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Business & Tech

Shop Serves Up Giant Meaty Sandwiches and Mama's Love Juice

Repeat customers consider BMH to be La Mesa's answer to San Diego's Little Italy—if you can find a place to park.

The only bad thing about BMH Italian Deli, a sandwich joint on El Cajon Boulevard, is the lack of parking. But find a curbside spot or hoof it from afar if you have to, because BMH has arguably some of the best, meatiest giant sandwiches in La Mesa.

Inhabiting a small brick building at 7670 El Cajon Blvd., this high-volume hoagie house was named BMH after original owners Brian, Maria and Howard. The latter two—Maria Sardina and Howard Richardson—remain, with Sardina carrying on the traditions of her childhood in a Sicilian fishing village (bottles of her “Mama’s Love Juice” secret sauce can be purchased at the countertop), and Richardson recreating the authentic torpedo tastes of his Queens, NY, upbringing.

Repeat customers consider BMH to be La Mesa’s answer to San Diego's Little Italy. Among many hot offerings is the Ba-Da-Bing! ($7.95), a cornucopia of turkey, ham, pastrami and provolone-cheese served on just-toasted bread that's baked daily in BMH’s kitchen. Cold sandwiches include the Southside ($7.75), a blend of ham, salami, capicolla, provolone and giardiniera replicating a specialty from Southside Chicago.

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Try also the meatball subs, Philly cheesesteaks, albacore tuna melts, pastas and soups. For the ambitious there's a two-footer named The Soprano for $50. Among desserts is the cannoli ($4), which Richardson based on a childhood favorite from Ferrara restaurant in New York's Little Italy. BMH Italian offers catering services and has weekday specials for the college crowd.

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