Memorable | One of the Best
The Little King
Review by: Bruce Bilmes and Susan Boyle
The Little King is the quintessential Central New Jersey sandwich shop, whose motto is, “Where a Sandwich Is a Full Meal.” Walk in to the strip mall eatery and head to the counter to place your order. It is there you’ll be confronted by dozens of signs touting special sandwiches, in addition to a few dozen more to be found on the menu board on the wall. If you suffer from menu panic syndrome, simply step out of line and read to your heart’s content.
Once you’ve decided and placed your order, you will be asked if you want your sandwich on seeded or unseeded bread. Get the seeded. It’s better bread. Also be prepared to tell the woman what you want or don’t want on the sandwich. Standard garnishes include lettuce, tomato, onion, oil, vinegar, and oregano.
Sandwiches come in just about every configuration you’ve ever considered, including a whole variety of Italian hoagies. We recommend the South Jersey Italian, which the specials sheet describes this way: “Genoa salami, capacoli, coteghino (Italian cooked salami), sharp provolone, hot crushed pepper spread, lettuce, tomato, onion, oil, salt, pepper, oregano.” Another favorite is the house-roasted turkey, which is pulled into shreds and chunks before insertion into the fresh roll. The pork roll, egg, and cheese is iconic and soulful. Prices are modest, but even so, there’s a menu board of the day’s special $3.99 half-hoagies (in Philly/Jersey parlance, a half is what people elsewhere would call a full-size sandwich), which are true bargains.
The Little King goes back decades, when it was part of a chain of sandwicheries. There are remnants of the chain to be found here and there around the country, but this one has been on its own for many years, longer than the current owner has been around. There are a few tables for eating in, and many orders are taken back by workers on their lunch breaks. It’s a locals haunt, and the staff lend the place a friendly neighborhood vibe with true Jersey personality. If you are a tourist paying a visit we suspect you will be the first to ever pass through the doorway.
Note that The Little King is open for breakfast and lunch only.
Directions & Hours
Information
| Price | $ |
| Seasons | All |
| Meals Served | Breakfast, Lunch, Dessert |
| Credit Cards Accepted | No |
| Alcohol Served | No |
| Outdoor Seating | No |
What To Eat
The Little King Recipes
Discuss
What do you think of The Little King?
2 Responses to “The Little King”
DR
May 31st, 2021
I recently had the Homemade Pastrami – and a week later the Homemade Corned Beef both made with coleslaw and swiss on rye. Do NOT miss these. Incredible!
Bill Menichillo
May 4th, 2012
My current professional activities have me working in Princeton – 15 mins from The Little King. Today I stopped in there and I ordered the “South Jersey Italian Sub” (bun with no seeds).
I took it back to the office and spent the next hour in nirvana. The previous review hits the nail on the head on this particular sandwich. It was perfection. (As such, I am not going to rewrite the same review). As I ordered a full sized, I have half of it left over for tomorrow’s lunch. 🙂
Cash and DEBIT CARDS (a recent change from Cash Only) accepted for payment. I did not ask them to explain “why not credit cards?” …so probably best to carry CASH. (I was prepared.)
Now I am looking for an excuse to sneak over there during breakfast hours to try the Pork Roll Egg and Cheese….next lunch there, I have my sights set on either the Turkey or the Sharp Italian.