Unearth The Voyage
At first glance, a place called Samurai Subs and Pizza sounds like an unlikely combination. Yet this longtime restaurant along US-220 has built a loyal following by serving far more than its unusual name suggests, offering everything from oversized subs and specialty pizzas to comfort-food favorites that keep locals coming back.
For more than four decades, the restaurant has been part of the community, earning a reputation for generous portions, reliable quality, and a menu with something for nearly everyone. Whether visitors stop in for a signature sandwich, a pizza with a creative twist, or a popular weekly dinner special, they quickly discover why this roadside spot has remained a local favorite for so many years.
A Roadside Favorite That Refused to Disappear
Some restaurants earn their reputation over decades, and this one has been doing exactly that since long before most of its current customers were born. Samurai Subs and Pizza at 6048 US-220, Linden, PA 17744, is a revival of a sub shop that originally operated in the area for nearly 40 years before closing in November 2016.
After a brief chapter under a different name, the location came back as Samurai Subs and Pizza, reclaiming the original identity and welcoming back a loyal crowd that never really moved on.
The building itself sits along a well-traveled rural highway in Lycoming County, modest and easy to miss if you blink at the wrong moment. But the people who know it know it well.
There is something satisfying about a place that closes, gets missed, and then actually comes back because the community wanted it enough to make it happen again.
The 16-Inch Sub That Refuses to Be Ignored
Right away, the most talked-about item on the menu sets the tone for everything else. The signature 16-inch subs here are not just large, they are built with a specific philosophy: fresh ingredients, quality bread, and enough food to share with someone else without either of you walking away hungry.
Hellman’s mayonnaise is used on the cold subs, and the hoagie rolls are consistently described as soft, fresh, and sturdy enough to hold everything together without falling apart mid-bite.
The Italian sub in particular gets a lot of praise, with crisp lettuce, fresh tomatoes, and a house sub oil that adds a distinctive flavor most people do not expect from a small-town shop. A half sub alone comes stuffed with enough meat and cheese to feel like a full meal.
The loyalty card program rewards regulars with a free sub after ten purchases, which says a lot about how often people come back.
Pizza With Names You Will Not Forget
The pizza menu at this spot leans into personality in a way that most chain restaurants would never dare. Two standout creations define the lineup and give you a clear picture of what this kitchen is going for.
The ITALIANATOR piles on ham, capicola, salami, onion, tomato, hot peppers, lettuce, oil, and shakers, essentially turning a classic Italian sub into a pizza. It is a bold concept that works surprisingly well when you consider how those flavors interact on a hot crust.
Then there is the SAMURAI PIE, the house signature, loaded with pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, onions, extra cheese, and garlic salt. It is the kind of pizza that does not need an explanation, just a big appetite.
What makes these pizzas stand out is the same thing that has helped the restaurant build a loyal following over the years: they are not trying to be trendy or reinvent pizza. Instead, they focus on generous toppings, familiar flavors, and portions that make sharing easy.
Whether you order a specialty pie or keep things simple with a classic combination, the kitchen approaches every pizza with the same commitment to abundance that made its oversized subs famous.
Some customers have noted that the crust can run thin, so if you prefer a thicker base, it is worth asking about your options when you order.
A Menu That Goes Way Beyond Sandwiches
Most people arrive expecting subs and maybe a pizza, but the full menu here covers considerably more ground than that. Stromboli and calzones share space with salads and wraps, giving you options depending on how hungry you actually are when you show up.
Beyond the main items, the menu extends into soups, full dinners, party trays, sub trays, and meat trays for larger gatherings. And then, almost hidden at the end of the list, there are cookies, cakes, pies, and breads, which is not something you typically associate with a sub shop on a rural highway.
The soup pairs well with a sub and frequently comes at a discounted price when ordered together, making it a practical choice for anyone watching their spending. For a restaurant of this size and setting, the range of what is available is genuinely impressive and reflects an ambition to be more than just a quick-stop sandwich counter for passing travelers.
The Cheesesteak That Earns Its Own Conversation
Cheesesteaks at this shop have developed a reputation of their own, separate from the Italian subs and pizzas. The roll is long, noticeably so, and the filling runs from one end to the other without any of the hollow-bun disappointment that plagues so many other versions of this sandwich.
One particularly popular variation arrives dressed like an Italian sub, with all the cold toppings layered on top of the hot meat and cheese. It sounds unusual, but the combination of warm steak and cool, crisp vegetables on a fresh roll is the kind of thing that makes you want to order a second one before you finish the first.
