Jersey Mike's Has a New, Limited-Time Version of My Favorite Sandwich—and I Tried It First

When it comes to sandwiches, I’m a creature of habit. Whether I’m making one at home or hitting the drive-thru, my go-to is always an Italian sub. Occasionally, I’ll grab The Veggie from Jimmy John's, because who can resist the combo of avocado and provolone? And once a year, I’ll opt for Firehouse Subs’ Thanksgiving sandwich, which features all the best holiday sides combined into one satisfying bite. Most of the time, however, I’m sticking with my ham and salami-loaded favorite.

So, it goes without saying that, when I heard Jersey Mike’s is releasing a new version of its cold Original Italian, I was all ears.

Jersey Mike’s Introduces New Mike's Hot Italian Sandwich

The Mike's Hot Italian just hit menus at Jersey Mike’s. The new sandwich features ham, salami, and pepperoni that's chopped, then covered with melted provolone cheese directly on the piping hot grill. The filling is loaded into your chosen bread and piled high with grilled onions, lettuce, tomato, and finished with the chain’s signature Hot Chopped Pepper Relish.

The sandwich is a twist on the Original Italian, which has similar ingredients, but doesn’t include grilled onions or spicy relish. Additionally, the cold sub contains prosciuttini and cappacuolo, whereas the new, hot sandwich does not.

Jersey Mike's new Mike's Hot Italian sub is the chain's first-ever hot sub made with chopped Italian meats. While Jersey Mike's has always offered hot subs, its cheesesteaks, this is the first hot sub made with deli meats in the chain's 70-year history.

Instagrammer @thatcrazysubguy offered a look at how it's made, and fans didn’t hold back their thoughts. "Looks amazing," said one person. "On my way to get one now," added another. "I’ll eat all that in one bite," chimed in one more.

And while some were interested in the new menu item, others were disappointed that it didn’t include the same selection of deli meat as the Original Italian. A few more felt that it needed a more acidic element, such as vinegar or banana peppers, to liven it up.

Jersey Mike's quickly tested the new sandwich in Chicago, Salt Lake City, Minneapolis, and San Diego earlier this month, but, now Mike's Hot Italian is headed to all sub shop locations nationwide. The new sub is available now for a limited time—and costs just $8.95 for a Regular.

Our news editor, Bailey Fink, tried Mike's Hot Italian early and shared her thoughts.

"This hot sub is a game changer for Jersey Mike's. Chopping up and grilling the meats adds a great texture to the sandwich, and the grilled onions are a unique, flavorful touch. I like the fresh tomato and lettuce that cut the meat's savoryness—and the tangy, spicy Chopped Pepper Relish is the best sandwich topping at Jersey Mike's," she shared. "I was missing just a bit of acidity, either from the classic Mike's Way oil and vinegar or a pickle. So, next time I'd add a few pickled ingredients for more variety in flavors. Hopefully, this new hot deli sub is only the beginning for Jersey Mike's, though."

It's confirmed: I'll be the first in line to try it today.

Read the original article on Allrecipes