Lowell's Top Sub Dogs

It is a really busy lunch hour. The lighting is slightly dim, with the added touch of the bluish white glow from the TVs, usually fixated on either local news or ESPN. The sound of sizzling red steak on the griddle can be heard from over the counter, although it almost seems to be competing with the sound of chatter from chefs and clerks behind the counter and talkative students carrying on all kinds of conversations. Then, of course, there is the savory smell in the air that signifies fresh pizza.

There are two restaurants in Lowell that have this sort of atmosphere. Both of them are similar to each other, but there are also differences that define them.

Suppa’s Restaurant, the brainchild of namesake Jamie Suppa, has been in business on 94 University Avenue for almost eight years now. Since those years have passed, the place has enjoyed a continued popularity among students and citizens alike, although beginnings were humble.

Jamie Suppa, owner of Suppa's Restaurant, is busy behind the counter.

“When we first bought it things were slow, it was called Giovanni’s Pizza,” said Cindy Suppa, wife of namesake Jamie Suppa and co-owner of the restaurant. “So we brought in our menu and we advertised it to the kids. Things really stepped up from there. This has always been his dream, he’s worked with food since high school.”

There are a lot of hot items on their menu, although their biggest selling item is their most interesting one.

“Our pizza’s extremely popular. The buffalo chicken’s a big seller. And for subs, I’d say the Fat Chicken,” she said.

For the benefit of those who have never tried one, the Fat Chicken is this; a large sub with a bottom layer of mozzarella sticks, another layer of chicken fingers and an upper layer of French fries, drenched in marinara sauce and sprinkled with a decent helping of mozzarella cheese. It is this item that has undoubtedly contributed to the success of the restaurant among students, and has become a trademark dish served there, along with several variants on the recipe. One might wonder how such a monstrously delicious idea as the Fat Chicken came to be.

“Jamie came up with the idea when he was fooling around in the kitchen. He was experimenting, throwing together different ingredients and all that. He’s good, he’s very creative with that stuff.”
This sub, along with the rest of their selection, were all conceived this way, with Jamie creating interesting combinations that the campus community came to love. Despite the onset recession, the restaurant seems to be thriving.

“Actually, we’re busier,” says Cindy. “Not necessarily the college kids, but the families are starting to come in more, because it’s cheaper eating here than at the 99 or an Olive Garden.”

About a year and a half ago, however, a new sub shop popped up a little closer to East Campus, which many thought would give Suppa’s a run for its money.

Enter the Hawk’s Den Café at 572 Moody Street. The place is smaller, but the atmosphere is pretty much the same, and they specialize in selling similar food as well. Of course, which restaurant has the better food is purely a matter of opinion.

This place is run by UMass Lowell alumni Gil Nason. His motivations for opening the place included the desire to make some extra cash as well as do something big, and the need to help out a friend in dire straits.

“I was in my final semester at UML, and I wanted to go to law school, which I’m trying to get in right now. My son and wife always said they wanted to do something, and I always noticed this building here, and I always thought it would be a great spot for a college restaurant,” Nason says. “My wife always wanted to open a coffee shop. At the time, I said, we weren’t gonna make any money. Plus I had a friend, Moe, who lost his job and wanted to help him out. He works for me, he’s co-manager.”

The staff at Hawk's Den, also busy at the register and in the kitchen.

This sub shop has been moderately successful in its own right, mostly due to its convenience to East Campus students and its food. Nason, along with his fellow sophomore chefs Nick Capello and James Peterson, have been fixing up some of their own unique menu items. One of their most popular include the spicy snack known to customers as Buffalo Poppers.

“I gotta say, when you come here, you gotta get the Buffalo Poppers,” says Capello. “They’re a house item.”

Nason can attest to their growing popularity.

“Buffalo Poppers. As far as I know, we ran out of ‘em and had to go to a supplier in New York. My supplier ran out of them, and that was the closest place that had them.”

Ideas for the menu pop up almost all the time, especially for the sandwiches. One of the newer ideas is a wrap known as the Jimmy, and a new sub known as the Capella Rodeo.

“It’s (the Jimmy) chicken, bacon, and ranch dressing on a white wrap. We like doing this stuff, it presents a challenge for us,” says Peterson.

Capello also has the honor of having a menu item named after him. It is a creation called the Capella rodeo.

“The Capella Rodeo is chicken fingers, onions, and barbeque sauce. It’s good on anything, but it’s best in the calzone,” Capello said. “We love to get creative in the kitchen. Come into the store, if there’s anything you want, we’ll make it.”

Although still a young business, the Hawk’s Den gets busy at times, with the most customers coming in on the weekends.

“I’d say on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, you need at least two people in the kitchen and one delivering, as well as a cashier,” says Peterson.

It is arguable, though, whether or not one would consider the Hawk’s Den and Suppa’s to really be in any kind of competition with each other. Nason regards the question with respectful indifference.

“Well, he was already there, so I really don’t believe it makes much of a difference if he’s there or not. I mean, we’re in a really convenient location, the students love us, I’ve been a student myself. No, I don’t think so,” Nason says.

Cindy Suppa makes it clear that Suppa’s is also more concerned with serving up subs than forming rivalries.

“Yeah, he’s got his menus, and we got ours. A lot of his stuff is kind of similar to our stuff though (laughs), yeah, but for the most part, he’s got his business and we got ours” Cindy says.

Whether there’s any rivalry or not, it does not matter. As long as there are two places in Lowell to get a good meal.