25 Iconic Sandwiches You Need to Try Before You Die

Sandwiches are timeless. They stretch across all lands, all borders, all ways of life. 

There are thousands of them too, in every city, in every state, and every country. Looking to make sure you’ve done a good job exploring all the sandwiches our world has to offer? Check out these iconic 25 sandwiches, featuring everything from meatball subs to falafel pitas.

1. The Chicken Parm

Try one at: Vito’s Pizza

This is not a ranked list by any means, but I’d be remiss not to mention that this is my all-time favorite sandwich. Not everybody does it right, but when they do, mama mia, The perfect chicky parm consists of a butterflied chicken breast, pounded as thin as it can get, fried, and then broiled in marinara sauce, topped with burnt, bubbly mozzarella, and stuffed inside a hoagie roll that’s way too small.

Accept no substitutes. 

2. The Bánh Mì

Try one at: Ô Banh Mi

Every dish tells a story, but with the bánh mì, it’s far more visually apparent. The classic Vietnamese sandwich is served traditionally on a baguette, a clear symbol of French colonialism in Vietnam. Between that perfect crunchy bread you’ll find pâté, cilantro, jalapeño, pickled carrots & daikon, and pork, though chicken and tofu are also common. There are few sandwiches in the world with as deep a flavor profile as a well-made bánh mì. When the roast pork is juicy? And the skin is perfectly crackly? Are you kidding me? That’s what this life is about. 

3. The Po’ Boy

Try one at: Li’l Dizzy’s Cafe

The “poor boy” sandwich is one of the most iconic dishes of the Gulf Coast, usually showcasing fried seafood of some kind, like shrimp, oysters, or catfish. And if it ain’t made with dirty sauce, lettuce, tomato, and served on Leidenheimer bread, it ain’t worth your time. 

4. The Roast Pork Hoagie

Try one at: Tommy DiNic’s

Though Philly is most famous for the cheesesteak, there’s another hoagie that the city might care even more about. A roast pork sandwich is perfect in its simplicity: roast pork loin, broccoli rabe, and sharp provolone cheese. When done right, like at DiNic’s in Reading market, that’s all you need. The result is magic.

5. The Gyro

Try one at: Loops

If you’re at a proper gyro shop, you’re not getting a weird, processed cone of ground beef. You’re getting thinly sliced lamb or pork, cooked on a vertical gas grill, and laid inside a pita with tzatziki, tomato, onion, and feta.

6. The Fried Bologna

Try one at: G&R Tavern

We’re not talking about strips of Oscar Meyer in a pan, here. In the South, thick-cut bologna sandwiches are a staple, usually served on a white bun with mustard, pickles, onions, and cheese.

7. The Katsu Sando

Try one at: Katsu Sando

The katsu sando is a Japanese classic, most commonly in the form of a fried pork sandwich. Great pork katsu is delicate, rich, and crusted in panko. Don’t forget the Japanese milk bread either.

8. The Cemita

Try one at: Cemitas Don Adrian

Pueblan-style cemitas are hard to get out of your head, once you’ve had a great one. It’s the sesame seed bun. It’s the cecina asada. It’s the avocado. It’s the big honkin’ chunk of queso fresco. This sandwich is greater than the sum of its parts.

9. The Bacon, Egg, and Cheese

Try one at: Any New York Bodega

Nobody does a B.E.C. like a bodega. The timeless breakfast sandwich is a staple of New York culture, and trust me when I say there is no wrong time of day to eat one.

10. The Sloppy Joe

Try one at: Key West Bar & Grill

Not many things are true American food, but many say the Sloppy Joe was invented in Sioux City, Iowa. The ground beef-tomato-onion mixture on a hamburger bun has stood of time and remains in the Mount Rushmore of comfort food. I absolutely love a Sloppy Joe, and I don’t care who knows it.

11. The Sabich

Try one at: Dune

The beloved Israeli street food is one of the most umami-laden sandwiches you can eat. Originally brought to Israel by Jews from Iraq, the sandwich is made with fried eggplant, hard-boiled eggs, hummus, tahini, Israeli salad, and the best part: amba, a tangy pickled mango condiment. 

12. The French Dip

Try one at: Philippe

You know the drill: thinly sliced roast beef on a French roll, drenched in jus. And extra jus for dipping. Two different L.A. restaurants lay claim to the invention of the French dip over 100 years ago. I’m team Philippe.

