How Harrisburg’s Subway Cafe became one of Pennsylvania’s most enduring pizza landmarks

Blue-collar workers, state legislators, and locals have been meeting at Harrisburg’s Subway Cafe for decades over thin and crispy personal pizzas and “fishbowls” of beer.

Two markers just inside the front door at the Subway Cafe in Harrisburg illustrate some of the challenges this unassuming neighborhood institution has faced since opening in 1935.

One, halfway up the door, marks the high water line from a 1936 flood, back when the Subway hosted live entertainment and served eastern European specialties like goulash.

About four feet above that, another marker shows how high the water rose during Hurricane Agnes in 1972, nearly reaching the ceiling. By then, the Subway had become a local favorite for the signature pizzas and other Italian specialties owners Liana and Donato Giusti began serving when they took over the business in 1948. Following the flood, they announced their re-opening with a newspaper ad that featured a picture of the Leaning Tower of Pisa next to an oft-repeated phrase by owners Liana and Donato Giusti: “We leana butta we no falla!”

These markers just inside the front door at the Subway Cafe in Harrisburg indicate how high the water rose inside the restaurant during floods in 1936 and 1972. (Patrick Berkery)

The Subway bounced back from those floods and decades of change to become a go-to lunch and after-work spot among locals, including workers from the long-shuttered Harrisburg Steel Corp. and TRW manufacturing plant, politicians and state employees, and area residents. Even as jobs left the city and dining tastes changed, the Herr Street restaurant managed to outlive dozens of other eateries in the area, remaining a place where locals gathered over pizza and beer, served in its unique fashion. 

“They’ve faced some pretty major challenges like floods, recessions, and huge changes over the decades, but they’ve always bounced back,” said state Rep. Nate Davidson (D-Cumberland), a Subway regular for the last 10 years. 

On a recent Monday afternoon, I visited the two-story brick building with the neon sign for the first time in about 15 years. Much to my delight, I found that things haven’t changed a bit. In an era when pizzaiolos have turned pizzamaking into art, the Subway still gets it right with reasonably priced ($8.99) personal pizzas: Crispy, cracker-like crust, savory sauce, and layer of sharp provolone. You can get more “souped-up” versions (like the Hawaiian Chicken, with grilled chicken, pineapple, bacon, and BBQ sauce), but a classic pepperoni from the Subway totally hits the spot. 

The Subway Cafe’s personal pizzas feature a crispy, cracker-like crust, savory sauce, and layer of sharp provolone. (Patrick Berkery)

Add in one of the Subway’s trademark 32 oz. “fishbowl” glasses of beer that require two hands to drink, and a homemade eclair (an addition to a largely static menu from the Lamnatos family, who bought the business from the Giusti family in 2004), and you’ll understand why locals like Rep. Davidson have remained loyal customers for so many years. 

“When 70% of small businesses don’t make it past 10 years, having a true cornerstone like this still going strong tells you the owners and staff must be doing something really right with their product and service; and our community is great at showing up and supporting its own,” said Davidson. 

“It really gives our town so much character. It’s the place where so many people have made memories. Keeping it open and busy means we’re holding onto a piece of our history and our identity. It’s the meeting spot, the familiar face, and a real comfort to our community.”