Publix Is Bringing Back Its Tutto Pugliese Bread

The designation of “greatest grocery store” gets thrown around a lot, and everyone thinks their own regional chain is the best — but Publix, the Florida-based stalwart with a loyal following across the Southeast, might actually take the title. 

Aside from Publix’s site-specific offerings, which range from sushi bars to liquor stores, it has always been heralded for its hot food bar, the crown jewel of which is the famed “Pub sub” sandwich. This summer, the Pub sub is about to get even better with the option to upgrade to Italian-inspired Tutto Pugliese bread. (If that sounds too fancy, don’t worry; you can still pile chopped-up chicken tenders onto it.)

Publix has announced that Tutto Pugliese will be a bread customization for Pub subs this season, after last year’s limited run of the bread proved wildly successful. It will join White, Italian 5-Grain, Whole Wheat, and Flatbread on the menu — as well as the option to forego bread entirely and make your sub into a salad with a base of lettuce or spinach leaves.

So what makes Tutto Pugliese so special? Publix certainly includes a lot of tantalizing descriptors, calling it “a soft bread with a creamy nutty flavor and crispy crust.” The 2023 press release notes the loaf is made from durum wheat semolina flour and sourdough flour, both of which are typically used to make pasta. The dough requires a lot of extra handling and kneading (thanks to its higher moisture level), plus an hours-long proofing process before it is baked on-site at Publix stores. “And just like cheese and fine wine, aging the bread enriches and enhances its taste and texture,” Publix notes.

Speaking of cheese, there’s an Onion Asiago version of the bread that can also be requested for any Pub sub, with the possibility of other Tutto Pugliese varieties joining the lineup this summer.

To anyone skeptical that the bread choice can’t make that much of a difference, consider McDonald’s recent decision to upgrade its classic burgers with “Softer, pillowy buns that are freshly toasted to a golden brown.” Initial reviews of the burgers have been largely positive with Food Network saying: “The new bun was for sure puffier and moister, with an attractive golden color and and sheen on top — and it smelled fresher and more buttery.” 

Sometimes the right bread can transform a sandwich, and Publix is certainly hoping Tutto Pugliese will be a draw this summer as customers order their Pub subs. Says the grocery chain, “The sky is truly the limit for this hearty, textured bread!”