The Origin Story Of New York City's Notorious Italian Sub, The Bomb

"One day, also in the '80s, a customer asked Charlie to make a sub for him and told him to use whatever ingredients he wanted. He proceeded to pile on many different cold cuts, cheeses, and toppings. Another customer waiting to order saw this and asked for the same sandwich, sparking the idea of adding what would become The Bomb to the menu."

"Charlie had always been generous with the cold cuts when he made the sandwiches, Kris said, preparing them how he'd want to eat them. She also said his off-the-cuff stacked sub that inspired The Bomb was additionally influenced by the rolled-up cold cut and cheese slices with a topping inside that Sal would give to customers while they waited in line."

"The Bomb features a heavy hitter lineup of Italian and American cured meats and cold cuts - think salami, turkey, pepperoni, and roast beef, though some versions also include mortadella, pastrami, and ham. These are layered with American and provolone cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, hot and sweet peppers, mustard, mayo, oil, and vinegar."

Sal, Kris & Charlie's Deli in Queens, New York has maintained its iconic status through its signature sandwich, The Bomb, which originated in the 1980s when a customer asked owner Charlie Gordon to create a sub using whatever ingredients he wanted. Gordon generously piled on multiple cold cuts, cheeses, and toppings, inspiring another waiting customer to request the same sandwich. This led to The Bomb becoming a permanent menu item and the deli's biggest seller. The sandwich's creation was influenced by both Gordon's generous approach to portions and Sal's practice of giving customers rolled-up cold cuts and cheese while they waited. Now owned by the Gordons' son Nick following his father's death in 2019, the deli remains cash-only and continues serving this beloved sandwich on daily-delivered 14-inch sub rolls.

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