The motto at New York Super Subs in O’Hara doesn’t mince words.
“It’s two feet and a pound of meat,” said owner Clint Vinson.
Tucked away in a small strip mall along Freeport Road, the Italian-influenced deli serves up specialty subs, homemade sauces, salads, meatballs and more.
“We sell quality and quantity — that’s our game,” said Jim Capp, restaurant consultant and friend of Vinson’s.
New York Super Subs opened in O’Hara in 2018, and a second location in Squirrel Hill followed in 2019.
Vinson, 52, owns the Squirrel Hill location and is in the process of purchasing the O’Hara location from Capp, a third-generation restaurateur.
“Capp opened in O’Hara because he knows the area very well,” said Vinson, adding this is his first foray into the restaurant business.
“It’s rewarding and exhausting, with a dusting of anxiety,” Vinson said of opening his sub shop. “I did it as a leap of faith with confidence and trust guiding me. I really enjoy seeing people smile knowing they are looking forward to enjoying their food.”
Vinson and Capp collaborated to create New York Super Subs’ varied menu of specialty subs that include Boston Lobster, Maryland Crab cake, Chicken Cacciatore, Pepper and Egg and the Cheese Steak Sub, served with sauteed peppers, mushrooms and onions. Prices range from $6.45 t0 $22.75. The signature sub is the Italian, a best-seller, that features salami, provolone, ham and capocollo.
“This recipe came from New York and Atlantic City, New Jersey,” said Capp, a Highland Park native.
The recipe for the sub’s pepper relish was born in Brooklyn and is homemade with three types of peppers.
“It’s not too hot and with the oregano and the olive oil it actually makes the Italian dressing on the sub,” Capp said.
Capp said customers love the additive-free breads, always baked fresh daily and delivered from Breadworks.
The shop serves three varieties of homemade meatballs —Antoniette’s Italian, Lisa’s Calabrese and Stuffed Pepper—all named in honor of Capp’s relatives and friends in Pittsburgh.
Meatballs are sold individually for $2.25.
Vinson said business is brisk after enduring the pandemic.
“It was very scary and at times, doubtful,” Vinson said of operating with a takeout-only business model during the 2020 lockdown. “For small business owners, the hope and faith of making it through this to the other side is what keeps us going forward.”
Vinson said food costs are up about 30%.
“We try very had not to pass the cost to our customers and are eagerly awaiting for prices to normalize so we can continue to operate without price increases,” he said.
Catering is available. Most customers choose take-out but there are several tables inside the compact eatery.
And do customers really finish off a two-foot sub?
“Oh yes. We have construction workers that come in here and eat it all,” said manager Diana Schneider.
Specialty subs Boston Lobster Roll and Maryland Crabcake ($11.75 to $16.95 or market price) are the real deal — served on either a croissant or brioche bun — with a homemade sea sauce.
Other original sauces include sweet pepper mayo, spicy pepper mayo, dijonaise, thousand island, hollandaise, tomato vinaigrette, tartar sauce and Pappy’s fish sauce.
All meats are imported from Europe or made locally at Grasso meat shop in Pittsburgh.
Homemade desserts made fresh daily include tiramisu, bread pudding, eclairs, limoncello and cannoli made with mascarpone.
New York Super Subs is open daily and is located at 1122 Freeport Rd.
