by Third Ave Hooligan
On the corner of First Ave. and Gay St. lies a hidden gem in the Borough of Phoenixville. No, not the funky stucco house that always has some sort of free oddity available to any ambulatory passerby (a computer monitor from 1984 perhaps? Some rain soaked paperbacks maybe?).
It’s just across the way: Wasko’s (223 Gay St)
Known until now only among those curious individuals such as myself who LOVE a good hoagie (zep, grinder or hero or whatever the eff you wanna call it) or those who remember it as D’Antonio’s, Wasko’s dishes up one of (if not THE) best hot pork sandwiches this side of the French Creek. All this rain and cold had me hankering a warm meal, so I stopped in today to get a hot pork sandwich with sharp provolone and hot peppers and get the low down on this quaint local establishment, which not only offers sandwiches, but also catering for special events.
Upon entering the shop, you are immediately greeted 
by the smell of the makings of a great sandwich and Jim Wasko, a Mont Clare native, who opened the shop two years ago. When asked how he happened to open the shop, I was in receipt of an interesting story…
“I used to be the restaurant manager at Sly Fox,” Wasko professed. “Long story short, things didn’t work out.” He went onto explain that he wanted to stay in the food industry but didn’t know how to cook. He also wanted to be his own boss. He purchased the store, equipment and all from D’Antonios and learned the art of sandwich making.
While watching him craft the pork sandwich, I was surprised to note that he first lines the inside of the roll, which is from the Conshohocken Bakery, with a layer of onions. He then dips each slice of pork into simmering au jous before placing it the roll. Next up is some sharp provolone and some long Italian hot peppers, which are made in-house. Then the sandwich goes in the oven until the cheese melts.
The end result is pure deliciousness and cost-effective. A small sandwich, which is more than enough for a meal, is $5.75 (that’s with hots, which cost extra). Although he’s only open til 6, it’s the perfect place to grab a sandwich for dinner or on a Saturday to complement some college football viewing. In addition to the pork sandwich, I also recommend the Ultimate Italian Hoagie, the Hot Italian Hoagie and the meatball sandwich. There’s also a prime rib sandwich that I’ve heard rave reviews about, but have yet to try and other items such as pierogies.
Hey hooligan ….ya forgot to mention that ……….
“THE SANDWICH SPEAKS FOR ITSELF” because it really does .
The pork sandwich “in my opinion ” beats any pork sandwich in the area.
Pork sandich-put up wet(or juicy)-sharp provalone-& roasted hots…
“The sandwich speaks for itself”.
Keep up the good work,
Sugar
I’ve been a Phoenixville resident for about two years, yet I had no idea this place existed. So I stopped by today and ordered a large roast pork parmigiana. Wow! It was perfect. The bread was soft and fresh, and the pork was so tender. Highly recommended.
Jim said he plans on tweaking the menu slightly (e.g. adding new sandwiches but no more meatballs). The roast pork, however, is here to stay.
By the way, Wasko’s is located at 223 Gay St, not 322 Bridge St as stated in the article.
Good eye, dude. I fixed that. Thanks…
I had a bit of bad association with that property – the last time I stopped in was about four years ago, when it was called something else. I got a pork sandwich that was so oily it left a slick from my chin to my shirt.
If the new place is an improvement, they should advertise the heck out of that. I’ll try it again sometime.
Can’t beat the Prime Rib sandwich. Great product, great price.
I’ve been dying for a good pork sandwich with provolone. I’ve seen the signs on the door but I confess I haven’t tried the place yet! I will make it a point to stop this week.
Does he make his own pierogies?? Does he deliver?
P.S. Mont Clare is right across the bridge. It is a small town, but like any small town-the people like you to spell it right. It is so close to you that you can walk there.
“Mont” Clare.
You must have us mixed up with that other small town “Monte Carlo”
Hey brother… Sorry about that. We fixed the name.
I’m not sure about pierogies or delivery options. I will forward this to Third Ave Hooligan to comment.
@ Jack
My bad on misspelling MOnte Clare, so my apologies. He does not make the pierogies in house and I don’t believe he delivers. Safest bet would be to give him a call.
I’ve lived in Phoenixville for since ’85, but I’m originally from S. Philly. So hoagies are a sacred topic (I’ve adjusted to the fact that Phoenixville has historically called them zeps or stuck them in the oven and called them grinders). I can say without question that the Ultimate Hoagies and Pork Sandwiches (the only things I’ve tried on the menu so far) are the best for miles around — certainly the best in Phoenixville. Period.
Sharp provolone. Good rolls from Conshy. Quality meat. Great roast pork. Home-made long-hots.
Wasko’s is not on restaurant row (downtown Bridge St.) or Hoagie & Pizza Pike (Route 23 / Nutt Rd), but it’s worth venturing through town to find the place if you want a good sandwich. And if you live in town, just walk on over like I do.
Pretty much every Saturday we have a craving for Wasko’s for lunch and end up going there. The sandwiches are unbelievable and definitely the best in P-ville. The prime rib supreme with BBQ and onions and the Italian are two of our favorites. Plus the occasional specialty items like the “Polish Slim Jim” are a nice addition. We had a party last year that Wasko’s catered and actually plan on doing the same thing again this year. Hot pork sandwiches and homemade beef-a-roni (both amazing) were on the menu last year. This year we are looking at some more Polish specialties like homemade pierogi. Love it!
I’ve been eating Wasko’s sandwiches almost every weekend since he moved into this location. (corner of 1st ave. and Gay st.)
I just wanted to mention that the tuna hoagie with american cheese,the ultimate italian,and the prime rib supreme are also top notch! (something for everybody)
I always take his pork sandwiches on my frequent fishing trips.
I just took four pork sandwiches on a surf fishing trip and toasted them in the oven on low heat……my fishing buddies couldn’t get enough!
Oh yeah… Jimmy Wasko also does catering – good food at a reasonable price.
Thanks bro! I’m stopping in this week!
Thanks for the review. I’ll be going there soon, probably tomorrow. I’m curious to find out how it compare to Sessano’s.