Food: Hogan's

I don't mind a fast food sub now and then, but sometimes I like something a little more homegrown. After wolfing down $5 footlong subs from Subway, you need a palette cleanser, something that's just plain tastier. Enter Hogan's.

It's been a staple here in Gainesville for 25 years, though now I hear they've started a franchise in Tampa. In any case, Hogan's serves up mainly submarine sandwiches and cold beer (there's a full bar with Guinness on tap - yay!). What makes Hogan's better is that they slice the meats and cheeses on the premises, with a deli slicer that sits right there on the counter. I'm not sure how the national chains do it, but the meats at Hogan's just taste fresher.

There's a wider selection of meats here, too. They serve a great pastrami sub that tastes even better toasted. You can't get oddball ingredients, unfortunately (no spinach or hummus on your sub), and the prices are a tad high. Overall, this is one of the better sub places in Gainesville.

2/4 stars