Grandaddy's Subs on Taylor Street

Back in the late 1970's and early 1980's my brother and I worked our summers in a warehouse at 43rd and Western. We spent our lunch hours -- blaring the Grateful Dead on our car's tape deck -- driving up and down Western searching for places to eat. One day we stumbled upon Grandaddy's Subs which (if I remember correctly), was located at approximately Western and Augusta. We immediately loved the place and it became a regular stop for us. Their subs were massive, filled with delicious meats and cheeses, topped with giardiniera, oil and oregano, and served on crusty sesame sub bread. I don't remember exactly when but one summer we returned to find that Grandaddy's was no longer there. We never found it again. We'd heard a few vague things about its relocation but we never came upon the place again. In those pre-internet days, it wasn't so easy to find something that had moved.

Flash forward 30 or so years to last weekend. My wife and I were heading to lunch at Italian Superior Bakery on South Western. Unfortunately, it was closed when we arrived but we'd parked in front of a place called Grandaddy's Subs on Taylor, just east of Western. I immediately stopped in my tracks when I saw the sign but figured it couldn't possibly be the same place, so on we went to ISB. After we found it closed, we went back to Grandaddy's. I had to check it out.

Even though it wasn't the same space, it felt similar to me in ways that I couldn't quite identify. Maybe it was the aroma of the place, the way the menu was laid out or the typeface on the neon sign. I asked the friendly guy behind the counter if there was any connection between this Grandaddy's and the one I remembered from my old days. Sure enough, he confirmed that it was the same owner and that a fire had forced them out of that location on North Western that we used to frequent. He explained that the business had moved couple of times since then but had been in the current space at 2343 W. Taylor for a few years.


Grandaddy's Subs - 2343 W Taylor, Chicago



The counter at Grandaddy's



Menu board

Without hesitation, I giddily and gleefully ordered what I always used to order -- an Italian sub -- Grandaddy-sized -- on sesame bread with everything, except onions. While we waited, we checked out some of the offerings touted on signs behind the counter . . .


The Fat Darrell
Definitely interesting but as much as I respect hunger busting, not really my thing.



Did someone say home made giardiniera?

After a short wait, our subs came out . . .


Lunch



Italian 'Grandaddy' on Sesame Bread
A massive and delicious munch...and at $8.35 a real value, considering how large it was. Back in the day I could put down a whole one of these and then go back and work all afternoon. This time, 1/4 of the sandwich nearly did me in.



A closer look at the Italian

The sub was terrific. It wasn't quite as astonishing as I remembered but it was damned good and it really brought me back. Maybe it's changed, maybe I've changed...or maybe both. The bread was a little softer and gummier than what I remembered but this was an off-hour on the weekend, not lunch hour during the week, so perhaps the bread is still as wonderful as it once was at peak times. In any event, that familiar, final flavor of each bite that lingered on my palate at the end of the chew -- where the toasted sesame seeds synergized with everything else on the sandwich into something far greater than the sum of its parts -- was unmistakable and compelling. The meats, while not artisanal, were delicious. The home made giardiniera was outstanding, with distinctive flavors from each of its components and lots of heat. In just a few bites, this sandwich recalled the sandwich that, 30+ years ago, defined the genre for me and became my personal benchmark. It was an odd moment to be sitting there with my wife, eating this sandwich and experiencing a flood of previously-forgotten memories of my life as a teenage ne'er-do-well.

I wasn't able to find a dedicated thread here about Grandaddy's but I figured that I should start one up just in case someone else out there used to love the place and didn't know that it was, in many tangible respects, still here to enjoy.

=R=

Grandaddy's Subs
2343 West Taylor Street
Chicago, IL 60612-4244
(312) 243-4200

Sorry but doesn't that sandwich look more than a little thin on the meat?

zoid wrote:Sorry but doesn't that sandwich look more than a little thin on the meat?

Not to my taste. I thought the proportions were really nice. There was more meat than you can see in the pictures but it wasn't overkill, either. The Grandaddy size actually contains more meat proportionately than the other sizes.

=R=

It looks good to me. I recently visited Conte di Savoia which I went to during the early seventies. They were located somewhat east of UIC in a shopping strip type of mall and I noticed they are now on Taylor St. It wasn't quite the same as I remember in my youth, but the cannoli had a good crunch to it and the cappucino was good. Now just bring back the original Ichiban and I'll be happy.................

