25 Must-Try East Coast Sandwiches Worth the Journey

Sandwiches have a storied history marked by multitudes of fillings, breads, and sides. However, the sandwich we know today started all the way back in the 18th century with John Montagu. If you’re unfamiliar with the name, it’s understandable, but perhaps his title will ring a bell: the Earl of Sandwich. There’s no way to be totally sure of exactly who created the very first sandwich (the idea has likely been around since the advent of bread), but Montagu is often attributed with the honor.  

Since then, sandwiches have become synonymous with versatility and convenience. Not to mention the fact that they’re incredibly portable, unlike a stew or rack of ribs, for example. Luckily for us, there are so many delicious sandwich options to choose from, and we’ve picked out 25 of them that you simply can’t miss on the East Coast. Pack your bags, ready your car, and head out on a culinary adventure.

When down in the American South, it’s always a good idea to order up a soul food staple, fried catfish, and the advice is no different in South Carolina. At Leon’s Oyster Shop, folks can eat oysters to their heart’s delight alongside some other incredible seafood, but the Crispy Catfish Sandwich takes the cake. It starts with a piece of crispy fried catfish that has a mild, earthy flavor and is put on a fluffy, light bun. At Leon’s, they keep the toppings simple to keep the focus on the fish with lettuce, tomato, hot sauce, and the South’s favorite mayonnaise: Duke’s Mayo. 

Biederman’s has been serving up delicious sandwiches to Plymouth, New Hampshire, residents for over 45 years. In that time, it has amassed a local cult following. Up until 2022, the original owners of Biederman’s (a husband and wife duo) owned the joint before selling it to two former employees who have since kept the magic alive. Of its stacked menu, the Pub Pile-Up might be one of the best. It’s a symphony of flavors with a base of smoked turkey and roast beef on a savory, fluffy onion roll. Then comes the extra flavor in the form of pepper jack cheese, red onions, bacon, and BBQ sauce. 

A good plant-based sandwich will have any meat or dairy lover hooked, and that’s what Seed to Sprout in Avon-by-the-Sea, New Jersey, has in its vegan bacon cheddar melt. The sandwich features marinated tempeh — also known as fermented soybean — that’s then seared to a nice, hearty caramelization. Piled onto the millet-flax bread are heaps of caramelized onions, coconut bacon, and loads of cashew cheese sauce. The sandwich is then griddled in coconut butter, and it was even featured on Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives” with Guy Fieri back in 2024.

While we don’t know exactly who first created the Cuban sandwich, it’s stood the test of time as an everlasting love letter to the immigrant experience of Cubans who came to the U.S. The Cuban sandwich consists of roast pork, ham, Swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard on Cuban bread, and Sanguich de Miami in Miami, Florida, is thought to be one of the best to do it. The Michelin Guide thinks so, too — it was added to the Michelin Guide in 2022. What makes Sanguich de Miami’s take on the Cubano so good? Its pork butt is marinated for a week and sandwiched between housemade bread.

Once upon a time, lobsters were considered a lower-class food that the elites of society didn’t bother with. A popular cheap protein, restaurants took notice, and as supplies in the oceans dwindled due to overfishing, lobster became a commodity that everyone now loves. Today, there are two distinct styles of lobster roll. The Connecticut version is served warm with butter, while the Maine-style sandwich is served cold with a mayonnaise-based dressing. Chipman’s Wharf in Milbridge, Maine, has sea-to-table lobsters, and fresh catch is brought in throughout the day to eat. During certain times of the year, the on-site grille transforms the lobsters into fan-favorite sandwiches that can be enjoyed with views of the water.

In Maryland, the blue crab reigns supreme, thanks to the Chesapeake Bay, an estuary (the largest in the country) nestled between Maryland and Virginia. The makeup of the bay is perfect for blue crabs to thrive. This is the best meat for crab cakes, and sandwiches are a great way to enjoy the tasty treats. Jimmy’s Famous Seafood in Baltimore, Maryland, has a menu featuring an incredible amount of fresh seafood, but its crab cake sandwich is a true winner. Coming in at 8 ounces, the sandwich is topped with crisp lettuce and creamy bay sauce — a zesty, tangy condiment that’s just right for crab cakes.

We may never know the true origin of pastrami sandwiches, but we do know that the Jewish community in New York City has helped launch this sandwich into the mainstream consciousness — and for good reason. We aren’t the first to say this, nor will we be the last, but the best place to grab a pastrami sandwich in New York has to be Katz’s Delicatessen. There’s a reason that the spot’s been in business since 1888. Not only has Katz’s made a name for itself based on word of mouth and reviews, but its food has heart in it, thanks to its tedious curing process of a month or so.

