If you walk into any delicatessen in the United States today, you will find some version of an Italian sub. Most of the time, they're going to be fine. However, for a number of very discerning sandwich creators, "just fine" doesn't cut it. There are some truly special sandwiches out there, and we're going to share the highest rated and most deeply revered with you. 

The Italian sub's most accepted creation story takes us to Portland, Maine, around the turn of the 20th century. A baker and Italian immigrant named Giovanni Amato made the smart decision to offer an affordable lunchtime solution to the road workers in the area. He sold a sandwich from a cart that was stuffed with meats, cheeses, vegetables, and other toppings — thus creating the Italian sub.