Where I grew up in the suburbs of Central Jersey, a sandwich meant American cheese, iceberg lettuce, and chicken roll on Wonder bread — so needless to say, moving to Hudson County, with its array of Italian delis serving fresh ingredients, was eye-opening. I’d never imagined tomatoes could be sweet and sundried, meat could mean capicola or soppressata or prosciutto sliced thin enough to let light through, or that cheese could be sharp like provolone or soft and salty like mozzarella.

But even among the prize-winning Italian delis and popular sandwich shops around Jersey City and Hoboken, the family-owned Andrea Salumeria in Jersey City Heights stands out. It may mislead passers-by because it doesn’t stand out physically — its narrow red and green storefront on busy Central Avenue blends in among the other flier-festooned windows — but inside, owner Peter Soriano introduces customers to ingredients he hand-picks from around the globe. He greets visitors with a smile and, if needed, suggestions.