| Primanti Bros. | |
|---|---|
 | |
 The storefront of the original Primanti Bros. in theStrip District neighborhood ofPittsburgh, Pennsylvania | |
 Interactive map of Primanti Bros. | |
| Restaurant information | |
| Established | 1933 |
| Owner | L Catterton |
| Food type | North American cuisine sandwich shop |
| Dress code | Casual |
| Location | Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania,United States |
| Coordinates | 40°27′2.55″N79°59′8.12″W / 40.4507083°N 79.9855889°W /40.4507083; -79.9855889 (originalStrip District location) |
| Other locations | 41 |
| Website | www.primantibros.com |
 | |
| Type | Sandwich |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | United States |
| Region or state | Pennsylvania (mainly western) |
| Created by | Primanti Bros. |
| Main ingredients | grilled meat, melted cheese, an oil & vinegar-basedcoleslaw,tomato slices, andFrench fries (on the sandwich) between two thick slices ofItalian bread |
Primanti Bros. (/prɪˈmænti/,locally/pər-/), sometimes calledPrimanti's for short, is achain ofsandwich shops in the eastern United States. Since itsPittsburgh founding in 1933, Primanti's has become a cultural icon of the region. The chain is known for its signature sandwiches made ofgrilled meat, melted cheese, an oil and vinegar-basedcoleslaw,tomato slices, andFrench fries between two thick slices ofItalian bread.[1]
During the 2007James Beard Foundation Awards, Primanti's was named as one of "America's Classic" restaurants.[2]
In 1933, the first Primanti's opened at 46 Eighteenth Street in Pittsburgh'sStrip District, a busy area along theAllegheny River. At the time, the Strip District was a major industrial center in Pittsburgh, filled with factories, warehouses, and shipyards. According to the restaurant, Joe Primanti was born in suburbanWilmerding, Pennsylvania, and eventually invented the restaurant's sandwich during theGreat Depression. His brothers, Dick and Stanley, later joined him. The Primantis opened their restaurant at the corner of Smallman and Eighteenth Street in the Strip District, which still stands today. The restaurant primarily served the late-night and early-morningblue-collar workers who unloaded produce in the area.[3]
The tradition of the signature sandwiches was to combine their typical sandwich (grilled meat, meltedcheese, andtomatoes on Italian bread) with its usual sides,french fries andcoleslaw, added onto the sandwich in order to form a singular binding unit. The sandwich's design and packaging was created to reduce spillage for busy depression-eratruck drivers in Pittsburgh's Strip District, allowing them to eat one-handed on the job instead of sitting down at a deli counter.[4][5]
With the passing of Stanley Primanti in the early 1970s and John in 1974, Dick decided to sell the business to Jim Patrinos in 1975. Today, there are 16 Pittsburgh area locations, includingPittsburgh International Airport, and the city's major sports venuesPNC Park,Acrisure Stadium, andPPG Paints Arena, as well as several other locations throughout the eastern United States.[6]
In recent years, it has become tradition for players selected by thePittsburgh Steelers in theNFL draft to visit the original Primanti Bros. location in theStrip District upon their arrival to the city. Notable picks include2017 NFL draft first- and second-round picks,T. J. Watt, andJuJu Smith-Schuster, as well as2019 NFL draft first-round pick,Devin Bush Jr.
In 2022, Primanti Bros. was visited by PresidentJoe Biden and SenatorJohn Fetterman.[7][8]
The chain expressed its support for thePittsburgh Penguins during their back-to-backStanley Cup championships in their2015–16 and2016–17 seasons, releasing two limited-time sandwiches in their honor. The 2016 sandwich honored the Penguins' thirdline,Carl Hagelin,Nick Bonino andPhil Kessel,[9] and was named the "HBK Sandwich". Late into the 2017 season, the chain then introduced the "Canadian Pitts-Burger", honoring goaltenderMarc-André Fleury duringhis final season with the Penguins. The Canadian bacon sandwich was available at all Primanti Bros. locations for a limited time.[10]
Primanti Bros. locations are found throughoutPennsylvania, particularly in and aroundPittsburgh. In addition to other Pennsylvania locations, restaurants have been established inFlorida,Ohio,West Virginia andMaryland.[11]
The restaurant and its signature sandwich have been featured in several national publications and television shows, includingNational Geographic magazine,[12]Man v. Food,[13] andAdam Richman's Best Sandwich in America. Primanti Bros. made thePittsburgh Post-Gazette's list of "1,000 Places to See Before You Die in the USA and Canada",[14] and their sandwich is a featured Pittsburgh landmark onYinztagram.[15]
The restaurant was mentioned on the April 21, 2008, episode ofThe Daily Show with Jon Stewart in an interview with SenatorBarack Obama. Stewart suggested that Obama visit the restaurant for its "great sandwiches", which Stewart had enjoyed as a comedian on the club circuit.[16]
AnESPN.com rating ofPNC Park mentioned that the stadium's "best [concession] item is the famous Primanti Brothers sandwich, a Pittsburgh institution", and granted this "signature concession item" an exuberant score of "5+++" (out of 5). This helped PNC Park to achieve its overall #1 ranking in the feature.[17]
On March 9, 2011, following a claim by a customer that the restaurant's credit card receipts revealed too many of the digits of a customer's credit card number, a settlement between Primanti Bros. and the customer was reached. As part of the settlement, the restaurant agreed to provide affected customers with a free menu item and a side dish or non-alcoholic drink. The restaurant also agreed to make a donation of $25,000 to theCarnegie Museums and pay up to $62,000 for the plaintiff's attorneys' costs.[18][19]
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