Here it is, the moment you’ve all been waiting for and the moment Anthony Merlino has been waiting for, as well. After three months, two rounds of voting and countless handcrafted hoagies, he and his Feasterville-based shop, Village Pantry, have earned the title, “The Best Real Philly Deli Sandwich” of 2017. As a family-owned establishment since its 1972 opening, that’s an honor he can hang on to for generations.
The “Messina” was developed by Merlino to evoke the taste of the Italian city where his own grandparents were born. “Growing up in an Italian family, we used to have that on the table every Sunday,” he says of the meat, cheese and peppers that make up the “Messina”. “I remember growing up and eating like that at my grandmother’s so I figured, let’s try to do it on a roll.”
It’s an expertly crafted balance of Dietz & Watson Sopressata Dry Sausage, Hot Ham Capocolla, thinly sliced prosciutto, heaps of roasted peppers and imported provolone. If reading that just made your mouth water, don’t worry: the “Messina” will be available for tasting at August 3rd’s Best of Philly Soiree. Just follow your nose to the Dietz & Watson tent at the Dilworth Park fête, where portions of the perfect sandwich will be doled out on your choice of a flaky seeded or non-seeded roll.
To read the rest of the story, please go to: Philadelphia magazine / Dietz & Watson
