Jersey Mike's Copycat Recipes
Jersey Mike's Italian Sub 'Mike's Way' — with red wine vinegar, olive oil, and oregano — is the dressing that separates it from every other sub shop. Our copycats cover the Mike's Way preparation, the Philly Cheesesteak, and the fresh-baked hoagie roll.
2 recipes
Jersey Mike's was founded in 1956 in Point Pleasant, New Jersey as Mike's Subs. When Peter Cancro bought the original sub shop at age 17 in 1975 with a loan from his football coach, he kept the original recipes and began franchising in the 1980s, eventually renaming it Jersey Mike's Subs. Today it's one of the fastest-growing sub chains in the US with over 2,700 locations as of 2026. Jersey Mike's core philosophy is 'sub above the rest' — cold subs are built to order on freshly baked bread (baked in-store daily), with meats sliced directly from the deli case to order. The two signature items: the Mike's Way preparation (adding onions, lettuce, tomatoes, red wine vinegar and olive oil blend, and dried oregano to any sub at the end — the vinegar-and-oil dressing is the flavor differentiator from Subway's ranch-forward approach) and the Philly Cheesesteak, which is an official Jersey Mike's menu item cooked on a flat-top with real Amoroso rolls, not a generic hoagie. Our Jersey Mike's copycats cover the Italian Sub (Mike's Way), the Chipotle Cheesesteak, and the sub bread.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is 'Mike's Way' and how do I replicate it?
Mike's Way is the default dressing for cold subs at Jersey Mike's: white onions (diced), shredded iceberg lettuce, sliced Roma tomatoes, a drizzle of red wine vinegar, a drizzle of olive oil, and a shake of dried oregano — applied in that order, on top of the meat and cheese, with the sub open. The red wine vinegar is the flavor backbone; don't substitute balsamic or white wine vinegar. At home: drizzle approximately 1 tsp red wine vinegar + 1 tsp olive oil on the sub, add toppings, and finish with 1/4 tsp dried oregano. The bread should be a soft Italian hoagie roll, not a ciabatta or baguette.
What's on a Jersey Mike's #7 (Club Sub, Mike's Way)?
The #7 Club Sub is turkey breast, roast beef, and provolone on a white or wheat hoagie roll. Mike's Way adds the standard dressing (red wine vinegar, olive oil, onion, lettuce, tomato, oregano). Jersey Mike's slices the meats to order from a deli counter, which produces a fresher, less compressed slice than pre-portioned fast-casual. For the home version: use deli-sliced turkey and roast beef (not the pre-packaged shelf variety), provolone over processed cheese, and the Mike's Way dressing applied right before eating.
How is Jersey Mike's Philly Cheesesteak different from others?
Jersey Mike's uses shaved ribeye (very thin-sliced, cooked on a flat-top with onions and peppers), white American cheese (not Cheez Whiz, which is the traditional Philly way — Jersey Mike's goes American), and an Amoroso-style hoagie roll (soft, Italian bread from the Philadelphia bakery that defines the style). The steak is chopped on the grill as it cooks, which creates a mix of crumbles and slightly larger pieces. At home: use shaved beef (many supermarkets sell it labeled 'Philly steak'), sauté with sliced onions and bell peppers, chop while cooking, and melt white American cheese over the top.
What makes Jersey Mike's bread different from Subway's?
Jersey Mike's bakes their bread in-store daily — it's a soft, slightly chewy Italian hoagie roll with a thinner crust than Subway's. Subway's bread is sweeter (the controversial 10% sugar content that made headlines in Ireland for tax classification purposes) and has a more uniform, tender crumb. Jersey Mike's bread has more structure and holds up better to wet fillings. A home substitute: look for Amoroso rolls or Italian hoagie rolls at a Philadelphia-area bakery; outside that region, any soft Italian sub roll works better than a baguette or ciabatta.