The state of Virginia is famous for its ham (among other things), and that history dates back to settlers in Jamestown when Europeans first came to what is now the United States. Indigenous populations were thought to have shared insight on curing and preserving meat with settlers, and that led to ham. One of the best places to get authentic country ham (a type of ham that is dry-cured and then smoked) is at Fulks Run Grocery in Fulks Run, Virginia. Fried Ham Fridays is an event, with people lining up to enjoy a delicious, salty sandwich made with just two ingredients: fried country ham and a bun. Owner Ron Turner shared with Garden & Gun that the ham is soaked in warm water and then lightly fried for an extra crisp.

A B.L.T. (bacon, lettuce, and tomato) sandwich is an American classic beloved all over the country. It’s difficult to look back in time to determine the originator of such a famous sandwich. With so many claimants to the title, it’s best to think instead of when it first rose to popularity. In the case of the B.L.T., that was post-World War II. Despite its limited ingredients, the sandwich has many, many iterations. However, the folks at Merritt’s Grill in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, decided instead to triple all the goodness of a regular BLT to give us the Triple B.L.T. However, the spot also has baby, single, and double versions of the sandwich to accommodate everyone’s appetites.

The po’ boy sandwich got its start in New Orleans, Louisiana, and many attribute its beginnings to the 1929 streetcar strike when the Martin Brothers Restaurant allegedly promised to feed the workers. Restaurant employees called out the term “poor boy,” in reference to the strikers. Across the country, there are iterations of the po’ boy, and one of those can be found at Henri’s Bakery in Atlanta, Georgia. The roast beef po’ boy features roast beef, ham, salami, and Swiss cheese with toppings of mayonnaise, mustard, and pickles on a halved French loaf. Avid fans can’t get enough of it.

Calzones and sandwiches are both popular as easy on-the-go eating. And the team at Little Country Pizza & BBQ in Providence, Rhode Island, thought to combine the two for a SamZone. This is a cheese calzone made with pizza dough and then filled with sandwich toppings. The one we recommend is the Italian Stallion, which has an exterior covered in both cheese and pepperoni with all the traditional Italian sub fillings. That means cured meats alongside provolone and a ton of vegetables (think banana peppers, onions, lettuce, tomato, etc.) for a crispy, tangy, and savory experience with every single bite. 

Due to its versatility of ingredients, meatloaf became an easy, delicious way for home chefs to provide hearty meals for their families during times of crisis like the Great Depression, World War I, and World War II. Nowadays, people make meatloaf in all sorts of new shapes and tastes, but Mae’s Sandwich Shop in Marshfield, Massachusetts, tends to keep its sandwich version relatively simple. The sandwich is a weekend-only special and is so popular it sells out (be sure to head there early if you’re going). The base is country white bread, and inside, a slab of meatloaf is combined with pickles, lettuce, tomato, red onion, a mustard glaze, and mayo. 

Breakfast sandwiches have long been about convenience, especially for busy workers or kids on the go as their parents round them up for school. Many think the breakfast sandwich got its origins in working-class England in the 1800s, and the Industrial Revolution may be to thank for these sandwiches making their way to the United States. Luckily for Call Your Mother Deli in Washington, D.C., its entire business is built off crafting a great sandwich base: the bagel. Call Your Mother’s Thunderbird sandwich takes a chewy maple salt and pepper bagel and stuffs it with maple chicken sausage, bodega-style eggs, American and cheddar cheese, and a drizzle of spicy honey. 

New England cuisine is marked by a historic reliance on its coasts and the fishing industry which still supports hundreds of communities across the region. The Dilly Duck Shop in Norwalk, Connecticut, prides itself as being one of many spots that takes New England cuisine and makes it its own. Dilly Duck’s rotisserie-roasted pork sandwich incorporates rotisserie pork — sliced thin — with provolone, sweet onion, bacon aioli, and stewed tomato on top. Using aioli instead of mayo gives the sandwich a zing and umami flavor that pairs delightfully with the juiciness of the pork and the slight sweetness of the stewed tomato. 

Before we dive into the Monte Crystal at Gaudiello’s in Wilmington, Delaware, we think it best to look back at the origins of the sandwich that inspired it. A Monte Cristo sandwich is traditionally ham, turkey, Swiss cheese, and mayo on white bread. The sandwich is then dipped in an egg batter mixture before being fried much in the same way French toast is. Gaudiello’s takes the ham and Swiss but serves it on sugary French toast with jezebel sauce on the side. The interior of the sandwich comes out gooey, savory, and salty, while the exterior is sweet. 

Founded in 1968 Sam LaGrassa’s is the place to be in Boston for a hearty, jam-packed sandwich that hits the spot every time. Its Romanian-style pastrami is made with traditional preparation and comes in a huge helping with each sandwich. The pastrami and corned beef sandwich takes two well-loved and culturally important meats and brings them together on two slices of light rye bread. Dressed with coleslaw, Swiss cheese, and Russian dressing, the end product creates a salty, savory sandwich that does right by Romanian and Irish food traditions. 

