Messy Heaven: Giamela's Submarine Sandwiches

By Sara Ibranossian

The Pepper Steak with Cheese at Giamela's 

Giamela's Submarine Sandwiches, a gem tucked quietly near the center of Burbank is an understated classic, worth a trip for lunch on any given day. With sandwiches known as much for their giant size as their uncompromising freshness, Giamela’s is a welcome addition to any sandwich snob’s collection of good ol’ cheese-steak possibilities. Giamela’s is located on Magnolia Boulevard, just before you the bridge that empties you into the shiny center of Downtown Burbank. Next time you make a trip over to IKEA, do yourself a favor and pay them a visit.



Known for its cash-only, casually straightforward order-at-the-counter process, you can’t help but appreciate the simple life here. Having gone for lunch on a weekday, I ran into some of the regulars. Filled with working class stiff, construction workers, Burbank Water & Power employees and others, Giamela’s caters to those who put in a good eight hours of manual labor before noon. Ladies don’t be discouraged, I certainly wasn’t. The atmosphere here is nothing but friendly and inviting, and, after all, you are there for one reason: a deep and abiding appreciation of a delicious, classically assembled, savory sandwich.

Unlike many new sandwich shops popping up around town, Giamela’s is nothing to write home about. Of course, we’re all thankful that they put all their energy into the real reason everybody comes, which includes a menu of eight possibilities such as a meatball, pastrami and turkey. My personal favorite is the pepper steak with cheese, topped with everything (I leave out the onions), and a heaping mound of spicy peppers. Trust me, the food here will make you forget about the glossy leather booths, western decor, and the fact that you may have to run across the street to the ATM to fetch cash.

Every order comes with a small survival kit of one fork and a generous (though never enough) pile of napkins. The fork seemed somewhat confusing, but there’s a method to their madness. As I learned, it’s something of a rarity to stuff this tower all into one bite without your top bits and most important players on the bottom diving out the carrier. The only odd part of receiving a fork with a hands-only meal here is not knowing when to use it. I felt like a kid whose mom had made her a meal and she knew, she just knew, I’d need a few things to help make this lunch right. With layers of steak, pickles and tomatoes falling, I turn to my fork and transform what’s left of my sandwich into a delicious steak salad.

There’s something so satisfying about a warm sandwich from Giamela’s, whether it’s the pastrami, meatball or sausage - something you can’t get from a cold turkey club sandwich. The first thing that strikes your senses is the intense flavor. You know your meat is real, and most importantly, you know it’s been marinated and cooked to perfection as you can taste the fresh cracked pepper as much as everything else. Each bite allows you to taste the warm, thinly cut steak, the crunch from the salty pickles and comfort of the soft doughy bread. Be aware, fellow sandwich lovers, signing up for something this good may leave your face a mess. Best to layer your lap with napkins and have a few stacked on your left and right side just in case. Your biggest contemplation here will be trying to decide which side to bite first: the warm and soggy or cold and crunchy end - both great options.

Things move quickly at Giamela’s, and, fortunately for us all, everything we need for an afternoon is wrapped up into one package. For me, that means my spicy peppers are part of the meal and not a condiment. For the soggy drippings left on your fingertips, I’m sorry. I can tell you from experience, no amount of hand sanitizer can help you there. And I thank Giamela’s for that.

Giamela’s is located at 216 W. Magnolia Blvd., Burbank, 91502.