Big Al's Sandwich Shop

It used to be 'Spicy Pickle' (the pickles are still spicy), and is now Big Al's. The inside has stayed relatively similar to the old place. The menu has also stayed pretty close to the same. I think the big difference being that they added wraps. First of all, I think Big Al's is a terrible name for this place. It sounds like a dive bar or something. I would love for them to name it something closer to their product. I actually thought Spicy Pickle was a good conversation starting name, but oh well on to the food.

The place has everything you could think of topping wise. They've got your turkey, capicola, chicken, pepperoni, salami, tuna, and many others. They've also got an topping you could imagine: I am talking probably five times the size of a lot of the sandwich (Subway) shops out there. If you want kalamata olives; they've got em. Asian noodles; yup. What about Dried cranberries; check. Of course they have your typical stuff like cheeses, tomato, avocados, lettuce, spinach and so on and so forth. Basically what I am trying to say after all the rambling is you can order some of their neat menu items or make it your own with whatever you heart desires.

Big Al's serves sandwiches, hot and cold wraps, salads, paninis, soup, and even pizzas. And actually I just saw that they now serve breakfast as well. The time I went I got a 'California Dream' sandwich which consisted of Roasted turkey, chipotle mayo, cheddar, avocado spread, corn salsa, lettuce, and tomatoes. It was good and it was HUGE. Cindy could only eat one half of it, and the other half was saved for the next days lunch. It was 6.95, which sounds a little expensive for a sandwich, but it lasted two days. I went with the Buffalo Chicken Panini which had Buffalo chicken, chipotle mayo, pepperjack cheese, roasted red peppers, and sundried tomatoes. It was large as well and very flavorful, and fresh. All orders are served with that spicy pickle I was talking about and a bag of chips. They have a 'Build Your Own' option that lets you pick your bread, pick your meats (up to 3), pick your cheese, pick your spreads (as many as you want), and pick your toppings (as many as you want). This is also a 6.95 sandwich.

The interior has a low key vibe to it and makes you kind of want to hang out. There was no one inside when I ordered which is a far cry from the Chipotle across the street. The parking is not that great, which scares people off sometimes I am sure, but what parking in Clifton isn't terrible anyway?

Overall, Big Al's is a solid lunch (and now breakfast) spot. I would encourage checking it out if the Clifton parking doesn't scare you away. It seems to have fresh ingredients, large portions, and generous (and quick) service. Very, very solid.

Really good flatbread pizzas. I like the Grecian - it has very high quality ingredients and the price is super reasonable. The name has changed (it used to be the Spicy Pickle), but the menu stayed pretty much the same - but with the addition of wraps. Definitely worth checking out if you're a UC student or work close by.

Its not just a sandwich shop, they offer amazing classics but have have there own awesome spin on it. Give the Thanksgiving a try. Its awesome!!!