Last week we published a project we’ve been working on for quite a while: a list of 57 sandwiches that define New York City. (Someone named Dave in the comments generously suggested we rename the list, “Making Everyone Who Ever Left NYC Regret Their Choices.”)
You can imagine that narrowing down all of the city’s sandwiches was a very, very tall order. Across the five boroughs, there are iconic sandwiches, good-for-a-specific-use-case sandwiches, criminally underrated sandwiches and wonderful dishes that may or may not technically be sandwiches. (Many heated debates were had.)
In over 700 comments on the story and on social media, readers shared their opinions on our list. There was plenty of excitement, of course, and there were quite a few polite reminders of sandwiches we may have overlooked. So we asked for your top sandwiches. Below are 13 of our favorite submissions, which have been edited and condensed.
Johnny Roastbeef
Thin sliced roast beef, fresh mozzarella, caramelized onions and gravy.
John’s Deli, Gravesend, Brooklyn
This masterpiece takes almost 15 minutes to construct. (The sign says, “If you’re in a hurry, don’t bother.”) On classic local bread and ridiculously good ingredients, it is a link to the roast beef palaces of yore. When my brothers and I were selling my father’s house in the neighborhood, I brought a couple of these sandwiches back to the house while we waited for real estate agents. We all swooned, remembering lunches like this with Dad.
Joseph Baldari, Gravesend, Brooklyn
Turkey Leg Sandwich
Henry Public, Cobble Hill, Brooklyn
Lived in Brooklyn for years. Such a late night staple that then became a next day staple. So juicy and flavorful. I get it every time I go back.
Rodrigo Garcia de la Torre, Charleston, S.C.
Poll Special
Ham, fresh turkey, Swiss cheese, coleslaw, Russian dressing.
William Poll, Upper East Side
Truth be told, I love all Poll’s sandwiches, but this is the whopper. It packs in all these ingredients without sacrificing Poll’s characteristic daintiness. You could practically eat it with your white gloves on (not recommending that!), but you wouldn’t be hungry again for hours. When I go to Poll’s, I’m in the Manhattan I grew up in. I can hear my mother ordering roast beef with watercress dip on their thin-sliced rye while my BFF Judy’s grandmother asks for turkey and Swiss with coleslaw and Russian dressing. Or maybe it was the Poll special.
Maureen Fant, Rome
Prosciutto Panino
Prosciutto, fresh arugula, Parmesan, balsamic vinegar and olive oil on focaccia.
Il Buco Alimentari & Vineria, NoHo, Manhattan
Before leaving for a trip, I often ask myself this question: What is the last meal I want before leaving New York City? More often than not, the answer is this panino. The thinly sliced prosciutto offers a salty flavor, while the arugula brings a fresh and bitter kick. There’s a dusting of Parmesan in every bite and the focaccia soaks up the balsamic vinegar, deliciously enveloping all of the ingredients. It’s comforting and reminds me of home.
Jennifer Suzukawa-Tseng, New York
Tongue on Rye
Sarge’s Delicatessen, Murray Hill, Manhattan
The best deli sandwich in NYC: silky smooth tongue, immense portion, authentic old-school New York staff and atmosphere.
Daniel Isaacson, Woodside, Queens
Turkey Sandwich
Turkey roasted turkey, manchego, peppadews, pickled shallots, arugula and harissa mayo on a toasted baguette.
Dépanneur, Williamsburg, Brooklyn
The balance of the ingredients is a dance in your mouth with each new bite being the best. Half is great for lunch, and the other half works for dinner with a salad. Yum in the Tum rating is 10 plus out of 10. While the staff is not French, the feel is authentically laissez-faire. You will not be disappointed with the No. 4 Turkey. (To be rivaled only by the No. 9 Rosemary Ham.)
Pilley Bianchi, Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Veggie Sandwich
Avocado, hummus, radish, greens, pickled cabbage, tomato, chipotle aioli, sourdough.
Smor, East Village, Manhattan
The ingredients come together perfectly, great texture, fresh flavors.
Nikki Desai Bhandari, Lower East Side, New York
The Wild Child
Shrimp, bacon, steak, smoked Gouda, with barbecue sauce and honey mustard on a garlic hero.
Tasty Deli, Washington Heights, Manhattan
Every Sunday I go to Tasty Deli, humor myself into thinking I’m going to order a different sandwich, and inevitably order either the Wild Child or Finding Nemo. (The Finding Nemo has too many ingredients to mention, but all special, including Tasty’s amazing Jalisco sauce; if I ever leave Washington Heights, I will be buying Tasty Deli’s Jalisco sauce by the gallon.) These larger than needed sandwiches have the ideal amount of meat, sauces and cheese covering the entire hero. It’s one of the only things that makes watching the Jets palatable.
Jon Early, Washington Heights, Manhattan
The Isabella
Chicken cutlet, mozzarella, roasted peppers on ciabatta.
Tino’s Delicatessen, Belmont, the Bronx
You really can’t go wrong at Tino’s on Arthur Avenue. Everyone has a favorite, but the favorite favorite is probably the Isabella — chicken cutlet, mozzarella, roasted peppers, balsamic and oil on ciabatta. Sometimes the best thing is the simplest thing, especially when the ingredients are fresh. For me, well, I dream of the chicken Parm. But since everyone does a chicken Parm, I’m nominating a sandwich that’s just Tino’s.
Shannon Ducey
Fried Chicken Sandwich
Panko fried chicken breast, fennel slaw, chile de arbol, Duke’s mayo, pickles on sourdough pullman.
Winner, Park Slope
This is just simply one of the best sandwiches ever made. This sandwich was one of the reasons that I chose to move into the apartment I did. I looked at the apartment, went across the street, ate this sandwich and immediately signed the lease.
Cody Fitzgerald, Park Slope, Brooklyn
Crab BLT With Avocado
Crabby Shack, Crown Heights, Brooklyn
It’s such a distinctive and delicious sandwich, it hits the spot every time. While it’s rich for sure, it’s more likely to make you feel like you have a crown on your head than make you feel like you’ve overeaten. I think about it every time someone mentions “favorite sandwich.”
David Makris, Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn
Merguez Sandwich
Merguez & Frites, Astoria, Queens
I grew up in New York City (the No. 7 at Liebman’s was actually my favorite growing up) and this is one of the most unique and delicious finds I’ve had. The combination of fluffy bread, spicy merguez, fresh fries and tangy sauces is mind-blowing and so satisfying!
Barak Bacharach, Astoria, Queens
The Humidor
Mortadella, hot cherry peppers, sharp provolone, oil, balsamic.
Charlie’s Sandwich Shop, Bay Ridge, Brooklyn
Perfectly balanced. Samin Nosrat would be proud: salt, fat, acid, heat. Rustic on homemade Italian bread. Stacked high but not too high. Minimal and maximal at the same time. Italian and American. Sublime perfection without knowing or even caring. Fugghedaboutit. Lioni, Paneantico and John’s get the South Brooklyn fanfare — as they should — but Charlie’s is the little Sandwich Shop That Could, always coming through with continuity and charisma. Single-handedly responsible for two additional holes in my leather belt.
Steve Marchese, Bay Ridge, Brooklyn
