If you've been in St. Louis for any amount of time, chances are you've heard of Amighetti's. Its original store on The Hill has been around since 1921, when Louis Amighetti, an Italian immigrant, opened the small bakery-turned sandwich shop. Many years later, Amighetti's expanded, creating two additional stores in Rock Hill and Hazelwood, Missouri.

I spoke with Mary Ellen Downing, owner of the Hazelwood Amighetti's location, about the sandwich shop. Downing, a St. Louis native, opened the store 10 years ago after sales at the flagship location on the Hill continued to soar. She hasn't looked back since.

"Business is very good here in Hazelwood," she said.

The menu is varied, containing everything from the simple turkey club ($4.49 for half) to the extravagant Mandarin Orange and Almond Salad ($6.99). This unique salad, with iceberg and romaine lettuce, mandarin oranges, toasted almonds, and red onion, is sure to please even the pickiest eater.

However, Downing highly recommends the Amighetti Special. This sandwich starts with freshly baked bread which is then topped with ham, choice roast beef, Genoa salami, brick cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickle, onion, pepperoncini and Amighetti's own 'special dressing'. Downing confirmed that it is by far the café's most popular item, and it is easy to see why. The soft bread yields easily upon the first bite to reveal a massive pile of delicious meats and cheese. The tangy, rich special dressing adds a brilliant depth of flavor that is unmatched by imitators. The price is also extremely reasonable; a whole sandwich will easily feed two, and comes in at $6.69.

In addition to sandwiches, Amighetti's also boasts a wide selection of pasta, salads, soups and homemade desserts.

So next time you're in the Hazelwood area, be sure to stop by Amighetti's for an unforgettable experience. A sign inside the restaurant brags that their food is "often imitated but never duplicated," and I definitely have to agree.