New sandwich shop brings the flavors of Chicago to Fort Myers, giardiniera included
There’s no sign visible from U.S. 41 in Fort Myers as you drive by.
The blink-and-you'll-miss-it small building has mirrored windows, making it virtually disappear in the sunlight.
It’s across from a McDonald’s on a fast-food-heavy stretch of road.
And although it just opened a few days ago, customers are eagerly finding it. And loving it.
With his sub shop thriving in Bonita Springs, Jimmie Hart welcomed his second Jimmie The Beef Guy location May 1.
It’s a mile south of Uncle Rico’s Pizza, next door to HJ German Corner restaurant on Cleveland Avenue, and open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday to Thursday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
“I was looking for a place in downtown Fort Myers,” said Hart, who co-owns the businesses with his son Quentin. “This place caught my eye on the way home.”
Before Jimmie took over, it was home to La Parilla Boricua, a Puerto Rican takeout since the summer of 2018. Its sign still lumbers over the building.
“We’ll get our new sign in 10 days,” Jimmie said two days after opening.
In the meantime, banners on the front and sides of the building tell all you need to know about the magic happening inside.
Big Chicago subs on the small menu
Jimmie and Jimmie’s are all about Chicago-style sandwiches.
The Chicago native who loves his hometown’s flavors has been in the “food business for 20 years, selling bread and beef” with Gonnella Baking Co. and then Bari Foods.
His knowledge and passion earned him the nickname “Jimmie The Beef Guy.”
After moving to Florida in October 2020, he opened the first Jimmie’s on Bonita Beach Road at the end of 2021.
“There are still lines out the door,” Jimmie said.
The menu at both fast-casual locations is small, just like the Fort Myers shop with a half dozen tables combined inside and out.
“We have five sandwiches,” Jimmie said. “One is fried and they’re all on the same (French) bread. It’s not going to change. Although people have asked, I’m sticking to my guns.”
The fabulous five are Italian beef, Italian sausage, sausage & beef, breaded steak and Maxwell Polish — a jumbo beef and pork Polish sausage with mustard, grilled onions and sport peppers.
“The sausage and beef combo with giardiniera is the most popular,” said Jimmie, adding it’s his favorite too. “The beef with giardiniera too.”
Customers can add mozzarella, sweet pepper or that giardiniera, a hot Chicago staple, to their subs.
Everything is authentic Chicago and the sauces and gravies are made fresh in-house.
“The sauce is my mother’s recipe,” Jimmie said.
Our Italian beef was a generous portion of flavorful, tender goodness on a roll wet with that homemade gravy, but hearty enough to take it all in gracefully.
You can order yours dry if you wish, “But not many people do that,” said Jimmie.
Sides include Italian stallions (thinly sliced beef with cheese and hot giardiniera wrapped in dough and deep fried), French fries and a cup of cheese.
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“We want people in downtown Fort Myers to give us a shot,” Jimmie said. “We give big amounts. You get almost a pound of fries. You won’t be disappointed.”
I certainly wasn’t.
Jimmie The Beef Guy, 3664 Cleveland Ave., Fort Myers, (239) 689-5391; also 8951 Bonita Beach Road SE, Unit 550, Bonita Springs, (239) 908-3140; jimmiethebeefguy.com or on Facebook and Instagram
Robyn George is a food and dining reporter for The News-Press. Connect at [email protected]
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Jimmie The Beef Guy bring his popular Chicago subs to Fort Myers
