A family-run deli in Northeast Philadelphia has been making hoagies for more than 50 years, and one sandwich stands out. The Main Event combines hot capicola, pepperoni, Genoa salami, provolone, marinated artichoke hearts, and homemade roasted peppers.
Dattilo’s Delicatessen is more than a sandwich counter. The shop also sells fresh meats, imported Italian groceries, homemade mozzarella, and cannoli filled to order.
You can pick up lunch and ingredients for dinner in one visit.
The deli has earned a place among The Philadelphia Inquirer’s best hoagie shops, but its old-school market setup is just as interesting. There’s even a particular way the ordering line works that first-time visitors will want to know before stepping inside.
A Neighborhood Deli on Horrocks Street
Dattilo’s Delicatessen sits at 8000 Horrocks St in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, deep in the city’s Northeast section. It’s a family-run Italian deli and market, and it serves the people who live on the surrounding blocks.
The shop wears a few hats at once. It sells fresh and cooked meats, cheeses, groceries, and hearty sandwiches, all under one roof.
That mix matters. Many sandwich shops only make sandwiches, and many markets only sell groceries.
Here, you can order a hoagie for lunch and pick up dinner ingredients in the same trip.
The location also tells part of the story. Northeast Philadelphia is a big area of rowhomes and neighborhood businesses, far from the tourist crowds around Center City.
A deli like this depends on people coming back week after week. Its Google rating of 4.7 stars across more than a thousand reviews suggests plenty of them do.
I find it interesting that a corner shop this size handles so many jobs. To understand why it earns that attention, though, you have to start with the sandwich that built Philadelphia’s deli reputation.
The Hoagie That Earns the Title Loaded
Hoagies come up more than almost any other topic when people talk about this deli. That fits, since Philadelphia treats the hoagie as something close to a civic treasure.
The Italian hoagie is a natural place to start. It follows the classic pattern of layered cold cuts on a long roll, finished with the toppings you choose.
Then there’s the Main Event hoagie. The name alone signals that it’s built to be filling, and it’s one of the sandwiches people mention by name.
Turkey hoagies are on the list too. One popular combination pairs turkey with sharp provolone and roasted peppers, which gives a lighter meat a stronger partner.
Here’s a practical tip. When you say you want everything on a hoagie, be specific about what everything means to you.
Toppings like oil, salt, pepper, and pickles can vary depending on how you ask. A clear order means fewer surprises when you unwrap it at home.
I’d start with the Italian on a first visit, simply because it’s the benchmark for any Philadelphia deli. Of course, none of it works without the right bread underneath.
Seeded Rolls Do the Heavy Lifting
Ask a Philadelphian what makes a good hoagie, and the roll will come up within seconds. Dattilo’s leans on seeded rolls for many of its sandwiches.
Sesame seeds on the crust add a little toast and crunch. The inside is meant to have some chew, so the roll holds up under a heavy stack of fillings.
Size and shape matter here as well. One description compares the roll to a baguette, long and narrow rather than soft and puffy.
That style suits a loaded sandwich. A soft roll can turn soggy under oil and peppers, while a sturdier one keeps everything together until the last bite.
Rolls also show up for sale on their own. If you’re building sandwiches at home, you can buy them alongside your sliced meats.
For breakfast sandwiches, the deli uses a Kaiser roll. It’s rounder and better suited to eggs and cheese.
Bread freshness can vary with timing, as it does at any bakery-supplied shop. Going earlier in the day is a sensible move if a crisp roll is your top priority.
Cheesesteaks Off the Hot Side
Cold hoagies may be the headliners, but the grill has its own following. Cheesesteaks rank among the most discussed items on the menu.
The deli once appeared in a competition for top steaks in the city. For a neighborhood shop known mainly for cold cuts, that’s a fun bit of trivia.
A classic way to order one here is with fried onions and Cooper Sharp cheese on a seeded roll. Cooper Sharp is a sharp American cheese that many Philadelphians prefer for its creamy melt.
One small tip helps. Seasoning on the meat tends to be on the light side, so ask for extra salt and pepper if you like a bolder steak.
The hot menu doesn’t stop there. Chicken parm, roast pork, and meatball sandwiches also come up often.
The chicken parm uses a fresh cutlet. The meatball sandwich has a steady fan base, and a cheeseburger hoagie appears on delivery menus too.
I like that a deli can handle both cold and hot sandwiches with this range. It gives a group with mixed cravings an easy answer at lunchtime.
Breakfast Sandwiches Served All Day
Early risers get a head start here, since the doors open at 8:30 every morning. That makes the shop a handy stop before work or school.
Breakfast sandwiches are served all day. If your craving for eggs arrives at 2 p.m., you’re still in luck.
The bacon, egg, and cheese is a standout, piled with plenty of bacon. Sausage, egg, and cheese on a Kaiser roll is another solid choice.
Keep your expectations focused on sandwiches, though. Breakfast sides like home fries or hash browns haven’t been part of the lineup.
