On my quest to get to know what's worth knowing about St. Louis, of course I'd instinctively find my way to sandwiches--specifically The Hot Salami sandwich at Gioia's Deli, a 2017 winner of the esteemed James Beard Award for America's Classics for 2017.
Gioia's, which has been in operation for almost a century, is located in the Italian-American neighborhood of the city known as The Hill, where fire hydrants are painted red, white, and green and authentic Italian restaurants from traditional to modern are in abundance.
What makes Gioia's hot salami sandwich unique is its Provel--a processed Cheddar, Swiss, and Provolone cheese I had never heard of until today. I imagine it shares some of the same DNA as the Kraft American Single--a cheese I love to hate, but admittedly cannot deny, utterly transforms a classic cheeseburger.