2-Minute Review: Dagwood's

Who is Dagwood? Who cares! His sandwiches are nifty!

The most recent newcomer to the Springfield sandwich scene is Dagwood’s Sandwich Shoppes (1111 E. Republic Rd., 417-886-5155), named for and themed after the skinny-yet-voracious Dagwood Bumstead of the classic Blondie comic strip (and by “classic” we mean “outdated in the ’70s”).

But let’s put that aside: How are the sandwiches? Brilliant. I ordered the Turkey Club Royale ($6.99), a massive double-decker sandwich with deli turkey, bacon, fresh veggies and glorious amounts of Swiss and cheddar cheese, all thin-sliced, served on lightly toasted white bread. The sandwich was huge and took almost five minutes to make; but that’s okay, the craftsmanship is worth the time. The Royale never fell apart or got gloopy, which is an accomplishment for any restaurant-made sandwich.

The rest of the menu features things like rare roast beef sandwiches ($6.99), Cuban sandwiches (pork, ham, salami on flat bread, $6.99) and Greek salads ($5.99), not often to be found on sandwich chain menus.

The pricing is on the high end of sandwich chains—on par with Quizno’s, steeper than Jimmy John’s—but you can taste where that money is going. It would seem Dagwood’s location, on Republic Road just west of National Avenue, would mean it’s just a matter time before south-side families discover it as a favorite sandwich shopp(e). Even if the kiddies have no idea who Dagwood actually is.