HARTCO BUZZ FIELD GUIDE
Call it a sub around here and you might get a look. We call them grinders, and Hartford County has no shortage of great ones. But a proper sandwich tour should go beyond the Italian combo. We dug through local recommendations and published menus to find 21 sandwiches worth putting on your lunch list, from longtime favorites to places you may have driven past a hundred times.
Fair warning: You might want to eat before reading this. And if we missed your favorite, we want to hear about it!
Most of these recommendations come from local tips and published menus. The Maple Giant Grinder review is one I can personally vouch for. Menus and availability can change, so check before heading out.
Jump to a category
The Classics (1–7)|Around the World (8–14)|Something Different (15–21)
The Classics
The spots that make you understand why Connecticut calls them grinders.
1. Maple Giant Grinder & Wood Oven Pizza | Hartford
ORDER THIS: Chicken Parm Grinder
FIND IT: 236 Adelaide St, Hartford, CT
I recently stopped in for the chicken parm and came away thoroughly impressed. The chicken cutlets were sliced thin, lightly breaded and never over-fried, with a sauce that hit the sweet spot between acidic and sweet. Plenty of melted cheese and roasted green peppers sealed the deal. Owner Frankie made the visit feel like dropping into a friend's kitchen.
2. Franklin Giant Grinder Shop | Hartford
ORDER THIS: Meatball & Sausage Combo
FIND IT: 464 Franklin Ave, Hartford, CT
A South End institution where the grinder is the main attraction and the portions don't apologize. The Meatball & Sausage Combo puts two classics into one seriously hearty grinder. Ask about adding peppers if that's your style.
3. Wethersfield Pizza House | Wethersfield
ORDER THIS: American-Style Chicken Cutlet Grinder
FIND IT: 955 Silas Deane Hwy, Wethersfield, CT
Don't let the word pizza fool you. The chicken cutlet grinders are the reason this place inspires downright passionate recommendations. Order the American-style version if you want crisp cutlet, cheese and the cool crunch of deli toppings instead of red sauce. Bring cash.
4. Claudia's Grinder Shop | Farmington
ORDER THIS: Nancy Special Parm Grinder
FIND IT: 1024 Farmington Ave, Farmington, CT
A Farmington Valley lunch landmark with the kind of following that makes a line outside a sandwich shop seem perfectly reasonable. Order the Nancy Special Parm, a combination of chicken cutlet and eggplant with house tomato sauce and cheese, toasted on a grinder roll. A two-for-one comfort-food play.
5. CJ's Pizza & Giant Grinders | Manchester
ORDER THIS: Capicola Grinder
FIND IT: 273 Broad St, Manchester, CT
Manchester has kept this giant-grinder tradition going for decades. The capicola grinder, dressed with lettuce, tomato and cheese, is an especially good way to see what the fuss is about without defaulting to another chicken parm.
6. H & M Pizza & Giant Grinder | Windsor Locks
ORDER THIS: Philly Steak Grinder
FIND IT: 492 Spring St, Windsor Locks, CT
One of those places where "giant grinder" isn't just branding. Try the Philly steak with mushrooms, peppers, mayo and American cheese. It's a serious sandwich close to the airport, and a longtime favorite among northern Hartford County grinder fans.
7. Trolio's Market | Enfield
ORDER THIS: Hazardville Hot Mama
FIND IT: 323 Hazard Ave, Enfield, CT
Newer Italian-market energy with an old-school approach to cured meats. The Hazardville Hot Mama stacks spicy soppressata, hot capocollo, cherry pepper relish, arugula, tomato and Asiago. The name is a fair warning.
Around the World on a Roll
A bánh mì, a tripleta, a Polish deli sandwich and more.
8. Banh Meee | Hartford
ORDER THIS: The Butt Meee Bánh Mì
FIND IT: 126 Ann Uccello St, Hartford, CT
The Vietnamese baguette sandwich gets a slow-cooked pork-butt treatment here, balanced by the crunch and tang that make bánh mì such a great lunch. One important heads-up: Banh Meee has announced plans to close its downtown Hartford location in December 2026 and move to Simsbury. No exact Hartford closing date has been announced, so make this a sooner-rather-than-later stop.
9. Boricua Market / Pan Totao | Hartford
ORDER THIS: Tripleta & Cheese
FIND IT: 183 Lawrence St, Hartford, CT
Puerto Rican sandwich fans know the tripleta doesn't do restraint. Boricua's version packs house-made pernil, steak, ham and melted cheese into one enormous toasted sandwich. This is a bring-an-appetite situation.
