From tuna to turkey and cheese, we've combed through the Subway menu to find the absolute best
When you’re having a low kind of day, nothing hits better than a Subway sandwich. It hits as a never-ending snack for a long road trip. In fact, at any time of day, we could smash a Subway sammie. And we can’t be the only ones, right? But you know as well as we do that narrowing down those toppings is hard. It’s a minefield. And we’re here to help out.
Here at Time Out, we’ve chowed down on every footlong on the menu, from basic cold cuts to meat supremes. We’ve tested thousands of calories worth of sandwich goodness. And we did it all as a public service, to produce a definitive list of every Subway sando on the menu, ranked from best to worst. We know, selfless right? Here’s our ranked list of the nation’s Subway sandwiches.
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What's in it: Teriyaki-glazed chicken strips and sweet onion sauce
Well, it has flavor, we’ll give it that. Though the most common complaint against Subway is blandness, this went in an entirely different—even less pleasant—direction. The near-candy level of sweetness left us gasping for water and looking for a toothbrush.
What's in it: It's basically all the toppings: lettuce, spinach, tomato, cucumber, green pepper and red onion
Subway's lone veg option leaves much to be desired, especially when it comes to the melding of ingredients. This sando leans woefully dry unless you upgrade it with sauce (spring for the vinaigrette) or cheese (pepperjack adds some zing). Heck, do both.
What's in it: Shaved steak and American cheese, plus we'd suggest green pepper and red onion on Italian bread.
There are two things that should never be allowed to leave Philly: the sports fans and this sub. The cheesesteak was never designed to be stripped down and health-ified; it's the kind of thing that should be dripping in juices and Cheez Whiz. Save your calories for the real deal.
What's in it: Your choice of chicken or turkey and topping on (we'd suggest) Italian
Just looking at this sandwich dries out our taste buds. While the chicken breast isn't offensive, it's certainly no match for the current fast food Chicken Wars, which have leveled up other brands' recipes over the past two years. It's not terrible, but you'll definitely need a dressing with this one. Also worth noting, this is slightly different to the Rotisserie-Style Chicken sandwich, not by very much, but a little bit.
What's in it: Ham, salami, bologna
All of the cold cuts on this meaty sandwich are turkey-based (yes, even the ham), which kind of blows our minds when we think about it for too long. The barrage of pink meat can be a bit much, even for carnivorous eaters. Six inches will be plenty, thank you.
What's in it: Black Forest ham on, we'd suggest, nine-grain wheat
What this sandwich lacks in ingenuity it makes up for in staying power. After all, who can hate on a classic ham sub? Mayo and mustard only add gas to the eternal flame, so don't be stingy.
What's in it: Turkey breast is a given, but we'd suggest a little extra kick of sauce
The no-frill, little black dress of subs. It’s good for anytime, day or night and can be dressed up or down with any veggies, cheese or sauce you feel like that day.
What's in it: Angus roast beef—plus, we recommend English mustard with this one and served on wheat
If you've ever spent time skiing in the French Alps, you may have occasionally heard the phrase "Alez, roast beef!" before someone in a Teflon-coated, skin-tight all-in-one body suit zips past you and down the black run at twice the speed of sound. The love the English show for roast beef is well-founded, it's because it is basically melt-in-your-mouth steak. And as such, it's nearly impossible to go wrong with this classic.
What's in it: Tuna on wheat. Definitely wheat.
Now, we love tomatoes, but you might want to consider skipping them on this one—and possibly the dressing too, just because the bread can quickly get too soggy. Especially if it's takeout. All you need is black pepper, really. There's even some information on Subway's website stating that the company uses "wild caught" tuna, so that should appease your conscience while you chew.
What's in it: Oven-roasted turkey, Black Forest ham and Angus roast beef, then pile all your toppings on, add a smidgen of English mustard, then opt for the hearty multigrain bread. Yum.
A small number of Subway's offer some regional variations to their menu, so this is not to be confused with the All-American Club, that's a little bit different—it has turkey, ham, hickory smoked bacon and American cheese—but is only available in certain Subway outlets across the country. But, hand-on-heart, we prefer the old school Club anyway.
What's in it: Genoa salami, ham, pepperoni on Italian bread, because it really should be.
Oh, Genoa salami, pepperoni and Black Forest ham, you are a hot menagé à trois we can't get enough of. After we’ve had a few and it’s late at night, your 750-plus calories of salty spice is the only meat our bodies desire.
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