13. The Torta Ahogada

Try one at: Tortas Ahogadas la Ramadita

There is nothing more delicious and less conducive to eating with your hands than a beautiful torta ahogada. This Mexican torta is fully drowned in salsa, not unlike a double-dipped Italian beef sandwich. In Guadalajara, tortas ahogadas are absolutely everywhere.

14. The Lobster Roll

Try one at: Jettie Rae’s Oyster House

Cold with mayo or warm with butter? There are two schools of thinking about how the perfect lobster roll is made, but there’s one thing everybody agrees on: It needs to be served in a New England split-top bun.

15. The Vada Pav

Try one at: Chai Pani

We have Mumbai, India, to thank for the vada pav; a spicy potato ball on a bun with chutney. It’s an incredibly common street food in India (especially Maharashtra), and has found solid representation in the U.S. as well. 

16. The Choripán

Try one at: Choripan Rodizio

If you really want to get into the hot dog-sandwich debate, choripán sandwiches are a key element. Especially popular in Argentina, this is really just a high-quality hot dog (grilled chorizo sausage) on a crusty roll. Topped with chimichurri. Better than a hot dog in just about every way, really. You’ll find this in just as many backyard BBQs as you will in soccer stadiums.

17. The Reuben

Try one at: Zingerman’s Delicatessen

The classic combo of corned beef, Swiss, kraut, and Russian dressing has brought happiness to just about everybody who’s tried one. Zingerman’s in Ann Arbor, Michigan, is worth a visit, if you’re in the area. It’s like the Disneyland of deli meat.

18. The Italian Beef

Try one at: Johnnie’s Beef

There is a holy trinity of foods that define Chicago: hot dogs, pizza, and hot beef. A classic Chicago beef sandwich has hot roast beef, drenched in thin gravy, and stuffed in an Italian roll with giardiniera.Like cheesesteaks, you’ll hear locals argue from now until the end of time as to who makes the best Italian beef sandwich. A safe place to start your journey is at Johnnie’s beef, where many can agree the sandwiches are done properly. Start practicing the Chicago lean now.

19. The Meatball Sub

Try one at: All About the Bread

This sandwich knew it would be a masterpiece from the start. Meatballs are great, melty cheese is great, and hot marinara sauce is great. There’s simply no way it could have ever gone wrong.

20. The Arepa

Try one at: Saman

Arepas are very popular in Venezuela and Colombia, where street vendors will stuff grilled meats, cheese, beans, and avocado into cornmeal cakes. A blessing, these things are.

21. The Muffuletta

Try one at: Napoleon House

Making the mistake of ordering a full-sized Muffuletta is a joy that everybody should be able to experience. These things, when made properly, are absolutely enormous. Italian immigrants brought this sandwich to New Orleans, and I’m thrilled they did. A proper Muffuletta is served on a Muffuletta loaf and has mortadella, salami, ham, Swiss, provolone, and the pièce de résistance: Italian olive spread.

22. The Falafel Pita

Try one at: Mini Kabob

Most often made from chickpeas or fava beans, falafel has a wide window of quality. If you don’t like it, you’ve probably never had a good one, where the outside is crunchy and the inside sings with nutty, herby flavors. Inside a pillowy pita with tahini, hummus, pickles, and salad, there is simply nothing like it.

23. The Cheesesteak

Try one at: Angelo’s Pizzeria

Who’s got the best cheesesteak? Cheese whiz or Provolone? Philadelphians will argue who has the best cheesesteak until the end of time, so if you want to remain impartial while still eating a terrific sandwich, try the one from Angelo’s.

Personally, I’m a Provolone guy.

24. The Cubano

Try one at: 5 Brothers Grocery

Or, ham two ways. Most Cubanos have roast pork, ham, Swiss, pickles, and mustard, but it’s the Cuban bread that makes a great Cubano. Also consider a medianoche, which is similar, but on sweeter, eggier bread.

25. The Italian Sub

Try one at: Joe Leone’s Italian Specialties

Cured meats. Oil and vinegar. Oregano. Pickles. Tomato. Lettuce. An Italian sub roll. The Italian sub has every flavor you could ever need packed into one sandwich, and remains one of the kings of the submarine world. You want one of these on the East Coast more than anywhere else.

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