10. Tangiers International Market | Hartford
ORDER THIS: Falafel Pita
FIND IT: 550 Farmington Ave, Hartford, CT
The shelves are stocked with international groceries, but the kitchen is also worth knowing about. The falafel pita gives this grinder-heavy list a welcome Middle Eastern stop. A great reminder that a must-have sandwich doesn't need cured meats or marinara.
11. Roly Poly Bakery | New Britain
ORDER THIS: House Special: Kielbasa & Sauerkraut
FIND IT: 587 Main St, New Britain, CT
A proper Little Poland detour: Roly Poly pairs kielbasa and sauerkraut and lets you choose from its in-house breads, including a Polish hard roll or rye. New Britain knows how to build a sandwich.
12. Jim's Grocery & Deli | Plainville
ORDER THIS: Cuban
FIND IT: 361 Woodford Ave, Plainville, CT
This unassuming neighborhood market has been feeding Plainville since 1975 and its massive sandwich menu reads like it was built by regulars, because many creations were. The Cuban brings pulled pork, ham, Swiss, pickles, spicy mustard and mayo together in one satisfying stack.
13. New York Pickle Deli | Rocky Hill
ORDER THIS: Both Reuben
FIND IT: 397 Cromwell Ave, Rocky Hill, CT
Can't decide between corned beef and pastrami? Don't. The Both Reuben combines them with sauerkraut, Swiss and Thousand Island on grilled rye. Classic deli satisfaction, no compromise required.
14. Whole Deli | Glastonbury
ORDER THIS: Monte Cristo Panini
FIND IT: 357 New London Turnpike, Glastonbury, CT
Not the powdered-sugar diner version. Whole Deli's Monte Cristo is a hot panini with smoked turkey, melted cheddar and Swiss, lettuce, tomato and honey mustard. A comforting, lightly sweet-and-savory change of pace from another grinder.
A Little Something Different
New-school combinations, clever deli specials and a couple of terrific meat-free choices.
15. Mozz & Co | West Hartford
ORDER THIS: La Regina
FIND IT: 22 Raymond Rd, West Hartford, CT
Mortadella, pistachio cream, stracciatella, arugula and hot honey. That's La Regina, and it's a pretty convincing argument for exploring a sandwich shop built around fresh, house-made mozzarella and Italian ingredients.
16. A.J Deli | Windsor
ORDER THIS: B. Sweetness Sandwich
FIND IT: 700 Poquonock Ave, Windsor, CT
Ham and apple don't get enough time together. Here Black Forest ham, Red Delicious apple, Swiss and honey mustard team up in a grinder that manages to be sweet, salty and genuinely different from the standard deli lineup.
17. The Cove Deli | Wethersfield
ORDER THIS: The Cove Witch
FIND IT: 282 Silas Deane Hwy, Wethersfield, CT
A vegetarian entry that doesn't feel like a consolation prize: hummus, roasted squash, portobello mushrooms, red peppers, goat cheese, arugula and balsamic in a spinach wrap. There is plenty going on here, in the best way.
18. Avventura Bakery & Deli | Southington
ORDER THIS: Chokes n Pesto
FIND IT: 30 Knotter Dr, Southington, CT
Fried artichoke hearts, provolone, pesto and sautéed spinach make this one of the more interesting meatless sandwiches in the county. And yes, being attached to a bakery is a nice bonus when bread matters this much.
19. DORO Marketplace | West Hartford
ORDER THIS: Chef's Chicken Salad
FIND IT: 1253 New Britain Ave, West Hartford, CT
The quiet overachiever on a menu full of tempting bakery options. Pulled rotisserie chicken, celery and garlic aioli on a house brioche roll make it a simple, appealing option when you want something other than another grinder.
20. E&D Pizza Company | Avon
ORDER THIS: The Captain
FIND IT: 200 W Main St, Avon, CT
Roast turkey, fresh mozzarella, sun-dried tomato, lettuce and basil-pesto mayo bring a little more personality to the everyday turkey grinder. A smart Farmington Valley option when you're craving something fresh rather than saucy.
21. Cravings, An American Eatery | Bristol
ORDER THIS: The House
FIND IT: 1158 Farmington Ave, Bristol, CT
Cravings puts its chicken cutlet front and center in The House, layering it with prosciutto, provolone, roasted peppers, lettuce, tomato, oil and vinegar. It's a loaded sandwich that gives the classic chicken cutlet a little extra personality.
What's the One Sandwich We Missed?
Twenty-one sandwiches, and we know you can make a strong case for twenty-one more. Hartford County has some incredible sandwich shops hiding in plain sight, and we'd love to hear about your favorites.
Tell us the shop, the exact sandwich to order, and why it deserves a spot. Send your pick in an Instagram message to @connecticut_buzz, or reply to the next HartCo Buzz newsletter email.
Not on our email list yet? Join HartCo Buzz for free and help shape the next edition.
