Vietnamese hoagies or “Saigon Subs” are a dark horse of Philly sandwich cuisine. This unique concoction is a result of French colonialism in the 1950s and 1960s, which mixed the liver-filled baguettes of the French countryside with the pickled vegetables and the tangy pork of Vietnamese cooking. During this pre-hoagie time, these sandwiches were sold in delis all over Vietnam, catering to French colonials and Vietnamese wannabe’s who were looking for good eats on the cheap. Eventually, the traditional French sandwich disappeared and the Banh Mi, as it came to be known, reigned supreme. Banh Mi began popping up in the U.S.A. during Vietnamese immigration in the 1980s. Shops ran signs that said “Vietnamese Sandwiches,” but the French influence remains, as Banh Mi translates directly into “sandwich on French bread.”

The traditional French sandwich contained only aioli (French mayo) and pork or duck liver pate. The Vietnamese put their own spin on it and they now consist of a hollowed out baguette, filled with pickled carrots, cilantro, cucumbers, hot peppers, fish sauce, mayonnaise and your choice of cold cut pork, pulled pork, pork meatballs, tofu, or chicken. These sammys are a cheap, healthy, and tasty lunch alternative to the iconic cheese steak, with whom the Philadelphian take on all of this, the Vietnamese Hoagie, now shares a spotlight in South Philly sandwich culture. Vegetarians don’t fret — the veggie hoagies are yummy too.

If you simply must have one — and you must — check out our staff picks:

Ba Le Bakery and Restaurant, 606 Washington Ave., (215) 389-4350: Fast, fresh and convenient, lots of other great Viet food. Buy 5 get one free!

Fu-Wah Mini Market, 810 S. 47th St., (215) 729-2993: Tasty baguette and marinated tofu. Light yet substantial. Must-visit for vegetarians.

Cafe Nhuy, 802 Christian St., (215) 925-6544: Don’t wait in line at Sabrina’s, grab one of Cafe Nhuy’s chicken hoagies and get on with your day!