I remember Sauce Subs
by Maureen Dahill
I remember eating sauce subs sitting on the curb at the corner of M&6th. They only cost .25 cents – a price that fit neatly into my teenage budget. I’m not sure who invented the sauce sub. Maybe it was some other teenager who couldn’t afford to pay the $3.50 for a small meatball sub but really craved the taste of red sauce on a sub roll. Maybe it was a marketing strategy developed by the sub shop. Whoever it was word spread like wild fire in Southie during the mid-80’s and almost every teenager had a sauce sub at one point or another. It originated at M&6th and then Sal and Betty’s at the corner of L&8th also sold them. We loved the sauce sub!
Now as an adult, the sound of a sauce sub makes me want to reach for Tums and I’d feel slightly embarrassed about ordering one. It’s one step away from asking for a hand-out. But we had no shame. We waltzed right into that sub shop and proudly ordered, “Small sauce sub,” and for about a buck and some change you could get a drink and a bag of chips to go with it. Now that’s a real value meal. And we didn’t care that we didn’t have a table to eat our lunch. We just sat outside the establishment right on the curb of the dirty city street and happily ate. I can’t imagine how we looked to people driving or walking by. Maybe like really hungry teenagers with no shame?
The sub shop at M&6th is long gone and replaced by condos. And Sal and Betty’s has dropped the Betty’s in their name. I’m not even sure if kids still eat sauce subs or if Sal’s would make one for you. I’m certain if they did make you one, they will not be .25 cents. They probably would charge you a $1 at least. And if you did get a sauce sub for $1 and tried to eat on the curb – I’d have to imagine someone would move you along for loitering.
The sauce sub was a simple and delicious pleasure from my childhood. I wonder what creative ways my children will come up with to eat lunch with their friends when they don’t have a lot of money. Maybe pizza crusts from the Sidewalk Cafe?
Caught in Southie's Blog 
Jamie Dahill said,
February 23, 2010 at 5:03 pm
I think I’m the only person left in Southie that still orders a sauce sub
Maureen said,
February 25, 2010 at 2:42 am
You really still don’t order them do you? How much are they?
amy said,
February 26, 2010 at 7:13 pm
I still order a small meatball w/ sauce and american hold the meatballs.
Tim said,
March 5, 2010 at 3:24 pm
Good Story. I had a simular situation when I was a lot younger. Me and my friends of course didn’t want to waste what little money we had on a 3 dollar or so sub. So we used to get cheese subs and pickle subs for 25 and 50 cents.
Gina Smyth said,
March 30, 2010 at 2:45 pm
Another of my favs in the ’80s was fries ‘n gravy from South Boston Chinese Food on West Broadway….mmmmm!
Maureen said,
April 8, 2010 at 3:50 am
I know! When did french fries n’ gravy become chinese food? Sounds like Irish food to me
Tommy Flaherty said,
April 24, 2010 at 3:04 am
I remember working nights on the T and Todd Kerkorian would get boneless chicken with french fries and gravy every night at South Boston Chinese Food. Probably ’92-’94. I always wondered how that was Chinese food too.
David said,
April 8, 2010 at 9:47 am
I think the sauce sub was originated at N and 7th (Billy Baker’s corner store before it blew up). And the kid that ordered it was either Billy Puglia or Michael Gregorio. It cost 50 cent and we loved them. We used all our money playing the video game (Astriod, Missle Command, Galagcy, space invaders) we woud save a dollar for the sub and a tonic. Now that’s old school
Maureen said,
April 11, 2010 at 2:09 pm
Apparently Southie kids still eat sauce subs. But they are $1 for a sauce sub and $1.50 for a sauce sub with cheese. So maybe sauce subs are here to stay!
Tom said,
April 17, 2010 at 2:00 am
The saucy bun went back a lot earlier than the 80’s. I remeber getting them in the sub shop at the corner of Dorchester and 8th, and they were 10c back in the 60’s. We would buy a saucy bun for 10c then go across the street to the drug store and buy a grasshoper for another dime.
Tommy Flaherty said,
April 18, 2010 at 10:38 pm
Remember “Fingerless Frank’s” at H and 6th? Meatball with American cheese. I think the old Dean School was still across the street when it closed. I barely remember it.
KenH said,
June 17, 2010 at 10:09 pm
Four Finger Franks? Yea, Meatball, Sauce and Cheese. Still remember cutting Gym to go to Franks on those warm summer days.
Debbie Haggan Dellascio said,
April 24, 2010 at 1:09 am
I also remember getting saucy bun at the corner of Dorchester and 8th on my way home from Saint Augustine’s. We also got a drink called the Bomb which was every flavor of “tonic” they had. Sad to say that was back in the early 70’s.
Does anyone know what was in a “grasshopper” they were always a favorite.
Michelle Kerr said,
April 28, 2010 at 1:02 pm
I remember after busing and lots of parents decided to send their children to private schools. I went to St. Brigids and some others kids from the Old Harbor came too. Every week Susan, Paul, Michelle and others would bring “Dirty John’s” tuna subs. They were the messiest subs by far I’m not sure if there was actually tuna in them but there was more than enough Mayo to make up for it.
Paul English said,
September 22, 2010 at 11:13 pm
A grasshopper was vanilla syrup and soda water, syrup first, then the soda water, mixed with a long spoon. We used to get then at Johnny Burke’s Drug Store on ‘D’ Street, between Sixth Street and Tudor Street.
Barb Hartwell said,
November 17, 2010 at 11:11 pm
I also remember the saucy bun on 8th & dorchester st. I believe it was the first place to have them, but the place didn`t last long.What was the store on the corner of 8th and Loring st? It was so dark in there.