This 1950s Italian Sandwich Chain Is Still Going Strong In The Northeast

Sandwiches are a tough item to build a restaurant chain on, especially with competition from the likes of Jimmy John's, Firehouse Subs, Jersey Mike's, and Subway, which seems to be everywhere. But smart chains, especially those that are smaller and cover a region of the U.S. rather than having a national footprint, may have a more focused menu, opting to do a few things very well, rather than many items at a moderate level. This is the case for Moe's Italian Sandwiches, based in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, with locations throughout New England.

This Italian sandwich chain is doing quite well for itself, still going strong after founder Phil (also called "Moe") Pagano first opened his doors to the public in 1959. It has expanded from the original shop to include 15 other locations spread across New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Maine, with most of them franchisee-owned. This means that the vast majority of Moe's Italian Sandwiches restaurant owners thought so highly of the company that they opted to buy in (literally). The company itself is also busy expanding, with plans to open a new, larger-format restaurant in Newington, New Hampshire, in May 2026, with Moe's insiders not ruling out the possibility of a drive-thru.

From the start, there was something about Moe's Italian Sandwiches that set it apart from other restaurants. At least initially, it was the fact that founder Phil "Moe" Pagano served only one thing in his shop (and would for the next 34 years). It was the titular Italian sandwich, derived from a recipe of his mother's, with spiced salami and provolone, plus a delicious array of veggies in the form of pickles, tomatoes, and olives, as well as slivers of onion and peppers. Seasoned olive oil was drizzled on top, and the fillings were served on a fresh roll. If this sounds familiar, it's The Original on the modern menu.

While the menu expanded in 1993, it didn't go too far outside of the chain's original wheelhouse; Moe's simply increased the number of sandwiches on offer — you can now get a hot meatball sub or pastrami, among other classics — and added bowls, wraps, and old-school desserts like whoopie pies. The ingredients make the sandwich on such a limited menu. Moe's uses a proprietary fresh-baked roll, which sets it apart from other great Italian subs that rely on firmer, crustier hoagie rolls to hold up against oil and vinegar. Likewise, the salami is made just for the chain, and there is no ingredient too small for special care: Even the so-thin-they're-practically-translucent pickles that adorn the sandwiches are created exclusively for the company.