This story originally appeared on Foodandwine.com.
Related: Put Some Fruit in Your Guacamole
Monsanto and Bayer Are Merging: Here's What It Means for the Food Industry
Anthony Bourdain Is Going on Tour
Americans may never get over their obsession with amazing hamburgers, but they've certainly made room for an equally delicious meal between bread: the artisanal sandwich. "When you work with burgers, the flavors are a little limiting," says Tommy Habetz of Portland, Oregon's incredible Bunk Sandwiches. "Since sandwiches exist in almost every culture, it's possible to draw inspiration from a variety of different cooking styles when making them." Here, the most exciting sandwich upgrades in the country.
Arlington, VA; Washington, DC: Bayou Bakery
Sandwich: Muff-a-Lotta
Chef-partner and New Orleans native David Guas’s menu spells muffaletta phonetically according to the Yat pronunciation (an English dialect unique to NOLA). His recipe also stays true to his roots with a briny garlic-and-oregano-laced olive salad, salami, mortadella, smoked ham and aged provolone in a sesame-seed-studded toasted Italian roll.bayoubakeryva.com
Miami: Bin No. 18
Sandwich: De-Constructed Cuban
Shredded pork and gooey triple-cream cheese fill a tomato-garlic-and-olive-oil-rubbed ciabatta roll in Bin No. 18's loose interpretation of the traditional Cuban sandwich. Although it's served with a fig-and-port-wine reduction, customers usually skip the accompaniment and reach for the hot sauce Sriracha. bin18miami.com
Oakland, CA: Bakesale Betty
Sandwich: Fried Chicken Sandwich
These delicious sandwiches, filled with crispy buttermilk-soaked, cayenne pepper-spiced fried chicken, sell out fast. Bakesale Betty is only open for three hours a day—even less if there aren't enough sweet torpedo rolls to keep making sandwiches. bakesalebetty.com
New York, NY; Brooklyn, NY: Mile End
Sandwich: Smoked Meat
To create smoked meat—NYC pastrami's fattier, spicier Canadian cousin—for the sandwiches at his Montreal-style Jewish deli in Boerum Hill, chef-owner Noah Bernamoff cures Pat LaFrieda-sourced, prime-Angus-certified beef brisket in a dry rub of salt, black pepper, spices and garlic before oak-smoking and steaming the meat for several hours. mileendbrooklyn.com
Ann Arbor, MI: Zingerman's
Sandwich: Reuben
Oprah Winfrey is a noted fan of this grocery-store-turned-Jewish-deli's famed Reuben—and with good reason. The sandwiches are made with locally sourced corned beef, Emmentaler Swiss cheese, house-made Russian dressing and house-made rye bread. Zingerman's shop also offers mail-order sandwich kits for out-of-state Reuben cravings. zingermansdeli.com
Philadelphia: KOJA
Sandwich: Korean Bulgogi Cheesesteak
This food truck's sweet-spicy take on the traditional Philadelphia cheesesteak features Korean marinated barbecue beef (bulgogi) and a generous smear of gochujang (fermented spicy red soy bean paste) paired with the usual melted provolone, onions and bell peppers.@kojafoodtruck
Charleston, SC : Butcher & Bee
Sandwich: Pulled Squash Sandwich
Although the menu here changes daily depending on what's growing in the restaurant's backyard, this rave-worthy riff on a pulled pork sandwich makes frequent appearances. Thin slices of perfectly cooked squash get tossed in house-made barbecue sauce and piled with hickory-smoked cabbage cole slaw onto a freshly baked hoagie roll. butcherandbee.com
