Who makes Philly’s best Italian hoagie? | Morning Newsletter

Expect a chilly Thursday with temps in the 50s and a strong chance of more rain.

We’ve selected 16 great sandwich shops in Philly. Today, you decide which one makes the best Italian hoagie. Additionally, our new Philly’s Best tool offers more sandwiches and the best of, well, everything Philly. ✨

Also, we revisit the story of Ellen Greenberg, the Manayunk woman stabbed 20 times in 2011, in a case authorities ultimately ruled a suicide. Now, a civil lawsuit offers more details in this unsolved mystery.

If you see this 🔒 in today’s newsletter, that means we’re highlighting our exclusive journalism. You need to be a subscriber to read these stories.

— Kerith Gabriel (@sprtswtr, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

In two days, Philly is at the center of the college basketball universe as host of the Sweet Sixteen games for the East Region of the men’s NCAA Tournament. But in addition to being a rabid sports town, we’re also definitely a food town – just ask the James Beard judges.

But this isn’t about fancy fine dining. This is about who makes the best hoagie in Philly – and not just any hoagie – the Italian hoagie. Before you declare a definitive winner, we did our homework, looking at some of the best sandwich spots and analyzing the following:

With the help of our food critic, Craig LaBan, our digital team of Patricia Madej, Sam Morris, and Evan Weiss created this March Madness-style bracket that gives you until April 4 to weigh in on these 16 sweet sandwiches.

If anything, this guide will give you a few more places to consider when you’re looking for your next hoagie fix. To be alerted when the polls close and to see which shop wins, sign up for our Let’s Eat! Newsletter.

In 2011, a Manayunk woman named Ellen Greenberg was found dead on her kitchen floor, brutally stabbed. The case, originally ruled a homicide by police, was later ruled a suicide by the Philadelphia Medical Examiner’s Office, despite over 20 stab wounds, including 10 on the back of her neck.

Since then, her family has fought to reopen the case, enlisting the help of forensic pathologists and a blood splatter expert. The Greenberg family filed a lawsuit against the city in 2019, citing inconsistencies that should change the manner of Ellen’s death to homicide or undetermined.

“We’re asking to change the manner of death and open a new investigation with impartial people and an impartial prosecutor,” Ellen’s father, Joshua Greenberg said. “We’re not asking for the moon, just justice for our daughter.”

However, the Philadelphia Law Department is prepared to defend the suit – and the suicide ruling. One thing is clear: Ellen Greenberg’s death remains a mystery, one our reporter Stephanie Farr explains in must-read detail.

The new Peacock series Bel-Air is nine weeks into its debut as the modern-day spin-off to The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, the hit starring West Philly’s own Will Smith and the series that became must-watch TV during the 1990s. Today’s question: Do you know when the original Fresh Prince of Bel-Air first appeared? Take a guess and find the answer here.

a. 1988

b. 1989

c. 1990

d. 1991

🤔 Wondering: When did Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis become a fan of collegiate swimming and was it before or after the controversy surrounding Penn swimmer Lia Thomas?

😎 Sharing: These are five great summer job opportunities for Philly teens.

🌞 Debating: Is getting rid of daylight saving time once and for all the right thing to do for our collective well-being?

He would like to “thank his hands for being so great.” Hint: 🦅

CHELD TIMED FLIER

Think you know? Send your guess our way at morningnewsletter@inquirer.com. We’ll give a shoutout to a reader at random who answers correctly. Today’s shoutout goes to Danielle Wilhelm of Philadelphia, who correctly guessed AMBERELLA as Wednesday’s answer.

Have a great day today. I’ll be back in your inbox tomorrow. ✌️