Fresh preparation matters here, and when the kitchen is running at full speed, the results show clearly in the final product. The portion size consistently draws positive reactions from people who expected something smaller for the price.
And the cheesesteak is just one reason to stick around and explore what else is hiding on that menu.
Cold Subs Done Right, Every Ingredient Earning Its Place
Cold subs can be deceptively simple to get wrong, and deceptively satisfying when someone gets them right. The turkey club salad here arrives with turkey that tastes noticeably fresh, even rolled into small neat bundles that make the presentation feel a little more considered than you might expect from a roadside counter.
The Italian hoagie consistently receives praise for the quality of its vegetables, particularly the tomatoes, which have a freshness that stands out. Crisp lettuce and sharp onions round out each bite, and the sub oil used across multiple menu items adds a layer of flavor that elevates the whole experience.
Hellman’s mayo on the cold subs is a small but meaningful detail that regulars appreciate. It signals that someone in the kitchen is paying attention to the basics, not just assembling ingredients and calling it done.
The BLT, made with freshly cooked bacon rather than pre-cooked strips, is another example of that same attention carrying through to the smaller items.
Stromboli, Calzones, and the Art of the Fold
Stromboli and calzones do not always get the spotlight they deserve when they share a menu with 16-inch subs and specialty pizzas, but at this shop they hold their own without any trouble. Multiple customers who have worked their way through the menu describe both as genuinely delicious, with a consistency that suggests the kitchen takes them seriously rather than treating them as an afterthought.
The folded format of a calzone concentrates all the cheese and filling in a way that feels more indulgent than a flat slice, and the stromboli delivers a similar payoff with a rolled construction that keeps everything sealed and hot through the first few bites.
For anyone who wants something beyond a standard sandwich but is not in the mood for a full pizza, these two options offer a satisfying middle ground. They also travel well, making them a practical pick for anyone grabbing food to take back on the road along US-220.
Delivery to the Corners of Lycoming County
Delivery in rural Pennsylvania is not a given, and the fact that this restaurant extends its reach across multiple local communities is worth noting for anyone who does not live right on US-220. The delivery zone covers Jersey Shore, Newberry, Linden, Pine Run, Larry’s Creek, Larrysville, Salladasburg, and Level Corner.
For residents of these areas, having a sub shop that will actually bring food to the door is a meaningful convenience that most urban diners take completely for granted. The owner has been vocal about expanding delivery as a way to serve the broader community, not just the people who happen to drive past the restaurant.
Orders can be placed through the restaurant’s app, though it is worth confirming hours before placing an order, as a few customers have encountered situations where the app accepted an order during a closure. Calling ahead to the shop at 272-230-4936 is a reliable backup that takes just a moment.
The Atmosphere Inside: No-Frills, All Function
The building that houses this restaurant was once a convenience store, and that history is still visible in the layout. The space is compact, the setup is functional, and the atmosphere falls somewhere between a deli counter and a neighborhood lunch spot rather than a sit-down dining room.
Drink options when eating in are limited to soda and energy drinks, which is the kind of detail that matters if you are particular about what you wash your sub down with. The overall vibe is relaxed and low-key, the kind of place where nobody expects tablecloths or mood lighting.
What the space lacks in polish it compensates for with a sense of local character that no amount of interior design can manufacture. The pace during busy periods can feel rushed, and waiting 10 to 15 minutes during a lunch rush is a realistic expectation.
Come with patience and leave with a very large sandwich, and the trade-off feels entirely reasonable.
What Makes This Place Worth the Stop
Not every restaurant needs to be perfect to be worth visiting, and this one makes a strong case for showing up with an open mind and a real appetite. The combination of a 40-year legacy, a menu that covers everything from massive subs to Friday night pasta dinners, and a delivery zone that reaches across rural Lycoming County adds up to something genuinely uncommon for a small roadside spot.
The food is most reliable when you stick to the core items: cold subs, the cheesesteak, the stromboli, and the house specialty pizzas. The kitchen clearly has strengths, and ordering from those strengths rewards you with a meal that justifies the stop.
At a price point where two people can eat well for under twenty dollars, the value is hard to argue with. Samurai Subs and Pizza may sit in a quiet corner of Pennsylvania, but the menu it carries is anything but quiet, and that is exactly what makes it worth remembering long after you have driven away.
