Sarcone’s Deli has been a beacon for South Philadelphia hoagie lovers since 1997. That’s the year Louis Sarcone, Jr. and cousin Anthony Bucci opened Sarcone’s Deli down the block from Sarcone’s Bakery, which Italian immigrant Luigi Sarcone started in 1918.

There isn’t much to look at inside.

Sarcone’s Deli display case holds fresh salads, a large sandwich station, and of course Eagles memorabilia. Philly loves those birds.

Sarcone’s Deli offers cold or hot hoagies, made with Sarcone’s Bakery bread, baked 50 feet down the block.

The medium half-loaf is slightly chewier and studded with sesame seeds.

I kickstarted my palate with a selection of house-made stuffed olives.

Olive fillings included prosciutto, spicy cherry pepper, roasted garlic, and sharp provolone. All of them were tasty, but I liked the one with prosciutto best. What can I say, I’m a sucker for hog meat. I topped off the container with a pepper shooter, stuffed with prosciutto and a chunk of sharp provolone, a little spicy, and a whole lot of delicious.

Enough messing around. Let’s get to hoagies, the main reason I came to Sarcone’s Deli.

A medium Old Fashioned Italian (Gourmet) hoagie contained thinly sliced prosciutto, hot soppressata, hot coppa, sharp Provolone and dry herbs, plus lettuce, onions, tomato slices, and a modicum of mayo. The hoagie was phenomenal, the chewy roll loaded with luscious meats and tangy cheese.

Here’s a cross-section of the hoagie, because a sandwich this good deserves a second look.