HI,

What a charming story of a long lost favorite returning and at least meeting most of your memory's expectations.

That sandwich looks marvelous. I wonder how your brother will react when he replicates his favorite order. Will it be spot on for him or just a little missing. I hope you might comment about his reaction. It would be interesting to understand how he ranks it against his memory as opposed to yours.

Regards.

Wow, that's a fine looking sandwich. I've been to Conte di Savoia and one other place whose name I can't remember on Taylor, I'm going to have to hit Grandaddy's ASAP.

Ronnie — From your photos it appears Grandaddy's changed their bread since I was last there. That's a good thing. Here's a picture of my small Italian sub from nearly five years ago.



The puffy loaf (no seeds) completely overwhelmed the fillings with its sheer volume and lack of flavor. I disliked the bread enough that I haven't returned in all that time. The bread used for your sandwich looks much better. Thanks for posting; I guess I'm due to give them another try.

Grandaddy's Subs
2343 W Taylor St
Chicago
312-243-4200

Rene G wrote:Ronnie — From your photos it appears Grandaddy's changed their bread since I was last there. That's a good thing. Here's a picture of my small Italian sub from nearly five years ago.



The puffy loaf (no seeds) completely overwhelmed the fillings with its sheer volume and lack of flavor. I disliked the bread enough that I haven't returned in all that time. The bread used for your sandwich looks much better. Thanks for posting; I guess I'm due to give them another try.

That is a sad-looking sandwich for sure and it's easy to see why it kept you from returning.

It's probably worth noting that the sesame bread is not the default bread. It's available upon request and there's a sign on the wall saying as much. Fwiw, there's a Gonnella advertising sign in the space but I have no idea if all their bread is baked by Gonnella or not.

=R=

I was just going to ask you whose bread they use. No way it's Gonella like Fontano's uses, that's certain. The sesame seed thing has thrown me off- I've never had an Italaian sub that had them, but as you said it was requested, not standard. OK, but I'll pass. Probably not Damato's bread as used by Bari's, correct? Maybe it could be, as their's is crunchy, not soft.

A far as giardineira, you said that you loved theirs, and that sub looks heavy on it. This can make or break a sub experience. Do you love it enough to buy a jar to go next time?

sandman wrote:I was just going to ask you whose bread they use. No way it's Gonella like Fontano's uses, that's certain. The sesame seed thing has thrown me off- I've never had an Italaian sub that had them, but as you said it was requested, not standard. OK, but I'll pass. Probably not Damato's bread as used by Bari's, correct? Maybe it could be, as their's is crunchy, not soft.

I don't know how many kinds of bread Gonnella bakes but their neon advertising was displayed prominently on the wall of the shop, so I'm guessing Gonnella is a supplier. Is it the exact same bread used by Fontano's? I don't know because I only ordered the sesame bread, the provenance of which I don't know, either. It certainly didn't seem to be D'Amatos, which I can usually ID fairly easily. That said, I definitely liked this sandwich more than Bari's, which I've always liked and enjoyed but never really craved or gone out of my way for.

sandman wrote:A far as giardineira, you said that you loved theirs, and that sub looks heavy on it. This can make or break a sub experience. Do you love it enough to buy a jar to go next time?

Absolutely. The barriers to entry are not steep.

=R=

Interesting. I've been loving Gonella since the 1960's, and would have never suspected from the pics that came from their bakery.

Surprised that you don't rate Bari's subs as highly, but since you don't, I'll respect your opinion and give Grandaddy's a try for sure. I've been recently digging Bari's so much that I literally have been going out of my way to get one (and this coming from someone whose consistent favorite has been Fontano's since my first one in 1976). Near perfect balance of crunchy bread, fresh genoa salami, tangy provolone, ham, and more. Nothing overwhelms, even keeps well for half a day for later consumption if necessary. Last few Bari's have been literally as good as a Chicago Italian sub experience gets, I feel- memorable and epic.

sandman wrote:Interesting. I've been loving Gonella since the 1960's, and would have never suspected from the pics that came from their bakery.

Surprised that you don't rate Bari's subs as highly, but since you don't, I'll respect your opinion and give Grandaddy's a try for sure. I've been recently digging Bari's so much that I literally have been going out of my way to get one (and this coming from someone whose consistent favorite has been Fontano's since my first one in 1976). Near perfect balance of crunchy bread, fresh genoa salami, tangy provolone, ham, and more. Nothing overwhelms, even keeps well for half a day for later consumption if necessary. Last few Bari's have been literally as good as a Chicago Italian sub experience gets, I feel- memorable and epic.

