Open wide! You'll need a gigantic grin to get your teeth around some of the oversize sandwiches that are signatures of the new Dagwood's, 1610 Ridenour Blvd. in Kennesaw.

Named for the funnies character with a penchant for monster-size sandwiches, Dagwood's is a Florida company whose part owner is Dean Young, the strip's creator.

Renee Brock/AJC special (ENLARGE)
The comic strip hero would be proud: The Dagwood is made of 1 1/2 pounds of meat, cheeses and every topping the store offers.
Renee Brock/AJC special (ENLARGE)
The roast beef sandwich with melted cheddar is also on the menu for the less ambitious.
MOST POPULAR STORIES Who are metro Atlanta's sexiest men? 'Housewives' star forced to move from Duluth home Prosecutor: Jealousy behind Hudson family killings Tyler Perry takes the stand in copyright lawsuit CBS to show story of Cobb teacher with Tourette's
EMAIL THIS PRINT THIS MOST POPULAR

There's been a Dagwood's in the Suwanee area for a while, but Alex Johnson, who owns the Cobb location and who lives in Ellijay, wanted to open a venue with a somewhat shorter drive. "I commute every day," said Johnson.

The menu of sandwiches, salads and wraps is served all day. Diners order at the counter and the staff delivers the goods to the table. There's room for 58 inside, and work on a patio is expected to be finished in another week.

Big — and then some

Dagwood's signature sandwich, aptly named for the cartoon character, is a jaw-dropper. As fans of the comic strip might guess, it's gigantic, standing almost 9 inches high. Three slices of bread are packed with a pound and a half of salami, ham, pepperoni, turkey, cheddar and provolone and topped with roasted red peppers, lettuce, tomatoes, banana peppers and red onion. The entire pile is expertly pinned together with an olive skewer. Though it's big enough to feed a crowd, Johnson has customers who come in to enjoy the Dagwood by themselves.

"I was just looking at the numbers last week and saw that we sold 36 of them — to individual people," he said.

Along with the Dagwood, the signature sandwich list includes a turkey club, chicken curry salad and pastrami. There's a lineup of toasted subs filled with ham, turkey, roast beef, barbecued chicken, pork or corned beef. Hot panini are pressed with veggies, Italian meats, turkey and tuna. There's also a classic Reuben and a Cuban, served on traditional Cuban bread flown in from Miami. All the subs and panini can be ordered in regular and large sizes.

Those looking for a lighter repast can stick to the salad selection of Caesar, Greek and chef's greens, served in full or half portions. Wraps are filled with chicken Caesar, Greek ingredients or chow mein noodles with chicken in an Asian dressing.

Family friendly

Dagwood's offers only soft beverages. Kids have their pick of grilled cheese, ham and cheese or turkey sandwiches that come with a cookie and drink for $3.99. While they're chowing down, they can watch the big-screen TV, where cartoons play all the time.