Is there anything more American than a sandwich?  And I mean that in the best possible way, not like American or American.

I contend there is not.  A panini by any other name would not be as sweet.  These mountainous Philly-style sandwiches at Taylor will eat those sad cold cut imitators for lunch.

Taylor opened on H Street and 12th, NE in 2007.  After refurbishing a former barber shop, the deli runs deep–some seating and the cash register face the garage doors (opened in spring and summer), pick-up in the middle, and more seating in the back and on the outside patio.

With two more additions (at City Vista in Mount Vernon Square and in Bethesda), Taylor is way off the ground.  What was once just a little sandwich shop is now a kind of brand.

You know, for instance, that going into Taylor will leave you happy and satisfied, but also with the feeling that you’ve treated yourself.  The sandwiches aren’t cheap (a six inch sandwich hovers around $7), but the ingredients are prime.  Philadelphia-style bread was formerly trucked in daily, but is now made locally, perhaps all for the better.

Personal favorite on the menu is the Cherry Street with roast beef made in house with whole cloves of garlic stuck into it, spicy arugula and healthy chunks of brie, topped of with garlic sauce.  Not only are you then fully satisfied, you can easily fend off unwanted close talkers.  They also feature salads, but good luck keeping your eyes off your neighbor’s hoagie.

The presence of imported San Pellegrino and Italian gelato in the fridge and all-cane sugar Boylan soft drinks in the dispenser give Taylor a cosmopolitan yet familiar feel, appealing to the general populous.  The line at the register is usually about four deep with suits, bike messengers and everyone else.  I dare you not to love it.