The 23 Best Sandwich Shops in NYC - New York - The Infatuation

"Defonte’s is the old school Italian sandwich shop blueprint. They serve big fat sandwiches with names like Italian Stallion and The Zio Vito, there's someone who drove in from Jersey standing in line next to you, and the person behind the counter might be a little peeved that you’re trying to order at 3:15pm, even though they close at 4pm. A visit to this cash-only spot in Red Hook is the best Saturday adventure, and if it’s nice out you can head down to Louis Valentino Jr. pier and eat there. The Order: Absolutely anything that has a layer of fried eggplant on it—which is most sandwiches here. But we like the Italian Stallion, with fried eggplant, fresh mozzarella, roasted red peppers, and a half inch thick layer of prosciutto. And yes, the macaroni salad is good." - will hartman, willa moore, neha talreja, bryan kim, sonal shah, molly fitzpatrick