13 Famous Sandwiches So Legendary People Plan Whole Trips Around the First Bite

When chef and creator Nick DiGiovanni went looking for the best sandwich in the world, millions of people watched, and it is easy to see why. Some sandwiches are more than lunch. They are the reason people book flights, stand in long lines and talk about one bite for years. We gathered famous sandwiches from American cities and faraway places, and every one comes with a home recipe so you can taste the legend without the plane ticket. How many have you tried already? Keep count as you scroll..

Famous Sandwiches Start in Florence: Schiacciata With Pistachio Cream

In Florence, people line up down the street for schiacciata, a salty, olive oil soaked flatbread split open and stuffed to bursting. Our favorite version layers thin cured meats with creamy stracciatella, sweet pistachio cream and peppery arugula. It is rich, salty and a little sweet all at once, and the first bite explains every long line. Could you finish a whole one by yourself?

You will need: 1 large focaccia (about 9×13 inches), 1/4 pound mortadella, 1/4 pound prosciutto or salami, 8 ounces stracciatella or burrata, 1/3 cup pistachio cream or pesto, 2 cups arugula, flaky salt, olive oil.

How to make it: 1. Warm the focaccia in a 350°F oven for 5 minutes. 2. Cut it into 4 squares and split each one in half. 3. Spread the bottoms with pistachio cream. 4. Fold the mortadella and prosciutto loosely on top. 5. Spoon over the stracciatella and add arugula with a drizzle of oil and a pinch of salt. 6. Close, wrap the bottom half in paper and serve.

New Orleans Muffuletta With Olive Salad

One of the most famous sandwiches in America started with Sicilian immigrants in the French Quarter of New Orleans in the early 1900s. They gave the world this round, sesame topped giant. Layers of salami, ham, mortadella and provolone get crowned with a briny olive salad that soaks into the bread. The trick is time: wrap it tight and let it rest so the flavors marry. One muffuletta easily feeds four hungry people. Would you eat it warm or cold?

You will need: 1 round sesame Italian loaf (about 10 inches), 1/4 pound each Genoa salami, ham, mortadella and provolone, 1 cup green olives, 1/2 cup black olives, 1/4 cup giardiniera, 2 tablespoons capers, 1 garlic clove, 1/3 cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon oregano.

How to make it: 1. Chop the olives, giardiniera, capers and garlic. 2. Stir in the oil, vinegar and oregano and chill for at least 2 hours. 3. Slice the loaf in half and pull out a little bread from the top. 4. Spoon half the olive salad over the bottom. 5. Layer the meats and cheese, then add the rest of the salad. 6. Close, wrap tightly and rest 1 hour before cutting into wedges.

Kentucky Hot Brown

A Louisville hotel created this open faced beauty in the 1920s to feed late night dancers, and it is still one of the famous sandwiches Kentucky is proudest of. Thick slices of roast turkey sit on toast under a blanket of creamy cheese sauce, then go under the broiler until bubbly. Crispy bacon and tomato finish it off. You need a knife and fork for this one. Have you ever tried a Hot Brown, or is it new to you?

You will need: 4 slices thick white bread, 1 pound sliced roast turkey, 2 tomatoes, 8 slices cooked bacon, 2 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons flour, 1 1/2 cups milk, 1 cup grated Pecorino or Parmesan, paprika, parsley.

How to make it: 1. Melt the butter, whisk in the flour and cook 1 minute. 2. Slowly whisk in the milk and simmer until thick. 3. Stir in most of the cheese and season. 4. Toast the bread and set it in shallow baking dishes. 5. Top with turkey, tomato and plenty of sauce, then the rest of the cheese. 6. Broil until bubbly and golden, then add bacon crosswise, paprika and parsley.

Famous Sandwiches From Tokyo: Katsu Sando

In Japan the katsu sando is a little work of art. A crispy panko fried pork cutlet sits between two pillowy slices of soft white bread with sweet and tangy tonkatsu sauce and a thin layer of shredded cabbage. Then the crusts come off and it is cut into neat rectangles. One bite and you hear the crunch. Quick poll: A) pork, B) chicken, C) beef, or D) all three?

You will need: 2 boneless pork loin chops (3/4 inch thick), 1/2 cup flour, 1 egg, 1 cup panko, oil for frying, 4 slices soft milk bread, 1 cup finely shredded cabbage, 4 tablespoons tonkatsu sauce, 2 tablespoons Japanese mayo, salt, pepper.

How to make it: 1. Pound the pork lightly and season with salt and pepper. 2. Dredge in flour, dip in beaten egg and press into panko. 3. Fry in 350°F oil for 4 to 5 minutes until golden and cooked through. 4. Rest the cutlets on a rack for 3 minutes. 5. Spread the bread with mayo, add cabbage, the cutlet and tonkatsu sauce. 6. Top with bread, press gently, trim the crusts and cut in half.

