By Jacquelyn Pillsbury
Ray’s Sub Shop is a local favorite sandwich shop, and is especially popular with The College of New Jersey crowd. Owner Ramsis (Ray) Azab’s shop earned the 2014 Golden Grub Award from grubhub.com, and the shop has also earned the Trentonian’s award for the best cheese steak in Trenton 4 years in a row.
Ray’s Sub Shop has been serving quality food with the freshest ingredients since 1992. Azab said he saw an opportunity in 2007 to purchase the business, located in a small strip mall on Pennington Road in Ewing, not far from TCNJ.
“It is next to a college, in a good spot,” he said, adding that the move has proven to be a success.
Open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturdays and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays, Ray’s Sub Shop offers a wide selection of food for breakfast, lunch and dinner. From opening until 11 a.m., the menu includes eggs, pancakes, French toast, and omelets for breakfast.
Sandwich offerings include paninis, hot and cold wraps, hoagies (also known as subs or grinders), and burgers. In other words — there is something for everyone. His sandwiches are made with Dietz & Watson meats and cheeses. The burgers are made from certified Angus beef.
Located near a college, it probably comes as no surprise their Belly Buster Hoagies are a local favorite. The hoagies are six inches wide, 14 inches long made with over two pounds of meat, and served on special bread. Each one is big enough to serve four or more people. They are a Ray’s Sub Shop exclusive. The Belly Busters range in price from $11.99 to $13.99 for a whole, to $6.50 to $7.50 for a half. There are 12 different varieties, including their best seller the Chicken Cutlet Belly Buster.
Ray is pleased to announce his newest specialty: shawarma. Shawarma is a Mediterranean sandwich made from marinated steak meat cooked on a spit. Shavings are cut off and served on bread. It is akin to the Greek gyro, or Turkish Doner kebabs, but made with Mediterranean flavors and toppings. Ray’s Sub Shop is the only place in the area to serve this delicacy, said Azab.
Vegetarian offerings include the three cheeses/veggie cold sub, the Vegetarian New York Style Panini, Falafel Hoagie served with tahini sauce, and a veggie burger. They also sell soup and salads.
Their college campus favorite meals are a bargain at $7.50. They offer the Fat Knight (cheese steak, chicken fingers, mozzarella sticks, French fries and marina sauce), the Trenton Steak (cheese steak, pork roll, French fries, lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise and ketchup), and the Fat Cat (chicken fingers, mozzarella sticks, bacon, French fries, lettuce tomato and ketchup). All college campus favorite meals come with a free can of soda.
Ray Azab has been in the restaurant business since immigrating to the United States from Egypt in 1998. He worked in several famous eateries in New York City before opening his own sub shop. He expanded the menu to include sandwiches which are popular with New York foodies, and have proven to be favorites in our area, too.
There truly is something for everyone at Ray’s Sub Shop, and it is all delicious.
Ray’s Sub Shop, 1540 Pennington Road, Route 31, Ewing, NJ 08618. Phone: 609/771-8006. Fax: 609/771-4077. Online orders accepted at both Rayssubshop.com and campusfood.com. Hours: Monday-Friday 8 am-8 pm. Saturday. 8 am-7 pm. Sunday 9 am-4 pm. They accept all major credit cards.
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