According to New England Today, an Italian immigrant baker named Giovanni Amato decided to create an affordable, convenient, and hearty meal for road construction workers in Portland, Maine in 1899. His creation, a sandwich made from freshly baked rolls filled with sliced meats, melty cheeses, savory veggies, and other toppings, was a hit right away.
Amato’s, a primarily East Coast deli chain named after the iconic grub’s founder, serves a variety of sandwiches, pizzas, pasta, calzones, and other items across its locations. The original Italian sub (via Amato’s) contains a medley of ham, cheese, onions, pickles, tomatoes, green peppers, olives, salt, pepper, and oil, as prepared by its inventor.
