If you grew up in Houston or have spent any amount of time there, you are likely familiar with Antone’s Famous Po’ Boys. The deli and its wholesale operation serves Italian cold cut combo (ham and salami) sandwiches on soft hoagie rolls made by Royal Bakery in Houston. The Original sandwich is brushed with mayonnaise and topped with pickles, Provolone cheese and the deli’s famous chow chow relish, which they sell by the jar. The Super follows the same blueprint but doubles down on meat and cheese.
Antone’s Famous Po’ Boys Super. (Contributed)
Not only can you find the sandwiches at two delis and some grab-and-go kiosks in Houston, they are available at 250 locations throughout Texas and Louisiana. Now Austin will one again get a taste of those sweet, sweet Original (green wrapper) and Super Original po’ boys (red wrapper), as well as the turkey and Swiss (brown wrapper) and tuna varieties (blue wrapper).
Beginning Aug. 31, Antone’s Famous Po’ Boys will begin selling its four signature sandwiches at grocery stores in Austin and the surrounding areas. The first Austin-area stores will have their shipment Friday, with plans for the sandwiches to be available in all 48 Austin-area H-E-B by Saturday. The company plans to hit shelves at more than 60 area stores by the end of 2018. You will originally be able to find the sandwiches, which will be made in Houston and delivered overnight to Central Texas, at H-E-B locations in Central Texas, with expansion headed to San Marcos, Wimberley, La Grange, Georgetown, Cedar Park, Round Rock, Dripping Springs and Pflugerville. (Yes, day-old sandwiches aren’t quite as good as freshly made, but beggars can’t be choosers, I reckon.)
Antone’s was previously distributed by a licensee, who also briefly operated a storefront, in Austin at Randall’s and Exxon beginning in 1999.
Antone’s Famous Po’ Boys was originally opened in Houston by Lebanese immigrant Jalal Antone in 1962. Legacy Restaurants, which bought the brand in 2015, is also exploring further expansion of its wholesale business into other regions including North Texas and San Antonio.
“We are extremely excited to bring Antone’s classic sandwiches into the Central Texas market,” Legacy Restaurants CEO Jonathan Horowitz said. “There are so many people from Houston who grew up eating these sandwiches and who now live in the area – we get calls and emails weekly from fans who ask us if we can send them some sandwiches. Now they will have the opportunity to enjoy them whenever they have a craving. We look forward to continuing our growth through expansion into new markets next year.”
This post has been updated to include arrival of sandwiches in Austin market.