787 Subs brings Puerto Rican sandwiches to Wash Ave Food Hall

The Wash Ave Food Hall (1122 Washington) is rounding out its lineup with a taste of Puerto Rico. 787 Subs, from Jose and Cynthia Ramos, will fill the final full kitchen at the downtown dining destination, slated to open later this month. (One more vendor is being finalized, though that concept will not require a full kitchen.)

The hall has announced a late-October soft opening, followed by a grand opening during the weekend of November 5–8 and a ribbon-cutting on the morning of November 6.

The Food

The menu is led by La Tripleta Boricua, a classic Puerto Rican sandwich that layers slow-roasted pork, grilled steak, and ham on toasted bread with Swiss cheese, crispy potato sticks, and mayo-ketchup sauce.

Other sandwiches feature island-style pastrami with melted cheese, cabbage, and tomato; marinated steak cooked with onions and garlic; and pork shoulder seasoned with Caribbean adobo and garlic, then finished with mojo sauce.

Courtesy of 787 Subs

Courtesy of 787 Subs

Courtesy of 787 Subs

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Courtesy of 787 Subs

Courtesy of 787 Subs

Courtesy of 787 Subs

“For me, the difference is in how the food is prepared,” Jose said in a statement. “We marinate, we slow cook, and we give the flavors time to develop… I want people to taste that difference.”

The menu also includes a turkey sandwich with tropical seasoning and cilantro-garlic aioli, plus the Bori-Green, made with plant-based ham and dairy-free cheese.

Every sandwich comes with fried yuca, a starchy root vegetable popular throughout Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. The side replaces the usual fries and is served with house made mayo-ketchup, a version of the pink condiment found throughout Puerto Rico.

Also on the menu is a Puerto Rican Beef Salad, inspired by traditional bistec encebollado and featuring fresh lettuce and tomatoes topped with marinated seasoned beef, grilled onions, and the signature mayo-ketchup.

The Concept & Owners

For the husband-and-wife team behind Mr. Papas 2 Go food truck, 787 Subs answers a question that customers have asked the owners for years: When will you open a permanent location? It also gives the duo a spot to share more of the food they grew up with. The name supplies the first clue: 787 is one of Puerto Rico’s area codes.

Courtesy of 787 Subs

Courtesy of 787 Subs

Jose trained as a chef in Puerto Rico and worked in fine dining restaurants and hotels in New York before the family moved to St. Louis nearly eight years ago. He initially stepped away from restaurant work, but five years ago, the couple launched Mr. Papas 2 Go. A loyal following, along with requests for a fixed address, followed.

At the food hall, the Ramoses saw an opportunity to build on that foundation with a sandwich concept suited to downtown lunches while preserving the flavors and preparation techniques of home.

“We have wanted for years to bring more of Puerto Rico—our food, our flavors, and our culture—to St. Louis,” Cynthia said in the press release.

787 Subs joins a lineup that includes Troit, Arzola’s Tacos y Más, Little BAO, Macis’ Prime BBQ, Steve’s Smash, and Conefection. The sprawling layout includes bars, shared seating, social games, and a large retractable-roof.