Rating: 7/10
The first thing that hits is the smell.
The sharp tang of vinegar pierces your nostrils as you hold the cold, heavy paper bundle. As you pick up the picklewich, your hands moisten, and the first bite fills your mouth with cool, crunchy cucumber chunks and a soft pillow of deli meat.
Enigma is the only word to describe Jimmy John’s newest addition to its menu. The marketing partnership with Nicole Polizzi, better known as Snooki on the MTV show “Jersey Shore,” is even weirder.
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Available for a limited time at select locations, the picklewich redefines the conventional boundaries of what a sandwich can be.
More akin to a reconstructed salad than a sandwich, the buns have been replaced by a large pickle sliced in half. Two options are available for the picklewich: the turkey and cheese and the Vito, which are regular sandwich options that normally use bread.
Novelty aside, does the picklewich hold up as a conventional sandwich? For those who love the crisp tang you feel when biting into a pickle, the answer is absolutely. The ingredients work surprisingly well together, with the pickle not overpowering the cheese, meat and tomato.
However, if one only enjoys pickles casually or not at all, it would be best to skip this option — especially since the picklewich costs $7.39, a fairly steep price for some meat, cheese and veggies squished between a pickle.
While it may seem odd for a sub shop to ditch its bread, the picklewich offers a lower calorie and carb option.
Of course, Jimmy John’s bread is not going anywhere, and those who want to experience pickle mania can still participate without ordering the picklewich. Jimmy John’s has also released limited-edition pickle-flavored chips.
While the chips attempt to imitate the delicious dill flavor of a pickle, they are tragically overpowered by a generic salty taste.
The pickle flavor is not strong enough to truly satisfy a pickle craving, and the overpowering saltiness feels more akin to regular unflavored potato chips. Jimmy John’s should have leaned into the pickle flavor more, as these feel more like pickle-adjacent chips than pickle-flavored chips.
While the picklewich might not be for everyone, it is a bold and brave move for a sandwich shop. True pickle enthusiasts must try the picklewich before it’s gone, and even average Jimmy John’s customers will likely enjoy this fun twist on a traditional sandwich.
