Lennys Grill & Subs has made a triumphant return to Pensacola’s dining scene with a new late-night sub pickup window and a prime downtown location at 96 E. Garden St.
Pensacola franchise owners William “Will” Morin and Kent Simmons are celebrating the restaurant’s grand opening at 11 a.m. on July 30. The celebration will include a ribbon-cutting, promotions, door prizes and more offered throughout the day.
The restaurant started with a soft opening last week to reacclimate Pensacola to its mouthwatering Philly cheesesteaks and other made-to-order sandwiches.
Lennys had a Pensacola location over a decade ago at 5559 N. Davis Highway, which is where Sky’s Pizza Pie now resides, but was under different ownership.
Lennys has only grown in popularity since, recently being ranked No. 5 in the USA TODAY 10BEST for subs and sandwiches.
“Lenny’s Grill and Subs first opened in 1998, and since then, they’ve made plenty of customers happy with their deli subs, world-class Philly cheesesteaks, and grilled subs,” USA TODAY wrote. “Whether you go for the Mile High Turkey, Garden Veggie, Meatball Classic, or Chicken Philly, it’s guaranteed to make you smile.”
Lennys has been around since 1998 as a small-town Tennessee sandwich shop, but began franchising in 2001.
Morin was particularly impressed with the brand receiving national recognition, considering its a Southern-based chain with only regional locations. Now, he’s happy to offer Pensacola a fresh, affordable option that can be a regular downtown staple.
“For years, the historic district has lacked a dedicated sandwich shop where people can grab a quick lunch, dinner or late-night meal,” Simmons said. “We saw an opportunity to bring back a brand people know and love while creating something unique that serves downtown businesses during the day and Pensacola’s growing nightlife scene after dark.”
Morin added, “We’ve got such great culinary options down here, but for a lot of offices and businesses, they just want to grab something. They need something quick on the run. It was something we wanted to bring back to downtown Pensacola.”
The menu breaks down into cheesesteaks and hot subs, fresh-sliced deli subs, deli wraps, grilled wraps, salads, soups and more. The hot pepper relish is a particular fan-favorite add-on.
“Everything is baked fresh, all the breads, all the meats are fresh-sliced, the produce is fresh,” Morin said. “Everything’s just a fresh ingredient.”
The restaurant was about a year in the making, transforming a 1952 building to match the quick-service restaurant model while maintaining some of its original features, such as the original wood ceiling.
Now, the cheery, colorful sub shop can welcome about 32 people inside at a time.
Starting during grand opening weekend, they will debut a late-night walk-up order window that operates from 9 p.m. until 2 a.m., giving customers a fresh late-night option. The model will be the first of its kind and could serve as a pilot for other locations moving forward.
Their famed “World Class Philly Cheesesteak” is a fan favorite, made with thinly sliced USDA Choice steak, or with 100% all-white-meat chicken, grilled and nestled in a fluffy sub roll. Some of their variations are the buffalo chicken Philly sub, the chicken bacon ranch Philly sub and more.
As for Morin’s go-to order, he can’t resist the Bacon Philly Cheesesteak.
The quick, mouthwatering sandwiches can be an everyday staple to feed the downtown dining crowd.
“Downtown Pensacola has two major audiences – people who work here during the day and people who come downtown to enjoy the nightlife,” Morin said. “We built this location to serve both. We want to be the go-to lunch spot for downtown businesses and office workers while also becoming the place people think of when they’re looking for great food after a night out with friends.”
His ultimate goal? To be a place where customers say, “Man, that was really good. I’m definitely going back,'” Morin said.
Customers can place their orders online, on the Lennys app, at a self-serve kiosk inside the store, or the good old-fashioned way at the counter. The restaurant’s regular operating hours will be Monday through Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The late-night walk-up window will operate Thursday through Saturday from 9 p.m. until 2 a.m.
For real-time updates and information, follow Lennys Grill & Subs Pensacola on social media.
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This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Lennys Grill and Subs opens in downtown Pensacola with walk-up window
Reporting by Brittany Misencik, Pensacola News Journal / Pensacola News Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Brittany Misencik, Pensacola News Journal | USA TODAY Network
