Some Of Pennsylvania’s Best Hoagies Come From This Remote General Store
A great hoagie does not care how far off the main road it lives.
When the roll is fresh, the fillings are generous, and every bite has that perfect mix of crunch, oil, seasoning, and satisfaction, people will find their way there.
Pennsylvania is home to remote general stores that can become serious food destinations when the sandwiches are good enough to earn a loyal following. That is the charm of a place like this.
You might expect snacks, supplies, or a quick stop, then suddenly discover a hoagie that tastes like the whole trip was secretly planned around lunch.
The best roadside finds have a way of turning ordinary errands into delicious memories.
I have always loved food stops that feel like a reward for taking the slower route, and a Pennsylvania general store serving standout hoagies sounds like exactly the kind of detour I would happily make.
The Location Is Genuinely One-Of-A-Kind
Sitting right beside one of Pennsylvania’s most photogenic covered bridges on Bridge Street in Forksville, this little food spot has a setting that most restaurants would pay a fortune to recreate.
The address is 22 Bridge St, Forksville, PA 18616, and yes, it really is that scenic.
Sullivan County is not exactly a bustling metro area. The town of Forksville has a population you could count on a few hands, and yet people drive hours to get here.
The Loyalsock Creek runs nearby, the mountains frame the horizon, and the whole scene feels like something out of a postcard.
Outdoor picnic seating wraps around the property, and the prime spots sit closest to the bridge.
Eating a cheesesteak with that kind of view on a clear afternoon is an experience that sticks with you long after the last bite.
Big Mike’s Has A Reputation That Speaks For Itself
A strong reputation in a place this remote is not luck. That kind of consistency means something real is happening in that kitchen, and people keep coming back to confirm it.
For a small-town general store operating out of rural Pennsylvania, that kind of loyalty is genuinely remarkable.
Most restaurants in large cities would celebrate this kind of word-of-mouth.
Big Mike’s Steaks and Hoagies earns it from hikers, campers, road-trippers, and locals who all seem to agree on one thing: the food delivers every single time.
I find that praise for remote spots is often more trustworthy than hype around trendy city restaurants, because nobody drives two hours into the woods on a whim.
These are intentional visits from people who made a real effort, and they still leave impressed. That says everything.
The Cheesesteak Is The Star Of The Menu
Perfectly seasoned beef, a soft hoagie roll, melted cheese layered generously throughout, and grilled onions cooked just right; the cheesesteak here has earned comparisons to the best in Pennsylvania from people who actually live in Philadelphia. That is not a small thing to say out loud.
The OG cheesesteak is the crowd favorite, but the Dean Martin, loaded with garlic, has its own devoted following.
Both versions share the same commitment to getting the meat-to-cheese-to-bread ratio exactly right, which sounds simple but is surprisingly rare.
One detail that regulars rave about is the lettuce placement: it goes on top, which keeps the bread from getting soggy. Small move, smart execution.
Big Mike’s Steaks and Hoagies clearly thought through every layer of these sandwiches, and that attention to detail shows up in every single bite.
Italian Hoagies Hold Their Own On This Menu
Not everyone is a cheesesteak person, and Big Mike’s respects that completely.
The Italian hoagie here has its own fan base, stacked with deli meats and dressed with the kind of care that makes a cold sandwich feel like an event rather than just a meal.
The seeded roll option adds a satisfying texture contrast that several regulars specifically mention wanting they had chosen sooner.
Cold hoagies live and die by their ingredients, and the quality of what goes inside this one keeps it firmly in the conversation about the best sandwiches in the state.
Pennsylvania has no shortage of hoagie opinions. Every region has its loyalists and its go-to spots.
The fact that a general store this remote keeps showing up in those conversations, alongside shops in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia; tells you something genuinely interesting about what is happening at 22 Bridge Street.
The Crabby Fries And Cheese Fries Are Worth Ordering
Fries often play second fiddle at sandwich shops, but not here. The crabby fries and cheese fries at Big Mike’s have carved out their own reputation, and people order them as enthusiastically as the main sandwiches.
The cheese fries earn special praise for one specific reason: the cheese is layered throughout, not just dumped on top.
