As part of his quest to compare popular sandwich chains, freelance writer Steven John recently ordered Italian subs from Jimmy John's, Jersey Mike's, and Subway. Before he dug in, though, he had an important question to answer: What exactly is an Italian sandwich? "This delightful amalgam of meat, cheese, and a select few veggies and condiments traces its roots to Italian immigrants in early 20th-century America," he writes. While the definition of the sandwich can vary by region and restaurant, it usually features fresh ham and a dry meat like salami or capocollo (a dry-cured pork you may also know as "gabagool"), provolone cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and onions, and, in most cases, oil and vinegar. Read John's review about how the chains did when delivering their takes on the classic sandwich at the link in our bio. Review by Steven John (Credit: Courtesy of Steven John) #sandwichreview #JimmyJohns #JerseyMikes #Subway #Italiansandwich