Japanese Egg Salad Sando on Milk Bread

Travelers come home from Japan talking about a humble egg sandwich from the corner convenience store, and it really is that good. The filling is extra creamy thanks to Japanese mayo and a little milk, and it is piled thick on soft, sweet milk bread. Some people add a whole soft boiled egg in the middle so every cut shows a sunny yolk. Could this be the most underrated of all the famous sandwiches?

You will need: 6 eggs, 1/4 cup Japanese mayo, 1 tablespoon milk, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, white pepper, 4 thick slices milk bread or soft white bread, softened butter.

How to make it: 1. Boil the eggs for 10 minutes, then cool in ice water and peel. 2. Separate the yolks and mash them with the mayo, milk, sugar, salt and pepper until smooth. 3. Finely chop the whites and fold them in. 4. Spread a thin layer of butter on the bread. 5. Pile the filling thick on two slices and top with the others. 6. Trim the crusts and cut in half.

Chicago Italian Beef With Giardiniera

Of all the famous sandwiches in Chicago, this messy, juicy classic might be the most loved. Thin slices of seasoned roast beef soak in a garlicky, herby broth called jus, then get piled into a long Italian roll and topped with spicy giardiniera or sweet peppers. Locals order it dry, juicy or dipped, which means the whole sandwich takes a quick bath in the jus. How do you order yours: A) dry, B) juicy, or C) dipped?

You will need: 3 pound beef chuck or top round roast, 4 cups beef broth, 6 garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 6 Italian rolls, 1 cup hot giardiniera, roasted sweet peppers.

How to make it: 1. Season the roast and brown it on all sides in a large pot. 2. Add the broth, garlic, Italian seasoning, pepper flakes and black pepper. 3. Cover and cook at 325°F for about 3 hours, or until tender enough to slice thin. 4. Cool slightly, then slice the beef as thin as you can. 5. Return the slices to the hot jus. 6. Pile into rolls, spoon over jus and top with giardiniera or peppers.

Famous Sandwiches From New York: Pastrami on Rye

The old New York delis made pastrami on rye a bucket list bite. Peppery, smoky pastrami gets steamed until it is soft and juicy, then stacked sky high on seeded rye with a smear of spicy brown mustard. That is it, and that is the point. At home you can buy good pastrami and steam it to get that deli magic. Mustard only, or would you sneak on some Swiss cheese?

You will need: 1 pound sliced pastrami, 4 slices seeded rye bread, spicy brown mustard, dill pickles for serving.

How to make it: 1. Set a steamer basket over simmering water. 2. Steam the pastrami for 8 to 10 minutes until hot and tender. 3. Lightly warm the rye bread. 4. Spread both slices with mustard. 5. Pile half the pastrami on each bottom slice and close. 6. Cut in half and serve with a crunchy dill pickle.

Monte Cristo With Powdered Sugar and Jam

Is it breakfast, lunch or dessert? The Monte Cristo is the American cousin of the French croque monsieur, and it became a restaurant star in California in the 1950s and 60s. Ham, turkey and Swiss are dipped in an eggy batter, fried until golden, dusted with powdered sugar and served with jam for dipping. Sweet and salty in every bite. Would you try it, or does the sugar sound too wild?

You will need: 4 slices white bread, 4 slices ham, 4 slices turkey, 4 slices Swiss cheese, 2 eggs, 1/3 cup milk, pinch of salt, 2 tablespoons butter, powdered sugar, raspberry or strawberry jam.

How to make it: 1. Build two sandwiches with ham, turkey and Swiss. 2. Whisk the eggs, milk and salt in a shallow dish. 3. Dip each sandwich on both sides. 4. Cook in butter over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden and the cheese melts. 5. Cut in half. 6. Dust with powdered sugar and serve with jam.

Philadelphia Roast Pork With Broccoli Rabe and Provolone

Ask a Philadelphia local about the city’s best sandwich and many will skip the cheesesteak and point to this one. Juicy, garlicky roast pork gets sliced thin and piled on a seeded roll with sharp provolone and bitter, garlicky broccoli rabe. The flavors balance each other perfectly. If you love melty hot sandwiches, try our hot sandwiches for dinner next. Team roast pork or team cheesesteak?

You will need: 2 pound boneless pork shoulder, 6 garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, 1 tablespoon fennel seeds, 2 cups chicken broth, 1 bunch broccoli rabe, 2 tablespoons olive oil, red pepper flakes, 8 slices sharp provolone, 4 seeded Italian rolls, salt, pepper.