That means the fries at the bottom of the basket are just as loaded as the ones on top, which is the kind of thoughtful detail that separates a good fry from a great one.
I have eaten enough cheese fries across Pennsylvania to know that the bottom-of-the-basket problem is real and widespread.
Finding a spot that actually solves it without making a big deal about it is refreshing. Crispy on the outside, satisfying all the way through; these fries are a legitimate reason to add an extra item to your order.
The Hours Are Limited, So Plan Ahead
Big Mike’s Steaks and Hoagies keeps a tight schedule: open Wednesday through Sunday from 11 AM to 7 PM, and closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
For a spot this popular, those hours go fast, especially on weekends when hikers from World’s End State Park flood in after a morning on the trails.
Showing up close to 7 PM is a gamble, since busy days can move through inventory quickly.
The smart move is arriving around midday, when the kitchen is fully in its groove and the outdoor seating still has room to breathe.
A quick call to +1 570-924-4982 before making the drive is always a good idea, especially during holidays or peak summer weekends.
The website at forksvillestore.com can also provide updates. Planning ahead turns what could be a disappointing detour into the highlight of your whole road trip through rural Pennsylvania.
World’s End State Park Makes This The Perfect Pit Stop
World’s End State Park sits just minutes from Forksville, and the combination of those two destinations is one of the best day-trip pairings in Pennsylvania.
Hike the Double Run Trail or explore the park’s ridgelines in the morning, then reward yourself with a cheesesteak by the covered bridge in the afternoon.
The logic is almost too good. You burn the calories, you earn the sandwich, and you get to eat it outside next to one of the most scenic spots in Sullivan County.
Ricketts Glen State Park is also not far away, making this entire corner of Pennsylvania a seriously underrated outdoor-and-food destination.
Plenty of visitors discover Big Mike’s exactly this way; hungry after a hike, not expecting much from a general store, and then completely floored by what comes out of that kitchen.
It is a reliable story that plays out on weekends all summer and fall long.
The Menu Goes Beyond Meat; Vegetarian And Vegan Options Included
A cheesesteak shop in rural Pennsylvania offering vegetarian options might sound unexpected, but Big Mike’s pulls it off without making it feel like an afterthought.
The menu has enough variety that vegetarians and meat lovers can show up together and both leave satisfied.
There is also enough range on the menu to make this a genuinely family-friendly stop rather than just a spot for serious sandwich enthusiasts.
Groups with picky eaters, young kids, or different preferences can all find something worth ordering.
That kind of menu range is not easy to maintain in a small operation, and the fact that Big Mike’s does it consistently is worth acknowledging.
It also helps explain why the crowd on any given Saturday afternoon looks so diverse; campers, families, cyclists, hikers, and day-trippers from across Pennsylvania all finding exactly what they came for at one small window on Bridge Street.
The Atmosphere Has A Personality All Its Own
Part general store, part gift shop, part sandwich counter; Big Mike’s Steaks and Hoagies does not fit neatly into one category, and that is a big part of its charm.
Vintage sodas and candy are available alongside the food, giving the whole place a nostalgic, roadside-Americana feel that you just cannot manufacture.
The outdoor seating area is the social hub of the whole experience.
People spread out across the picnic tables, dogs wander around on leashes, kids run toward the bridge, and strangers end up talking about where they hiked that morning.
It has the relaxed energy of a place that has never tried too hard. I find that spots like this; where the food is serious but the vibe is completely unpretentious, are the ones that earn the most genuine loyalty.
Nobody here is performing cool. They are just eating really good sandwiches in a beautiful spot in Pennsylvania.
The Legacy Behind The Name Keeps It Special
The name Big Mike’s is not just branding; it reflects the vision that turned a rural general store into one of the most beloved food stops in Pennsylvania.
The business has stayed rooted in the same family-run spirit that helped make it special in the first place.
That kind of long-running family ownership is rare in the food world, and it adds a layer of meaning to every sandwich that comes out of this kitchen. You are not just eating a cheesesteak.
You are eating something that people cared enough about to build and keep going year after year.
Big Mike’s Steaks and Hoagies at the Forksville General Store earns its reputation not through marketing or social media hype, but through decades of consistent quality in a tiny town most people have never heard of. That is the best kind of food story there is.