Write an article about Who makes the best subs in South Florida? Readers voted this hometown favorite No. 1 .Organize the content with appropriate headings and subheadings (h1, h2, h3, h4, h5, h6) and made content unique, Retain any existing tags from
The submarine sandwich just may be the Swiss Army knife of the culinary world — it’s compact, portable and there are endless ways to fill it with your favorite meats, cheeses, toppings and sauces. You can eat a sub — or hoagie, hero, grinder or whatever you call it — hot or cold, for lunch or dinner, and, yes, even breakfast.
You can order one from a grocery store, gas station, convenience store, deli, fast-food chain, gourmet market or restaurant.
Wrapped in paper and ready to go, subs are the perfect option for a picnic or road trip, tailgating at a game, or spending a day on the water at the beach, pool or on a boat.
We called them the official Sandwich of Summer, but are subs actually the official Sandwich of South Florida?
We think so, judging by our readers’ enthusiastic response to the July installment of our Best of South Florida Dining series.
We asked you to nominate and then vote for your favorite sub maker in Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties. The top five finalists were, in alphabetical order:
With all of the votes tallied, we’re ready to roll out the meat-slinging winner…Laspada’s Original Hoagies!
Our readers have spoken: They agree with Laspada’s Original Hoagies motto, naming the shop the best sub maker in South Florida. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
THE RESPONSE
“We really appreciate the loyalty as we are heading over the 50-year mark in South Florida,” said Natalie Griffiths, the daughter of Laspada’s owners Harry and Gale Kappes, who runs the business with her brother, Philip Kappes. “It is a testimony of our product as a South Florida tradition.”
Eric Diaz tosses meat to Ron Bell as they make a sub at Laspada’s in Fort Lauderdale. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
THE DETAILS
Laspada’s has been family owned and operated since 1973 when original owner John Laspada, hailing from a long line of sandwich makers in the Northeast, opened the first location in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea. He sold it to the Kappes family a few years later and they’ve been running the show ever since. Since then, they’ve spread their sub-making skills to include five shops in Broward and Palm Beach counties:
- 233 Commercial Blvd., Lauderdale-by-the Sea
- 2645 S. University Drive, Davie
- 10178 W. Sample Road, Coral Springs
- 1495 SE 17th St., Fort Lauderdale
- 2200 Glades Road, Suite 502, Boca Raton
ALL ABOUT THE SUBS
First, let’s get this out of the way: Laspada’s calls them hoagies.
Why?
It’s a regional thing — with Laspada’s origins tracking from Chester, Pennsylvania, according to Griffiths.
“The term is taken from Hog Island and its Italian immigrants who worked in the shipyard and brought these stuffed sandwiches to work with them that included Italian cold cuts stuffed with cheese and veggies,” she said.
OK, now to the good stuff.
The hoagie heroes at Laspada’s have a four-step process to ensure their customers get the tastiest product every time. (Spoiler alert, the grand finale is a “meat blanket.”)
“We slice open one of choices of eight-inch, 12-inch or round Kaiser roll of fresh-baked bread from our local bakery,” Griffiths said. “Then, as the meat is sliced, we place condiments such as mayo, mustard, and oil and vinegar. We run it through the garden of chopped lettuce, onions, sliced tomatoes, pickles, our sweet peppers and hot cherry peppers.
“Last, we top the hoagie off with another layer of meat. This is our well-known technique of the extra ‘meat blanket’ that holds it all together as the final step in the hoagie-making process.”
You’ll find all of the familiar favorites on the menu — from the Italian Special with ham, salami and capicola (the most popular) to a hot meatball hoagie — as well as classic choices such as turkey, roast beef, chicken breast, tuna, veggies and three types of cheeses (American, Swiss and provolone).
Customers can also choose one of Laspada’s signature creations, including the Monster, “a huge favorite because of its bottom layer of ham, roast beef and turkey with choice of cheese and veggies and generously topped with the top layer of meat,” Griffiths said.
“My favorite is the Mama Laspada filled with a combination of sliced turkey and Genoa salami rolled into delicious flavors from lean turkey to the bite of Genoa to give it that extra spice,” she said.
Eric Diaz tosses meat as they make a sub at Laspada’s in Fort Lauderdale. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Place your order and wait for the high-flying hoagie antics to begin.
