Jibarito is a unique Puerto Rican sandwich made with smashed, fried plantains instead of bread. The sandwich is typically filled with garlic mayonnaise, meat, lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese. The origins of jibarito are somewhat hard to untangle, as some claim that the sandwich is originally a Puerto Rican invention, while others claim that it was created by Juan Figueroa at the Borinquen Restaurant in Chicago in 1996.
The most probable theory says that the sandwich was invented by Coquí Feliciano and Jorge Muñoz at Plátano Loco restaurant in Aguada, Puerto Rico, and Figueroa probably read about it, which inspired him to make another version in Chicago.
MOST ICONIC Jibarito
View moreMexican tortas are luscious traditional sandwiches filled with delicious, mostly authentic Mexican ingredients. They are a unique Mexican creation, considering they are served in bread rolls, an ingredient that is not so often associated with Mexico.
There are two bread varieties usually incorporated in tortas, the traditional French influenced bolillos, and the similar round teleras, which are an authentic Mexican product from Puebla. The rolls are sliced horizontally, buttered, and stuffed with the most popular Mexican ingredients such as beans, avocados, ham, queso, jalapeños, and a myriad of other typical Mexican dishes like fried beef or chicken, shredded beef, roasted pork, and even tamales.
VARIATIONS OF Tortas
MOST ICONIC Tortas
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Lobster roll is a Maine specialty consisting of cooked lobster meat that is, ideally, drizzled with melted butter and placed into long hot dog rolls. Additionally, the sandwich might include lettuce, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper. Traditional accompaniments include potato chips or french fries on the side.
Some claim that lobster roll first appeared at Perry's in Milford, Connecticut, while others claim it was first prepared at Red's in Wiscasset, Maine. Regardless of the origins, the entire state of Maine continues to honor the tradition by offering more version of lobster rolls than the first inventor could have possibly imagined, starting an endless debate over how it should be made and who makes the best rolls.
MOST ICONIC Lobster Roll
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Montreal smoked meat is a type of deli meat sandwich that originated in Montreal, Canada. It's similar to corned beef and pastrami sandwiches, but the meat used has its own distinct preparation process and flavor profile. Pastrami was invented in Romania, a cured beef product prepared by pickling and smoking the fatty and succulent cuts of brisket, then covering them with a coating of various spices and peppercorns.
Reuben Schwartz, a Romanian immigrant, started making smoked meat in Montreal in 1928, a product similar to the original pastrami. Called viande fumé in the Quebec province, it is a much sturdier product with an intense, smoky flavor.
The practice of smoking brisket has a long tradition in Texas, and this juicy, fatty treat also works great as a flavorful sandwich filling. Texas brisket sandwiches can be considered more of a concept than a recipe - various toppings and sorts of bread can be used, but the undisputed star remains the slow-smoked brisket, whether chopped or sliced.
It can be tucked between slices of bread or piled on a toasted bun, served on its own or drenched in sauce, and garnished with toppings such as cheese, pickles, and onions - whatever the combination, the fatty brisket meat with a smoky crust guarantees a mouthwatering perfection in each bite.
MOST ICONIC Texas Brisket Sandwich
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One of New England cuisine staples, the Maine-style lobster roll consists of a chilled lobster salad tucked into New England-style split-top buns. The lobster salad, at its basic, is made with knuckle and claw meat that is dressed in mayonnaise and mixed with finely chopped celery, seasoned only with salt and pepper.
Variations typically include ingredients like lemon juice, mustard, and chives. Because the buns are buttered and toasted, the result is a lobster roll with contrasting texture and flavor: a warm, buttery, toasted bun vs. a cold, crunchy lobster salad.
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Panino con la porchetta is a popular type of sandwich from central Italy made with slices of porchetta that are tucked in between two slices of homemade bread. The sandwich is especially popular among Italian-Americans and in Rome, with both Umbria and Lazio claiming to be the birthplace of its main ingredient, porchetta.
Traditionally, no other ingredients are needed, as porchetta is very greasy and has lots of herbs and seasonings, which is also why homemade bread is preferred since it soaks up the fat from the meat well without falling apart. Also, the crispy skin on the porchetta should not be removed.
MOST ICONIC Porchetta sandwich
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Reuben is a melty sandwich consisting of a combination of corned beef, rye bread, sauerkraut, Russian dressing, and Swiss cheese. According to one out of many theories, it was invented in 1914 at Manhattan's Reuben Delicatessen by its owner, Arnold Reuben, when an out-of-work actress ordered something new, and Arnold made her a Reuben sandwich.
The combination of meat and cheese is not kosher, but the sandwich can be found in Jewish delis because it's a part of Jewish food culture and it's mostly eaten by people who are not strictly Orthodox. Just like most popular food, Reuben also has numerous variations such as Rachel sandwich, grouper Reuben, West Coast Reuben, Montreal Reuben and Reuben egg rolls.
MOST ICONIC Reuben
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The Philadelphian icon known as Philly cheesesteak is an extremely popular sandwich consisting of thinly sliced pieces of steak and tender, melting cheese in a long and crusty hoagie roll. It was invented in the 1930s in what is now a Philadelphian institution called Pat's King of Steaks.
Pat's started as a regular hot dog stand in South Philadelphia, and one day Pat had decided to make himself a sandwich consisting of thinly sliced rib-eye steak and cooked onions placed into an Italian roll. When a hungry cab driver stopped by and smelled the beef, he forgot about the hot dogs, and Philly steak sandwich was born.
MOST ICONIC Cheesesteak
View morePo'boy is a unique sandwich with a rich history. It originated from Louisiana in the early 20th century, when it was invented by two brothers named Benny and Clovis Martin. The Martins opened a sandwich shop in New Orleans and started to make po'boys with French bread filled with a variety of meat or seafood such as roast beef, ham and cheese, meatballs, oysters, crabs, or shrimps.
The combinations of ingredients are virtually infinite. The name of the sandwich refers to the moment when one of the New Orleans streetcar conductors, who were on strike at the time, entered the Martins' shop, and someone shouted: "Here comes another po-boy"!
VARIATIONS OF Po'Boy
MOST ICONIC Po'Boy
View moreTasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. For the “Top 100 North American Sandwiches” list until February 14, 2025, 8,478 ratings were recorded, of which 7,201 were recognized by the system as legitimate. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.