So you may see the name “Italian place” and think of your typical classic Italian food like pasta, pizza, and Italian cuisine. However, you will be pleasantly surprised to learn that the Italian Place is the go-to place for hearty steak sandwiches in Utah County.
The Italian Place started out in 1972 when a sandwich shop was bought by BYU student Bob Gledhill. He got some steak and mushrooms and green peppers and started making amazing sandwiches. He decorated the shop with pictures of mobsters and gave it the name, the Italian Place. So Italian, not in the type of food served, but Italian as in the Mafia.
There used to be locations throughout Utah and in eight other states. However, over the past fifty-four years, the other stores have closed except for one, the Italian Place in Spanish Fork. The only remaining Italian Place is owned and operated by Jeremy Gines and Shawn Stoneman. The sandwiches are still delicious and the portion sizes haven’t changed.
The Italian Place is run by Shawn Stoneman, who has been working there since 2007. He keeps the legacy of the restaurant going with his passion for quality and tradition. The staff are all super helpful and friendly. They work hard to deliver a consistent quality sandwich for customers and the regulars keep coming back. We came in on a Saturday and had to have a table reserved for us because it was so packed.
Small Menu: Focus On Making it Perfect
One thing that I LOVE about Italian Place is that the menu is so simple. You have delicious, hearty sandwiches with the signature savory steak. Since sandwiches are the only thing they make, the sandwiches are epic. They focus all their attention on making excellent, mind blowing sandwiches.
Don’t worry if steak isn’t your thing, they also have turkey, ham, and pastrami.
Let’s Meet the Sandwiches:
The Steak N’ Cheese (Half $7.99, Full $9.99, or Monster $13.59) is the signature sandwich with the most delicious tender grilled steak. It has a great savory flavor and it is seasoned to perfection. Sometimes when you get steak sandwich it is 2 things slices of steak on a bun. At The Italian Place, they do NOT skimp on the meat. I got the full and I was only able to eat about half of it. Often when I get a steak sandwich, there will be gristle or tough bits but this was absolutely perfect and a joy to eat.
If you want to enhance your steak sandwich, you can go with the Steak and Everything (Half $7.99, Full $9.99, or Monster $13.59). IIn addition to the signature steak, you also get the grilled onions, green peppers, and mushrooms. The mushrooms and onions are perfectly grilled and delicious. The green peppers are more crisp which provide a nice contrast to the savory grilled flavor.
Philly N’ Everything (Half $7.99, Full $9.99, or Monster $13.59) brings in the traditional Philly Cheesesteak by bringing in the cream cheese which adds a nice creamy taste that is so satisfying. The savory meat flavor combines with the melted cream cheese to soften the flavor and make it divinely delicious. This is one of my favorites. I love that it has all the grilled onions and mushrooms along with the tomatoes.
You can take the steak sandwich to another level with the The Zeus (Half $8.49, Full $10.59, or Monster $13.99). Created by Shawn in 2008, this sandwich takes the Steak and Everything and ramps it up by adding fresh sliced pastrami, which really complements the steak. Then they add on additional fresh crisp toppings like pickles and the banana peppers. The banana peppers add a nice spice and crispness to the cream cheese. This brings in another element with the refreshing vegetables.This sandwich is topped with mayo and mustard.
The Thor (Half $7.99, Full $9.99, or Monster $13.59) simplifies things by just having the steak and provolone but adding on the steak sauce and grilled onions. Simple savory steak with steak sauce and those onions and creamy provolone cheese. This is the perfect option when you just want something meaty.
Italian Delight (Half $7.99, Full $9.99, or Monster $13.59) has a more Italian theme to it and it is the only slightly Italian item that they have on the menu. It has cream cheese, marinara sauce, and then the fresh veggies.
The other sandwich options have the meat grilled as well and are served warm making them more comforting than your traditional subs. The pastrami (Half $8.49, Full $10.59, or Monster $13.99), ham and cheese, and turkey and cheese sandwiches (Half $7.99, Full $9.99, or Monster $13.59) all have mayo, pickles, and mustard along with provolone. Turkey and everything takes the turkey sandwich to the next level by adding grilled vegetables.
Make it Saucy: Brisket or Jalapeno Sauce
Something new that they’ve introduced to amplify your sandwich’s flavor is the new sauces. You can choose brisket sauce or jalapeno ranch sauce. The brisket sauce has a nice savory flavor with a bit of spice. It was delicious to dip my sandwich in.
I’m not normally a fan of spicy food but the jalapeno ranch has a special place in my heart. It was created by Shawn Stoneman. It captured the flavor of the jalapeno without being overly spicy. As we were leaving one of my friends said he could just drink it he loved it so much. It is that good. The meat sandwich is delicious as is but the grilled veggies and sauce really take it to the next level.
The Bread:
The bread is perfect. We honestly spent about 15 minutes talking about how the bread is the perfect thickness and texture for sandwiches. You know how sometimes you get a sandwich and the whole sandwich is bread so you can’t really taste what’s inside. Or the other side of the issue is when the bread is too thin and it just falls apart so you are left struggling to keep bread together as it crumbles in your hands.
And the bread is delicious. It is like a baguette but not too crusty that it is difficult to bite through. It is soft and delicious.
Gluten Free Options:
Don’t worry if you are gluten free and can’t do the fluffy, perfect bread. They also offer a bowl option where you can have the meat and toppings put in a bowl or you can go with the salad option.
Chips and Beverages
To complement your sandwich, you can get a bag of chips. But they don’t just give you the BBQ, plain, and Sour Cream and Onion options. They have every kind of chip imaginable. They have Mrs. Vickies Kettle Chips, Dorito’s, Cheeto’s, Sun Chips, Frito’s, Dorito’s. So whatever your chip preference, you will find what you’re looking for.
Drinks:
The beverage choices are next level. I can only drink diet caffeine free so normally the soda fountain doesn’t have any options and I end up drinking water. I was thrilled to see that they have Sprite Zero in the soda fountain. They also have all the Coke options (Diet Coke, Coke Zero, and Coca Cola). If you’re more of a Pepsi person they do have bottled Pepsi and Mountain Dew in the cooler. They also have Monsters and even Fanta in glass bottles,
As far as dining in, they have a large seating area and can seat around 30 people.
Next time you’re craving a sandwich skip the chain fast food restaurants and get a real sandwich. I promise you won’t regret it.
The Italian Place is located at 749 N Main St, Spanish Fork. They are open from 11 am to 9 pm Monday to Friday and 11 am to 10 pm on Saturday. They are closed on Sunday.