How to make it: 1. Rub the pork with half the garlic, rosemary, fennel, salt and pepper. 2. Roast at 325°F with the broth in the pan for about 3 hours until tender. 3. Rest, then slice thin and keep warm in the pan juices. 4. Blanch the broccoli rabe 2 minutes, then saute it with oil, the rest of the garlic and pepper flakes. 5. Line the rolls with provolone. 6. Add the pork, a spoon of juices and the broccoli rabe.

Uruguay’s Chivito Steak Sandwich

Uruguay calls the chivito its national sandwich, and among famous sandwiches it is a true tower. Legend says it was born in a beach town in the 1940s when a hungry customer asked for goat meat, and the cook used thin beef steak instead. Today it stacks steak, ham, bacon, melted mozzarella, a fried egg, lettuce, tomato and mayo on a soft roll. How many napkins do you think you would need?

You will need: 4 thin beef steaks (sirloin or tenderloin, pounded thin), 4 slices ham, 8 slices bacon, 4 slices mozzarella, 4 eggs, 4 soft sandwich rolls, lettuce, 2 tomatoes, mayonnaise, salt, pepper, oil.

How to make it: 1. Cook the bacon until crisp and set it aside. 2. Season the steaks and sear 1 minute per side in a hot oiled pan. 3. Top each steak with ham and mozzarella, cover and let the cheese melt. 4. Fry the eggs. 5. Toast the rolls and spread with mayo. 6. Stack lettuce, tomato, the steak with ham and cheese, bacon and an egg, then close.

Mexican Torta Ahogada (Drowned Sandwich)

Guadalajara is famous for this messy, wonderful sandwich. A crusty roll is stuffed with tender carnitas, then drowned in a warm, tangy tomato sauce, with a spicy chile sauce on the side for the brave. You eat it with a spoon or very carefully with your hands. It is one of those meals you remember for years. Quick poll: A) mild, B) medium, C) hot, or D) drowned in the spicy sauce?

You will need: 4 crusty bolillo rolls, 1 1/2 pounds cooked pork carnitas, 1 can (28 ounces) whole tomatoes, 1/2 onion, 2 garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1 cup water, 6 to 10 dried chiles de arbol (for the hot sauce), 1 tablespoon vinegar, pickled onions, salt.

How to make it: 1. Blend the tomatoes, onion, garlic, oregano, cumin, water and salt. 2. Simmer 10 minutes for the mild sauce. 3. For the hot sauce, toast the chiles, soak them 10 minutes and blend with vinegar, a garlic clove and a little water. 4. Split the rolls and stuff with warm carnitas. 5. Set each in a bowl and pour the mild sauce over. 6. Add the hot sauce to taste and top with pickled onions.

Famous Sandwiches From Philly: The Italian Hoagie

Philadelphia loves its hoagie so much that it was named the official sandwich of the city. A long, crusty roll gets layered with salami, capicola, ham and sharp provolone, then piled with shredded lettuce, tomato, onion and a splash of oil and vinegar with oregano. Many people swear it tastes even better after it sits for 30 minutes. Are you a hot peppers on top kind of person?

You will need: 4 long Italian rolls, 1/4 pound each Genoa salami, capicola and ham, 8 slices sharp provolone, 2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce, 2 tomatoes, 1/2 red onion, hot or sweet peppers, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, salt, pepper.

How to make it: 1. Whisk the oil, vinegar, oregano, salt and pepper. 2. Split the rolls without cutting all the way through. 3. Line with provolone, then layer the salami, capicola and ham. 4. Add the lettuce, thin sliced tomato and onion. 5. Drizzle with the dressing and add peppers if you like. 6. Wrap in paper, rest 15 to 30 minutes and slice in half.

Famous Sandwiches From Spain: Bocadillo de Jamon

In Spain, the simplest sandwich might be the most loved. A crusty baguette is rubbed with ripe tomato, drizzled with good olive oil and filled with paper thin slices of cured jamon. That is all, and it is perfect. It is what Spanish kids eat after school and what travelers grab at train stations. So after this world tour, which one goes on your must eat list first: A) the hoagie, B) the katsu sando, C) the muffuletta, or D) this one?

You will need: 1 crusty baguette, 2 ripe tomatoes, 1 garlic clove (optional), 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 1/4 pound thinly sliced jamon serrano, flaky salt.

How to make it: 1. Cut the baguette into 4 pieces and split each one. 2. Toast lightly if you like. 3. Rub the cut garlic over the bread, if using. 4. Halve the tomatoes and rub the cut side into the bread until it is pink and juicy. 5. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. 6. Fill with jamon and serve right away.