They literally throw the meat from the slicer to the hoagie maker holding the roll “like a baseball player waiting to catch a fly ball,” according to the Laspada’s website.
“The tradition began from being very busy during our lunch rush and the assembly line full,” Griffiths said. “So our slicer would prepare the classic meat toss to the next hoagie maker down the line.”
WHAT ELSE IS ON THE MENU
Not in the mood for one of their original hoagies? Try a deli sandwich with the same meat, cheese and ingredient offerings, or a salad platter featuring antipasto, and Mama and Monster versions.
They can also scoop out three sizes of deli salads for you — chicken, tuna, potato and macaroni.
What’s for dessert? Homemade cookies and brownies straight from their supplier, Key West Sweets in Sunrise.
So, are there any expansion plans in the works for Laspada’s?
“At the moment, we are currently focusing on our five locations and are keeping it family owned and operated,” Griffiths said.
Ron Bell puts the finishing touches on a sub at Laspada’s in Fort Lauderdale. Laspada’s has won the Sun Sentine’s Best of South Florida Dining series for best subs. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
WHAT FANS SAID
One thing’s for sure, Laspada’s fans aren’t shy about proclaiming their love for the hometown hoagie maker.
In her nomination, Fort Lauderdale resident Rhoda Mae Kerr told us she’s a “non-meat eater now, so the three cheese with everything but onions is my fav!”
“For many decades, Laspada’s has been serving the best subs anywhere!” she wrote. “The first shop I remember was a small take-out shop in Lauderdale-By-The-Sea. The bread, the quantity of meat and cheeses exceeds any I’ve ever had and the selection of extras makes the sub a plus! One word to describe the sub is ‘yum!’”
What’s Fort Lauderdale resident Charles Fernandes’ go-to order? All of them!
“LaSpada’s is so dang GREAT!” he wrote in his submission. “Blue-collar, big-city deli energy, serving fresh and delicious hoagies, heroes, subs — whatever YOU decide to call them — they’re delicious!”
How about those rolls? “The ideal hammock for their huge creations,” he wrote. “Crusty on the outside, soft on the inside, and strong enough to hold it all.
“The legendary bread-to-fill ratio makes every bite a balanced mixture of meat, veggies and condiments. Outstanding in every way!”
His tip for everyone: “Don’t sleep on their chicken salad — total YUM.”
In her nomination, Weston resident Lynn Davis let us know she appreciates how generous Laspada’s is with its ingredients and toppings.
“I usually order the small wheat tuna and it’s usually good for two meals,” she wrote. “The taste is always excellent and they definitely have the best hoagies anywhere.
“It is very nice to see them construct your sub in front of you and you can have them add more toppings if you wish, and they are very willing to do so.”
Fresh-baked bread fans also showed up in the submissions.
“The BEST bread, the BEST employees (always upbeat and down to craft the best sub just for you), abundant quantities of meat and the best construction,” Plantation resident Deborah Cardoso wrote. “Layering sub ingredients in the right order is a fine art, and they take the cake.
“The true magic of Laspada’s is the cold-cut topper tucked artfully into the sides of the hoagies that keeps the bounty of goodness in one place. And the sweet peppers!!! They are to die for.”
Sunrise resident John Fusaro mentioned the bread and meat blanket in his nomination.
“What really sets them apart is their phenomenal bread — soft yet sturdy, with just the right chew to hold everything together without falling apart. The quality of the meats is another standout, always fresh, generously portioned and full of flavor,” he wrote.
“You also get a solid lineup of peppers and veggies, giving you that perfect crunch and a customizable kick with every bite. But the real signature move? The meat cap — an extra layer of sliced meat that crowns the hoagie before it’s all expertly tucked into the roll. It’s messy in the best way and absolutely satisfying.”
Visit laspadashoagies.com.
Don’t miss previous Best of South Florida Dining winners:
Top matzo ball soup
Top waterfront restaurant
Top food truck
Top brunch
Top sushi
Top craft beer
Top steak
Top Cuban sandwich
Top ice cream
Top pizza
Top burger
Top donut
Top BBQ
Top bagel
Top fried chicken
Originally Published: July 24, 2025 at 9:50 AM EDT
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