Last week, I attended a UW-Eau Claire softball doubleheader as part of a story for this very newspaper. During the game, like with every Blugold home game, the announcer did ad reads for the team’s many community-wide sponsors.

Most of these sponsors have remained consistent for the past four years, including Mancino’s Grinders and Pizza. Yet, when I heard their ad read at the softball game, something about it stood out to me.

Specifically, the claim that they are “Eau Claire’s best hot sandwich.”

Given how specific “Eau Claire’s best hot sandwich” is, I shouldn’t have a problem with them claiming that title, especially since Mancino’s is one of my favorite restaurants I’ve tried in Eau Claire.

It just so happens that, in this specific category, they have some really steep competition.

Acoustic Cafe in downtown Eau Claire is another restaurant known for its hot sandwiches that I absolutely adore. 

Given these restaurants are two of the four or five I’d put in my “elite tier” of restaurants in Eau Claire, and I’ve been to each of them more than any other restaurant in the city (about 8 times each), I thought it’d be fair to do a deep dive into them, and see who really deserves the claim to “best hot sandwich in Eau Claire.”

Starting with Mancino’s, I first went there at the beginning of my sophomore year because I thought “grinder” was really funny. I was very impressed by my first visit and, soon after, took my mom there.

My mom was also very impressed. But, given her less adventurous palette, she now insists on going to Mancino’s almost every time she’s in Eau Claire, so I’ve had a fair sample size of Mancino’s experiences.

When it comes to hot sandwiches, Mancino’s namesake “grinder” stands out since the sandwich isn’t served on normal buns, but instead what is essentially cheesy garlic bread.

Because of this, at its base level, “grinders” have a very savory flavor that you’re hard pressed to find on any other sandwich. Each grinder comes with lettuce, tomato and lots of mayo, which gives it a creamy texture that I really enjoy.

Mancino’s also has a long list of specialty grinders on their menu (including one named after my favorite Flo Rida song). My recent go-to has been the Chicken Bacon Ranch grinder, which has a strong ranch flavor I really enjoy. The ranch also adds to the creaminess.

Apart from the grinders, Mancino’s also has pretty solid pizza, comically large (but delicious) breadsticks, and each sandwich comes with a pickle spear (I love pickle spears).

As for Acoustic Cafe’s hot hoagies, in a way they’re hard to compare to grinders since in terms of hot sandwiches, they’re pretty normal. No gimmicks like the garlic bread.

Unlike Mancino’s with their long list of specialty grinders, though, Acoustic’s menu is one I can best describe as a mix between Subway and Portillo’s. You choose your sandwich type (hoagie or pita), sandwich length, and meat or meat substitute.

From there, like a Chicago-style hot dog, Acoustic cafe’s sandwiches come with a variety of set ingredients, including multiple cheeses, mild yellow peppers, lots of mayo (I love mayo), and their “special sauce,” among others.

If I were a betting man, I’d say the special sauce is what gives Acoustic’s sandwiches their distinct, almost vinegary flavor. It’s not bitter or sour, but it adds an unexpected kick of flavor that I can’t get enough of every time. 

Like with Mancino’s, the strength of the flavor is what makes it really stand out.

Apart from their hot sandwiches, everything else about Acoustic is as good as it gets. Their soups are delicious, you can get bottled Sprecher’s soda, and their seasonal Holiday Mint Mocha is the single best coffee drink I’ve had in my life.

Also, Acoustic simply has immaculate vibes. Sitting by the window on a rainy night amidst neon lights is magical. I’ve seen fireworks from inside the restaurant before, and there was a time I went where the wifi password was “HOTTOGO” and the bathroom code was “5-6-7-8.”

Taking everything into account, I struggle to decide on which one I would consider “Eau Claire’s best hot sandwich.” These are two of the best food items I’ve had in Eau Claire, and yet the sandwiches themselves are so different, I find them hard to compare.

Based on my collective experiences, though, I’d probably give Acoustic Cafe the edge over Mancino’s, but even that statement comes with quite a bit of bias.

Some of my favorite memories in Eau Claire have been made at Acoustic Cafe, and every time I’ve been there has been by my own volition.

Me and one of my closest choir friends always went there after our annual Holiday Concert rehearsals (that was when we saw fireworks), and some of my other trips there involved me introducing some of my best friends to one of my favorite restaurants.

As I said before, many of my trips to Mancino’s, on the other hand, were because of my mother’s general displeasure towards trying new things.

Plus, every time I’ve eaten at Mancino’s has been with family, while every time I’ve eaten at Acoustic has been with friends. Therefore, my trips to Acoustic have not just been of my choosing, but also with people of my choosing.

Overall, I’d recommend getting out to both of these restaurants. Their hot sandwiches are distinct from each other, distinct from any other food item in Eau Claire, and some of the best food this city has to offer.

Leave a comment on the web version of this story saying which hot sandwich you think is the best in Eau Claire, then we can get a more concrete answer.

Besides, the best hot sandwiches are made with engagement farm-grown ingredients.

Coleman can be reached at [email protected].