That’s a small trade-off for a deli that puts its energy into the roll and what goes inside it. Fries do show up on the regular menu for later in the day.
Hours are generous during the week, running until 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
Sunday is shorter, with closing at 2 p.m., so weekend breakfast fans should plan around that.
Honestly, an all-day breakfast policy feels like a kindness to night-shift workers and late sleepers alike. Once you’ve eaten, the meat counter is the next place worth a long look.
Prosciutto, Provolone, and a Long Glass Case
Behind the glass is where Dattilo’s earns its market title. The case holds cold cuts, cured meats, and cheeses sliced to order.
Prosciutto is a frequent pick, and people drive in just to buy it by the pound. Sharp provolone and hot pepper American cheese are other popular choices.
Roast beef also has a reputation. It’s sliced for take-home orders, and gravy is available alongside it.
Newcomers shouldn’t feel shy. The staff will often let you sample meats and cheeses, which helps a lot if you’re building a charcuterie board for the first time.
One word of caution applies. Some price tags in the case can be hard to read, so double-check before asking for two pounds of anything premium.
Fresh butcher items are sold here as well, including chicken, pork, and beef. You can pick up dinner meat and lunch meat in the same stop.
I’d take a few minutes to scan the full case instead of ordering the usual. A taste of something new costs nothing, and it might replace your regular order.
Shelves Stocked Like an Italian Pantry
Grocery shopping is half the reason some people come in. The aisles carry Italian specialties that are harder to find at a big supermarket.
You’ll see pasta and sauces, plus imported Italian treats and sodas. Some kitchen cooking items fill out the shelves as well.
For home cooks, that saves a trip. You can grab your sauce, your pasta, your cheese, and your meat without driving across town.
The idea fits the long Italian market tradition in Philadelphia. Neighborhood shops have long served as the place where families stock up for Sunday dinner.
Fresh items mix in with the packaged goods. Rolls, bread, and prepared sides make it easy to put together a fast meal on a busy night.
The shop is compact, so the layout matters. The aisles also serve as part of the ordering line, which leads to a useful tip in a later section.
I like browsing shelves like these slowly. A jar of something unfamiliar can turn into a new family favorite, and it costs less than a dinner out to find out.
Cannoli, Biscotti, and Something Sweet
Saving room for dessert is a smart plan at this deli. The sweets lineup leans fully Italian.
Cannoli are a regular grab for many customers. Some people stop in almost daily to pick up a few for the house.
Biscotti are another option. These twice-baked cookies are firm and crunchy by design, and they travel well in a lunch bag.
Tiramisu also shows up among the desserts. It’s a layered Italian sweet made with coffee-soaked ladyfingers and a creamy filling.
A little tip for cannoli fans helps. If you’re carrying them home to share, keep the box level so the filling stays put.
Desserts make a good add-on for gatherings, too. A tray of cannoli next to a platter of hoagies covers both savory and sweet in one order.
I find it charming, in a practical way, that a sandwich line ends near the sweets. It’s hard to walk out with only a hoagie when biscotti are sitting right there, and that pairs nicely with the deli’s bigger catering trays.
Party Trays for a Crowd
Feeding twenty people is a different job than feeding one. Dattilo’s handles both, with catering available for parties and events.
The catering menu reaches beyond sandwiches. Chicken marsala, penne vodka, and eggplant parm have all been ordered as hot trays.
Antipasto trays are another option. They can include artichokes, roasted peppers, marinated mushrooms, olives, and sliced sausage, with fresh rolls on the side.
Delivery is offered for catering, and orders can arrive warm and on time. That’s a relief for anyone hosting a busy gathering.
Planning ahead pays off. Ordering several days early and confirming pickup times directly with the store helps avoid confusion.
If you have specific wishes for an antipasto tray, say so when you order. Asking about tray sizes is also wise, since half trays may not be available for every dish.
A graduation, a shower, or a holiday open house all fit this kind of spread. Speaking of ordering, the in-store process has its own small quirk worth learning first.
Know the Line Before You Order
Step to the left after you walk in. That’s where the line to order begins, and it wraps through the aisles counterclockwise.
A sign marks it, though it’s easy to miss. Knowing this ahead of time saves you from standing in the wrong spot.
The shop can get loud and lively during busy stretches. Staff are generally friendly and ready to help, and many behind the counter are longtime neighborhood faces.
Calling ahead is a handy option. Phone orders skip the extra fees that delivery apps sometimes add.
If you do use delivery, keep requests simple and clear. Special instructions may not always come through the way you hoped.
Timing also helps. Weekdays run until 6 p.m., while Sunday closes at 2 p.m.
Kids from nearby schools sometimes walk over for an afternoon sandwich. It’s a reminder that this place still works the way old corner delis did, as part of daily life on the block.
That neighborhood rhythm is the real tradition here. A loaded hoagie, a quick hello, and a bag of groceries keep it going one order at a time.
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