DC lunch spots tend to come and go, but the Italian shop A. Litteri, near Union Market, is observing a whopper of an anniversary: 100 years. It wasn’t always in its current location—founder Anthony Litteri, an immigrant from Sicily, moved it there in 1932—and hasn’t always served subs, instead functioning as an ingredient wholesaler until the late ’80s. But a century is worth celebrating, as are its sandwiches (along with offerings like imported wines and Italian grocery products). We asked current owner Max Evans to walk us through how each of their $6.99 Italian Classic subs is made. “You would have a hard time finding a sandwich like this in Italy,” he says, “but it is a total classic American Italian staple, especially on the East Coast.”
1. Bread
A. Litteri sources its rolls from the Catania Bakery on North Capitol Street—which was also founded by Sicilian immigrants and has been cranking out Italian bread since 1932. Customers can choose a hard roll, a six- or 12-inch soft roll, or a nine-inch wheat roll. Evans’s choice? “The purists tend to go for hard rolls.”
2. Capicola
Or gabagool, as Tony Soprano would say. This traditional cured-pork product is a flavorful staple of Italian subs.
3. Prosciuttini
Not to be confused with the similar prosciutto, this peppery meat is “a ham with a little bit of spice,” says Evans, which balances out the other meats.
4. Mortadella
Detail-oriented cold-cut aficionados will note that the sandwich staple—which originated in Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region—has pistachios embedded in it.
5. Genoa Salami
Made with pork and spices, the classic ingredient is “smooth and a little bit garlicky.”
6. Provolone
This cheese is traditional—“sharper, tangier, and offers a more flavorful contrast to the meats” than mozzarella.
7. Lettuce, Tomato, and Onion
A sandwich with tired veggies just won’t taste right. “We try to use really good-quality stuff. Every meat and cheese and all the veggies are fresh every single day.”
8. Hot Peppers
A. Litteri uses pickled jalapeños, or you can sub red cherry peppers or sweet peppers.
9. Italian Dressing
No bottled stuff here: It’s made in-house from oil, vinegar, and herbs. “We use a pastry brush to add it to the bread so there’s not too much and the bread won’t get soggy.”
This article appears in the August 2026 issue of Washingtonian.
