Can Philadelphia Win the Best Sandwich in North America?

Exciting news, Philadelphia. The Lasagna Bolognese sandwich from Paesano’s has been nominated for the 2015 Chowzter Awards as one of the Tastiest Fast Feasts in North America!

We rallied hard for Philadelphia to be represented in the Best Sandwich category, given that (in our humble opinions) Philly is the greatest sandwich town in America. Next weekend we're off to New Orleans to eat our faces off with our fellow Chowzter contributors from the U.S. and Canada, and to cheer on Paesano's at the annual awards. Keep an eye on our Twitter and Instagram feeds on January 10th for the results.

It was VERY hard for us to pick a single nominee from Philly. Bradd actually went on a two-day sandwich spree to retry favorites, including the fearsome foursome of the cheesesteak at John's Roast Pork, the roast pork at John’s, the Italian hoagie at Salumeria and the Bolognese at Paesano’s. All of them, plus many others, are deserving of a nomination.

Ultimately, Paesano's thick hunk of lasagna, breaded, fried and slipped between a sesame seed roll with sweet peppers, extra sauce and a fried egg won out in our hearts. Perhaps more important, we've been saying for years that Paesano’s is one of those special places that represents the rich food culture of Philadelphia - simple, unpretentious and delicious. Both the South Philly and Girard locations are always packed with locals and out-of-towners alike waiting for one of Chef Peter McAndrews' stuffed sandwiches (but note that the Bolognese is only available in South Philly).

This nomination for the Bolognese is another push to tell the world that Philly is more than just a cheesesteak town.

What is Chowzter, by the way?

It all starts with a simple question: When you're getting ready to travel to a new city, what is one of the first questions you ask? If you're anything like us, it is... What should I eat? Where do the locals like to go to avoid tourists? I just want something simple, where can I get a good sandwich? That's where Chowzter comes into play. It gives visitors and residents alike a quick n' easy list of what to eat in cities across the globe, all hand-picked by local bloggers.

If you've been following our Chowzter adventures, last April we traveled to London to meet up with about 50 other food bloggers from around the world for the 2nd Annual Global Chowzter Awards. We've been contributing to the site for more than 2 years now, helping advise visitors to Philly on what to eat here that's affordable, authentic and really shows off Philly as a great, underrated food city. For us, the Bolognese was just that.

Here are all the nominees for this year's Tastiest Fast Feasts:

 

Looks like we've got a lot of traveling ahead of us to try all these great nominees. Next time you're on move, take a look at www.chowzter.com for short, easy-to-digest lists of the best local dishes and fast feasts in 100+ cities around the world. And let us know before you go - we might be able to introduce you to a local foodie for tours and other helpful ideas.