Well don't get me wrong, I really liked Grandaddy's and I'm very happy to have found it after all these years but for me, Fontano's has always been the King of Subs in Chicago.

=R=

ronnie_suburban wrote:... but for me, Fontano's has always been the King of Subs in Chicago.=R=

Right on, brother. Just realized that I've been devouring Fontano's subs for 35 years now! When I was at UIC, we students would take orders and come back with a shopping bag full. I can honestly say I've never had a bad one, never had one that was "off"- just slightly different depending on who's making them. I swear the giardineira recipe changed sometime after the 70's, tamed down now- the hot used to make me sweat, it was amazingly excellent.

Kinda different not seeing Red behind the sausage counter, or Gilda by the subs. Mary Fontano's been running the joint for a while by herself now. Hope it never changes!

Wow, I have almost exactly the same memories of Fontano's. Hard to believe that it has been 30 years since I started wandering over there from the UICC (it became UIC in '82 or '83 I think) campus.

Great post! I love me an Italian sub. Before I came over to the UK I devoured a Bari Italian with marinated eggplant and super hot giardinera. Super hot a little too hot, took away from the taste a bit, but delicious nonetheless. Looks like I have to make a new stop right when I get back. Looking forward to it. Pics are making me drool.

Happened to be in the neighborhood last Saturday, and had the chance to sample Granddaddy's (I thought I remembered some recent posts but couldn't find them until today, because Granddaddy's in this thread is spelled with only 3 d's).

Anyway, I will echo Ronnie and say that the Italian sub was delicious. I ordered mine with everything on whole-wheat grain, which was really nice and chewy. The bread may be too prominent for some but for me it was fantastic. I got the medium size, which is roughly the size of a foot-long at Subway, as a point of reference. Thanks for the tip!

Love,
John

EDIT: After re-looking at the pictures, they do spell Grandaddy's with 3 d's; the rest of the Internet seems to spell it wrong. My bad.

Cathy2 wrote:I wonder how your brother will react when he replicates his favorite order. Will it be spot on for him or just a little missing. I hope you might comment about his reaction. It would be interesting to understand how he ranks it against his memory as opposed to yours.

Carry-out lunch last Friday from Grandaddy's defintely scratched the itch for him. Again, though, the sesame bread was gummier than what we remembered and even though it was plenty tasty, we agreed that it wasn't the same. I'm guessing that the bread we used to enjoy there is no longer offered or available.

Overall, this experience wasn't quite as satisfying as my previous one. Sandwiches were tasty but the house-made giardiniera was disappointingly mild this time around and nowhere close to what it was on the previous visit. Given that element, I'm not sure that it was a huge problem that it was left off a couple of the sandwiches we ordered. Another sandwich was omitted entirely, which did cause a bit of a problem back at the office (and they're located way too far from us to go back).

Curiously, muffalettas are offered on their printed carry-out menu but when I ordered one over the phone, the person I spoke to acted like she'd never heard of one and told me "we don't have that." No problem, though, because I knew that they were available just around the corner at Italian Supeior Bakery, so I asked my co-worker who was picking up to make a second stop for some muffalettas, which he did. More on that later on the appropriate thread.

=R=

Consistency.

Predictability.

Reliability.

That's what you'll find at Fontano's and Bari's- proven week after week, season after season, year after year. It appears that Grandaddy's Subs has disappointed you on those important points, and respect has been lost. Duly noted.

Nice update on Grandaddy's from the Gazette:
http://www.gazettechicago.com/index/201 ... ownership/

From the piece linked by above by Amata . . .

at GazetteChicago.com, Gabriella Valentino wrote:After 34 years of ownership, Joey Airdo recently sold his Granddaddy’s Sub Sandwich restaurant to longtime employee Javier Zapian.

“I am thrilled to pass on what has been my lifelong passion to the person I believe will carry my restaurant to the next level,” Airdo said. He is proud of Zapian and feels lucky to have someone take over who feels just as passionately about Granddaddy’s as he does.

Zapian grew up in the Tri-Taylor neighborhood and has worked at Granddaddy’s for more than 15 years, starting out as a delivery driver, then moving on to sandwich maker, manager, and now owner.

A very cool story. I hope it works out for Mr. Zapian.

=R=