6.5 ounces for a small and 14 ounces for a large, these pre–packaged sandwiches boast a three-meat combo of Black Forest Ham, salami, and pastrami, complimented by Swiss cheese. Served between two slices of a French bread sub roll, this sandwich is quick-and-easy to buy, unwrap, and immediately enjoy.

According to customer testimonies, the New York Deli Sub is a terrific lunch when not looking to cook something complex. Not only does its meat and cheese combo afford a delicious, blended flavor, but the large option's size is enough to keep customers satisfied for more than one meal. Some attest to how tasty it is after tossing it in the oven, turning a pre-packaged cold sandwich into a hot sub with melty cheese and a toasted bun. Whether it's a quick bite or the base for a more fancified experience, the Marketside New York Deli Sub is a swift yet savory option from Walmart's many affordable products.

While most subs are created using any manner of Italian or French bread, Sprouts goes the extra mile by providing a unique experience with a signature offering. The Turkey Provolone & Hummus Baguette is taut on ingredients yet tasty in experience. It sports exactly what it states: Provolone cheese and deli turkey topped with a spread of hummus, pressed between two halves of a multigrain baguette. With what customers describe as decent pricing for Sprouts, the sub is considered an unsung hero of the grocery store's sandwich menu.

There's a customer-wide consensus that Sprouts' turkey is some of the freshest on the market, elevating the flavor of their baguette sub. Customers are deeply satisfied with how thickly-cut the multigrain baguette is, alongside just how much cheese and hummus is offered in the dish. This is furthered by testimony of warming the sub up at home or eating it with a side of chips, emphasizing how versatile a meal it makes. Even though Sprouts offers a multitude of sandwich options, its one sub in the form of the Turkey Provolone & Hummus Baguette triumphs alongside other supermarket deli giants.

Italian subs may be simple, but they also come equipped with plenty of flavor to make them a worthwhile deli choice. For Safeway, that comes in the form of its ReadyMeals Italian Style Sandwich. Served on a sourdough roll, the sub includes ham, pepperoni, and salami, alongside the ability to add other ingredients as customers see fit. Some of these choices are lettuce and pepperoncini, which attendees say are strong, flavor-boosting veggies.

While Safeway's renowned service includes the option for the sub to be made-to-order, the supermarket also offers them pre-packaged. Regular attendees have defended this choice, though it often doesn't compare to having a made-to-order version of the sandwich. Luckily, many customers are most satisfied with the base ingredients and how well they weave together. Despite a small schism between freshly-made and pre-packaged, the simplicity of the Italian Style Sandwich, coupled with options for enhancing additives, make it a standout sub. It's a delectable option furthered by its potential to become more, depending on customer desires.

Keeping with the Italian sub theme, Publix supermarkets boast an Italian sub option that diners adore for its taste, and for just how customizable it is. The default Italian Sub comes equipped with some expected meats and cheese: capicola, ham, salami, and, typically, provolone. However, just like the condiments and additional ingredients inside the sandwich, the cheese can be substituted for a customer's choice. Sub rolls are freshly-made in-store, with five bread options, including Italian Five Grain.

Customers attest that the customizable nature of the sub adds plenty of flavor. Strong options include lettuce, onions, and pepperoncini on the sub, bolstering the base offerings in the process. Some even profess Publix's double meat option as making it even tastier, the deli meat overflow accentuating its intended taste. It helps that servers are willing to make accommodations for customers, such as cutting a large-sized sub in half and wrapping them separately to share. Although Italian-style subs are a common option among supermarket delis, the one served by Publix is a clear standout from the crowd thanks to its versatility.

Publix's made-to-order subs offer plenty of variety for customers, but there's one many attest to as standing far above the rest. The supermarket's Chicken Tender Sub is the most customizable on its menu. Starting with diced chicken tenders, this sandwich can be made fully into a diner's dream, from the cheese, to the condiments, to the type of sub roll everything is stuffed between. Everything is freshly prepared in-store, combining to form a sub elevated by how delicious every ingredient involved is.

Customers have shared their varied versions of the Chicken Tender Sub, from the inclusion of sriracha sauce and pickles to chipotle Gouda cheese and white bread. The sheer variety of customization means no two subs are alike, with attendee vision taking center stage. The numerous stories that customers share about their subs reveal the chicken to be a savory base for their own creations. It's because of this combination of freshness, taste, and customizability that Publix's Chicken Tender Sub is one of the best available at any grocery store.

Grocery store deli subs included in this list were chosen based on customer preference from public online reviews from several platforms and social media sites. Consensus on Wegmans Danny's Favorite, Walmart's Marketside New York Deli Sub, Sprouts Turkey Provolone & Hummus Baguette, and Safeway ReadyMeals Italian Style Sandwich were also pulled from reviews on each sub's respective online store pages. 

The list takes into account praise for taste, freshness of ingredients, affordability, and how much customization can be afforded to each of them. These commonalities were combined to determine which grocery store deli subs most deserved a spot on this list.