The Dining Duo has a favorite sandwich in the steamed hoagie, having spent many a day at Time Out Deli in years past. We discovered Vandergriff’s Steamed Hoagies after KnoxTNToday’s New Business Spotlight.
David Vandergriff opened Vandergriff’s after years of serving the community under the name of Sunrise Market. He has refreshed the brand and become ready to franchise by centering his restaurant’s menu around the traditional East Tennessee steamed hoagie, a sandwich that has spent just the right amount of time in the Fresh-o-matic steamer.
The Vandergriffs have been perfecting this sandwich since David’s dad started making them in his convenience store, which he opened in 1992. And making sure this very specific, regional style of a steamed hoagie does not fade away is very important to the family.
What it came down to with the Vandergriff family is that there are a lot of F’s in Vandergriff’s: Faith, Family, Friends, Food, and Fishing, and don’t forget the Fresh-o-matic steamer. If music started with the letter F, that would be in there, too.
The Dining Duo found a warm, welcoming environment surrounding the guest experience with the family’s story, including: the 8’ guitar on the wall was inspired by local artist Ally Smiddy’s artwork commissioned by David’s mom and 26’ wall in the dining room is a photo mural of the Smoky Mountains and an image of David’s dad, the man who started the dream, along with the guiding principles: Faith, Family, Friends, Food, and Fishing.
A lasting piece of the family’s Sunrise Market and Deli legacy is the family’s original sweet tea recipe, Sunrise Tea, which flies out the door by the gallon.
The team that’s taking care of you behind the counter and in the kitchen has its own name and logo. Affectionately known as The Steamers, their logo, in 70’s style album cover type, runs the length of the kitchen wall. ‘Steam until your dreams come true’ is on the back of their uniform tees – a message to everybody.
The team we met today included David, his two sons, and his mom, who says she has the joy of working alongside her son and grandsons.
David Vandergriff
David says of the name change:
“My Dad, H. David Vandergriff, Jr., opened the first Sunrise Market and Deli in Corryton, in 1992, and I followed with Halls Crossroads in 2018. Dad has since retired, and my sons, Justin and Tyler, are at my side running the Halls Crossroads location.
“In early 2017, I had made the decision I wanted to grow the business by franchising, and bring our traditional Knoxville-style steamed hoagies to more and more people. Preserving the legacy of the Knoxville steamed hoagie is important to us, and it’s important to my Dad.
“We thought it was only fitting to honor Dad/Papaw by re-naming our own family legacy to Vandergriff’s. Not to worry! it’s the same me, the same family, the same craveable steamed hoagies – just more seats, and the family name. We look forward to seeing you soon!”
Oh, yes, what did the duo eat? The original hoagie, of course. We even took one home, and it was as good day two as it was on order day.
Vandergriff’s Fresh Steamed Hoagies, 7120 Maynardville Pike, is open Monday – Saturday, 12:45-9:45 p.m. Closed Sunday.
Dining Duo is looking for the “hidden gem eateries “where the locals fill the breakfast and lunch hour; those local haunts tucked into the out-of-the-way or right on the way places missed in the hustle and bustle of the day. Please email us your recommendations at knoxtndiningduo@gmail.com.
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