I had heard about Jersey Mike's through word of mouth, but never had I imagined in my wildest dream how good it would be; nor that it would be "Above the rest." After being awarded the NC Triad Yelp Squad Yelper of the Year 2024 Award at the Yelpies Award Ceremony last year, an event that honored the highest-performing Yelp Elites, celebrating their contributions and accomplishments throughout the year, I decided that this year, as an All-Star Yelp Elite, I not only wanted to be the first to discover new restaurants and businesses, and bring them to the attention of the public, but also to uncover those found in hidden paths that for one reason or another have not reached the public in its totality. And Jersey Mike's Subs, near the Tanglewood Mall, in Roanoke, Virginia, is a perfect example. Located in a modern small strip mall next to Panda Express on the premises of Tanglewood Mall, this small sub shop has always been there since I knew about it. But now all of a sudden, I was tired of hearing about it, and decided to go see for myself and experience what the hype is all about. When I arrived I parked on one of the parking spaces in front of the sub shop. Its front was all windows with a bright red OPEN sign. Its shop front sign read "Since 1956 Jersey Mike's Subs." Little did I know that Jersey Mike's Subs began in 1956 as Mike's Subs, a single store sandwich shop in Point Pleasant, New Jersey, founded by Mike Ingravalo. Then in 1975, a 17 year old employee named Peter Cancro purchased the business with a loan from his football coach and began to grow it. The company was rebranded as Jersey Mike's Subs in 1987 to emphasize its New Jersey origins, and under Cancro's leadership, it expanded to become the national and international chain it is today. As I got closer to its glass door, the glow of its light inside somehow told me that this was not your usual sub shop. The place was clean and organized, with a wall of black & white photographs celebrating its origin. And a team of friendly and efficient employees behind the counter preparing the subs of the customers lined up. When my term to order came up, I ordered The Original Italian, in white sub buns, regular size. As soon as I ordered, the young lady employee started to slice the fresh meats for my sub and piling them up on the freshly baked sub buns. Then she passed it on to another employee who asked me if I wanted it Mike's Way with "the Juice." Little did I know at the time what that meant, but she described it as with onions, lettuce, tomatoes, spices, and the Juice (a red wine vinigar & olive oil blend). It did not take long for me to assimilate the jargon here. Then, after placing large amounts of these items in the sub, she asked me if I wanted any other ingredient from there, and she placed generous amounts of the items I requested, such as pickles and banana peppers. When she finished, I realized that that has been the Italian Sub with the most fresh meats and toppings that I have ever had. And I understood first hand why they call it "Above the Rest." I made it a combo with chips and a Cherry Pepsi softdrink. I invite you to view my photographs and video clips accompanying this review to get a better sense of the place and the quality of the food. Then you will realize why I highly recommend this sub shop. And why I had an extraordinary dining experience here. One above the rest. read more