Though less famous than Heinz ketchup or Klondike bars, Primanti Bros. (although no one says the “brothers” bit and just calls it “Primanny’s,” if you want to get your ‘Burgh accent going) is just as influential to Pittsburgh’s culinary history.
Based in the Strip District—home to the city’s wholesale food warehouses—since the 1930s, Primanti’s now has outposts throughout the greater Pittsburgh area and (somewhat inexplicably) Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
The legend goes that the Primanti brothers got into business feeding the truckers who dropped goods off in the Strip during the wee hours of the night leading into morning. The truckers were starving, so the bros packed the sandwich to the gills to give the guys a full meal that they could also hold in their hands while driving. (Although how one person could eat a Primanti’s samwidge and drive is beyond me—it takes me two hands just to get through one half—and the official bio skims past those details.)
However it went down, the Primanti siblings had lightning in a pan—er, on a griddle—and now everyone in Pittsburgh eats at Primanti’s. I remember stopping in before a They Might Be Giants show around the corner at Metropol to see Sally Wiggin, the Katie Couric of the Pittsburgh news anchor scene, wolfing one down with the common folk.
So with all of this background, aren’t you dying to know what makes up a Primanti’s sandwich and why it’s so killer?
Start with a thick slice of Italian bread. Add your choice of meat, which could be anything from jumbo bologna to pastrami to capicola to sardines (me, I’ll take the kolbassi), and then top with the following:
- a few slices of provolone cheese
- a few slices of tomato
- a handful of tangy vinegar-based coleslaw
- a pile of real skin-on french fries
- and then top with the other slice of bread, although not before adding a healthy shake of Frank’s Red Hot, if that’s your thing. (Of course that’s my thing too.)
The whole shebang melds together when you sink your teeth into it, though you might have to dislocate your jaw like a snake to get every single component in the same bite. Hot kolbassi meets chilly coleslaw, fluffy french fry innards soak up the slaw juice and mix with the bite of hot sauce, and the result is pure greasy magic barely held together in a spongy carb container.
That specific conglomeration of ingredients—a genius combo akin to the partnership of Lennon, McCartney, Harrison, and Starr—is best eaten at the original location on a slightly sticky wooden table surrounded by murals of Pittsburgh greats (including Jeff Goldblum, Gene Kelly, Bill Mazeroski, Dan Marino, and Mister Rogers) before heading out to walk the Strip and buy a City of Champions t-shirt at the Heinz History Center.
Oh, and on the menu, you’ll notice that cheesesteak is listed as the “#2 best-seller.” This begs the question from many a tourist: What’s #1? I’ll spare you the humiliation—it’s beer, of course. Preferably Iron City.
If this blew your mind but you’re nowhere near Pittsburgh and you want to try an at-home version, I believe this coleslaw is the key:
Primanti’s Coleslaw
Prep time: 15 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Makes 6-8 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 green Napa cabbage, very finely shredded
- 1/2 cup + 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 cup white wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon celery seed
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup canola oil
Method:
Toss the shredded cabbage and 1/2 cup sugar in a large colander set over a bowl and allow to drain for at least an hour.
Whisk the white wine vinegar, kosher salt, celery seed, and Dijon mustard together in a high-sided saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Slowly whisk in the canola oil, then simmer for 5 minutes. Allow to cool completely while the cabbage drains.
Toss the cabbage and the dressing together in a large bowl and refrigerate overnight before serving.
Primanti Bros, 46 18th St. between Smallman and Penn, Pittsburgh, PA. 412-263-2142, open 24/7.
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I can remember in the early 70′s Primanti’s didn’t even open until 11:00 PM or midnight [not sure which because I never got there until at least 2:00 AM]. They were open for the Strip workers, but soon, all late nighters would end out there, in the wee hours. It was a very small place. The counter and a few tables. The place was always packed at 3:00 AM. They would sell you beer, but in a brown bag and under the table, because of the 2:00 AM law. The place always had policemen in it, but they didn’t care. It was a true Pittsburgh experience.
Woah. This is more sandwich than I can handle.
heard of Primanti’s but not yet made it to Pittsburgh to try. however, we put fries and slaw on barbecue sandwiches — but prefer savory slaw to one with sugar.
Oh man, you just made me miss sandwiches so much. I need to find a deli that uses gluten free bread. Or maybe I could bring my own? Would that be a faux pas?
love this post – not sure you have ever given me the full history
and now, i am starving.
Don’t forget that most of the truckers also likely drove rigs with stick shifts, so there’s definitely a need for at least three hands.
Primanti Bros. is ALL my husband and sons have been talking about ever since they saw it on the food channel. And I swear it’s the reason my son picked Pittsburgh to go to law school. (He begged me to eat there with him when we went to pick out his apartment, but I refused…I’m sort of a health nut…)
Sounds like the best sandwich EVER.
The best sandwich I ever had was from a Vietnamese deli in Melbourne, Australia. The Bánh mì sandwich bread was made from rice and wheat flours and managed to be both light and crispy. The fillings included pork and a host of delicious and exotic veggies and sauces. I’m headed back to Melbourne soon, so I think I’m going to have to have another one!
I shouldn’t have read this hungry–french fries on a sandwich, I’ve tried it and liked it too. I’m adding Primanti’s to my list of places to go. This week I tried out a local favorite–Mr. Brisket in Cleveland Heights. The pastrami was better than Katz’s. (And much less expensive)
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