Bob's Haven Deli

1442 Charlestown Road
Phoenixville, PA 19460
(610) 933-8788
Website


Bob's Haven Deli is a local joint in Phoenixville that has been around for ages (over 63 years according their website). They also have the most amazing pizza .gif on there that I have ever seen (see above).

There is a LOT of prep space here, with a large enough waiting area. I was trying to get a picture for a friend who recommended the place and was yelled at by who I can only assume was Bob himself.

They have "Zep's" instead of hoagies. While Zep's are usually a Norristown sandwich, they do pop up sometimes in the surrounding area. As is typical, the Zep is a hoagie with extra raw onions, tomatoes, and NO LETTUCE.

This was not a small sandwich by any stretch. At about $8, it was reasonably priced. I was hoping the hot pepper request would yield hoagie spread, which is the standard for Zep's. Unfortunately, it consisted of a few cherry pepper slices hidden along the bottom of the roll. There were also a load of onions on this. More than even an allium-lover like myself would typically have the pallet for.

Look at the girth of the onion pile. This was a spicy meatball. All in all, the bread was good, the meat was freshly sliced, and the sandwich was pretty well constructed. I would say the combination of onions being a bit much, the lack of hoagie spread on a Zep, and the fact I was yelled at resulted in a three cheesesteak rating. For Phoenixville, not too bad. Of course, this place is also just a hop, skip, and jump away from Foresta's, so I would be hard pressed to forgo the reigning champ for a Zep.

Lou's Sandwich Shop

414 E Main St.
Norristown, PA 19401
(610) 279-5415

The much beloved Montgomery County staple, the "Zep," has two Norristown heroes: Ev's and Lou's. Ev's was good, but it was time to write about my personal favorite, Lou's.

Lou's is old school. You can grab a seat at the counter and watch the action, joined by individuals of every walk of life. Seriously, this is downtown Norristown. It's got them all.

Fans of the Zep know that it is an Italian on a soft roll, no lettuce. Lots of onions. Also, they are usually served with a side of hoagie spread. One of my favorite parts. If the the onions are too much, feel free to pull some off, but if you don't have a hot date, just embrace the allium overload.

The Zep comes piled high with thick-ish meat, and a heavy layer of cheese on the bottom.

Everything just kind of comes together with the oil, herbs, spices, and soft bread to mop it up. The salty meat, sliced fresh to order, adds to the attractiveness. This is a hoagie at its most basic. And I LOVE it.

So the next time you get arrested in Montgomery County, or you have to go to a training class in Norristown, do yourself a favor and grab a Zep. It's a throwback that never moved forward, and I wouldn't change it for the world.

Eve's

310 E Johnson Hwy
Norristown, PA 19401
(610) 277-6600

I heard tales from my Dad about the "Zep" that he used to love to eat way back when in Norristown, so I decided to pick a couple of them up to give him a jog down memory lane (which coincidentally you will need after eating a zep).



From the outside, Eve's is a rather unassuming place in a strip mall, and upon entering, it is not much different. I liked it immediately.


The medium Zep is about $5.50, and well worth it.



So what is a Zep? Well, it is basically an Italian hoagie with no lettuce. And by basically, I mean that's exactly what it is. At Eve's they slice the tomato fresh, and certainly are not stingy with the onions. They were, however, a bit stingy with the hot pepper spread. Luckily, I was able to add some when I got home. The salami is great, riddled with whole peppercorns, and the cheese is standard provolone, but generously applied. The bread is fresh from Conshohocken Bakery, and is light and airy, a perfect vessel to deliver this package of meat and cheese. The Zep is a good sandwich, and I really enjoyed it, but mostly to reminisce with my Dad. It was hardly ground breaking, but to get a taste of how things used to be, Eve's delivers.