Many in the United States grew up with grilled cheese sandwiches, and the popularity of the basic but incredible sandwich was again thanks to tough economic hardship during the Great Depression. Since then, people have been adding their own flair, oftentimes taking ingredients in other beloved dishes and stuffing them into a grilled cheese. One such culinary hub is that of The Happy Grilled Cheese in Jacksonville, Florida. Its specialty is grilled cheese, but don’t expect any boring options here. The No Hangover Melt is a cheesy, meaty indulgence that takes three kinds of cheeses and adds mac and cheese, barbecue pulled pork, grilled onions, coleslaw, and pickles. 

It’s not a sandwich list without a fried chicken sandwich. We know that the American South has a claim to fried chicken, though the Scottish were thought to be one of the first to do it. However, cities around the world are making fried chicken sandwiches of their own, and The Commodore in Brooklyn, New York, is one of them. The crispy piece of chicken can be made mild, medium, or hot and is served on a sesame seed bun. Then, it’s topped with coleslaw or mayo and pickles for a flavorful and textural contrast. 

The Philly cheesesteak is one of the most recognizable sandwiches in the United States and got its start in its namesake city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This may be a controversial recommendation given that Pat’s King of Steaks (the founding restaurant behind cheesesteaks) is still around, but all we’re saying is that Delessandro’s Steaks and Hoagies should be at least one of many cheesesteaks you eat on a trip through the City of Brotherly Love. The steak there is finely chopped — you won’t find any chunks here — and the cheese isn’t overpowering but rather a complement to the juiciness of the steak. 

Sometime during France’s colonial occupation of Vietnam — which lasted from the late 1800s through 1954 — the bánh mì was born. It’s a sandwich that uses the foundation of a fresh baguette to make it shine. In Vietnamese, bánh mì translates to “bread,” further solidifying the sheer importance of the crispy exterior and soft interior of baguettes. At Lee’s Bakery in Atlanta, Georgia, they strive to emulate a layered flavor profile with each sandwich they make. The bakery serves plenty of variations of bánh mì, but the grilled pork bánh mì is its most popular rendition and has grilled barbecue pork and fresh, crunchy vegetables.

An arepa is a cornmeal cake that’s cut open once cooked and stuffed with a variety of fillings. Its origins can be found in Colombia and Venezuela with indigenous tribes that grew maize (corn) and processed it for their food. Once the corn was picked and dried, it was ground and then mixed with water and salt to form a pasty dough. La Calle Arepas Bar in Norwalk, Connecticut, serves things Venezuelan-style with amazing cachapas and patacones in addition to arepas. Its pabellón arepa has shredded beef, fried plantains, and black beans and is topped with delicious and soft shredded cheese.

Cheesesteaks aren’t the only famous sandwiches in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Let us introduce you to the roast pork sandwich. It’s thought that roast pork sandwiches got their start in the Abruzzese region of Italy. Today, Tommy DiNic’s is simply one sandwich you can’t pass up. It’s a rival to John’s Roast Pork and serves sandwiches that have been called “The Best Sandwich in America” on Adam Richman’s Travel Channel show. Its menu is straight to the point, and the roast pork has only provolone cheese, broccoli rabe, and a jus to complement the sliced pork.

At Bub and Pop’s, they aim to produce hoagies that span from fried chicken cutlets to beef brisket and cheesesteaks. Bub and Pop are Chef Jon Taub’s (who got his training in the art of French cooking) grandparents, Mae and Irv. Today, Taub keeps that spirit for delicious, nostalgic food alive and was featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives for several of the restaurants’ sandwiches. Located in the Dupont Circle neighborhood of Washington, D.C., Bub and Pop’s has a killer Italian hoagie. Featuring all the meats and vegetables, hoagie relish, Bub’s vinaigrette, and pecorino romano, the hoagie is a hearty helping.

Normally, we wouldn’t say a sandwich chain is worthy of a road trip, but Capriotti’s has a sandwich you won’t want to miss. They have dozens of shops in the United States, but to get the best experience with the Bobbie, we recommend you go to the original location in Wilmington, Delaware. The Hot Bobbie is, in simple terms, Thanksgiving on a sandwich. It takes slow-roasted, hand-pulled turkey and tops it with deliciously tart cranberry sauce, well-spiced stuffing, and a healthy layer of creamy mayo. It’s so good that AOL.com previously named it “The Greatest Sandwich in America,” and former President Joe Biden is reportedly a fan.

There’s nothing like a brisket sandwich, especially when it’s combined with another Southern staple: pimento cheese. The team at Heirloom Market BBQ in Atlanta, Georgia knows exactly what they’re doing by combining Southern specialties with Asian flavors, which brings us to the tempura fried onion ring that crowns the Masters Sandwich. It’s a smoky, gooey, crunchy bite every time and embodies the cuisine and flavors that are so special to the region. Plus, its name is a nod to the most prestigious golf tournament held in the state, which is a fun ode. Their barbecue is so good that it’s worth the stop, according to the Michelin Guide.