clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile
A sandwiches packed with meat and peppers on a French roll.
Kasama’s tribute to the Italian beef combo is stellar.
Garrett Sweet/Eater

Chicago’s Essential Sandwiches to Try

Break free from sandwich chains and treat your tastebuds

View as Map
Kasama’s tribute to the Italian beef combo is stellar.
| Garrett Sweet/Eater

The Midwest excels at comfort foods, and Chicago is at the center of it all. Lately, the city’s experienced a rush of new bakery-cafes and other sandwich vendors. The creativity and seriousness to the craft have been refreshing.

The sandwich may be a simple construct that involves assorted meats, cheeses, vegetables, and condiments in between two slices of bread, but Chicago's sandwich scene is bananas with both simple classics and gourmet options available. Escape the chains and opt for one of these treats.

Note: Burgers, hot dogs, and sausages on buns are excluded from consideration.

Read More
If you buy something or book a reservation from an Eater link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics policy.

Nhu Lan Bakery

Copy Link

Hungry lunch crowds have long swarmed this Lincoln Square treasure for its Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches. The house-baked baguettes give a pleasing crunch and are paired with meats, seafood, or tofu plus sweet pickled daikon, fresh cucumber spears, and lots of cilantro. A second Nhu Lan outpost is located in Uptown.

L&M Fine Foods

Copy Link

L&M Fine Foods has a stellar deli counter in the back of this gourmet store, and there are plenty of challenging decisions presented by the menu. The porchetta, made in the store, is a standout, served with garlic aioli and capers. Get this one hot and take a minute to savor it all.

J.T.’s Genuine Sandwich Shop

Copy Link

Irving Park shop JT’s pulls on Midwestern influences for much of its menu, which includes options like a breaded pork tenderloin sandwich and a Coney dog. Owner Christopher Cunningham’s finest creation, however, is a riff on a Philly favorite, the Italian roast pork sandwich. His version consists of thinly-shaved pork in a honey and garlic glaze, served on a sesame roll with provolone, grilled rapini, Calabrian chili aioli, and jus. Al fresco dining is available on the restaurant’s patio when the weather permits. Online ordering is available here.

TriBecca’s Sandwich Shop

Copy Link

A spinoff of Honey Butter Fried Chicken, TriBecca is rooted in Midwestern nostalgia. There are several winners here, but here’s one for vegetarians: the Roasted C.A.M. It’s a symphony of roasted carrots, Portabella mushrooms, apples, and fontina cheese. 

Loaf Lounge

Copy Link

The bread’s the difference at Loaf Lounge, a pandemic pivot for a husband-and-wife team who worked at acclaimed restaurants like Giant and Sepia. For their simple BLT, the jalapeño-cheddar bread elevates everything. Don’t forget to buy a loaf to bring home where you can treat yourself to midnight snacks.

Big Kids

Copy Link

The hottest sandwich shop in town is the brainchild of former Blackbird chef Ryan Pfeiffer and Mason Hereford of celebrated New Orleans destination Turkey & the Wolf. Drawing on ‘90s nostalgia, the pair create unique and playful items like a fried bologna sandwich and a vegan taco tot melt. The collard melt, a Turkey & the Wolf original, also makes an appearance here. This intriguing sandwich, which boasts braised collard greens, Russian dressing, coleslaw, and Swiss cheese on rye bread, is short on meat but big on flavor. Online orders can be placed here.

Daisies

Copy Link

Daisies’ lunch service will soon slumber as ownership prepares to open a new location and remodel its original into a market and full-time lunch spot. For lunch, the Philly Steak & Cheese is outrageous. One of the richest sandwiches in the city, it’s made with sliced wagyu, roasted peppers, and Daisies’ take on Cheez Whiz (it’s spiked with jalapeño).

Le Bouchon

Copy Link

Le Bouchon is a classic Chicago restaurant with all the vibes of what one would expect from a French bistro. For lunch, dine on a French dip made with roast wagyu beef, Raclette, and cornichon aioli. A side of French onion broth is provided for dipping pleasure.

La Bomba

Copy Link

It’s not as nationally famous as other iconic Chicago dishes but the jibarito deserves recognition. Originally created at the late Borinquen by Juan Figueroa, the Puerto Rican sandwich is defined by thinly sliced steak, lettuce, tomato, mayo, and cheese between fried plantains. Today, it’s available at many Latin American restaurants like La Bomba, where the recipe remains unchanged. Online orders can be placed here.

Hermosa Restaurant

Copy Link

Ethan Lim’s Pan-Asian sandwich shop charms diners by riffing on classics, such as a bulgogi cheesesteak. But the best of the bunch is the fried chicken sandwich that embraces Cambodian flavors with pickled papaya, long beans, Asian herbs, and garlic mayo. Order online here.

Phodega

Copy Link

Phodega attempts reverse psychology with signs reading “you won’t like it.” Well, this Vietnamese American restaurant’s food stars in this fast-casual meet corner store concept in Bucktown. They’ve adapted the French dip using a beef banh mi and a side of pho. 

Johnnie's Beef

Copy Link

The Italian beef is perhaps the most iconic sandwich in all of Chicago. Although it’s hotly contested, a large chunk of people think the best one is found at Johnnie's Beef out in Elmwood Park. Order it the traditional way: Topped with spicy giardiniera or sweet peppers, and dipped in jus. Picnic tables are set up outside for dining. A second location is in Arlington Heights.

Kasama is the only Michelin-starred Filipino restaurant in the world. That honoir is mostly due to its fancy dinner service. But that doesn’t mean lunch is an afterthought. Chef Tim Flores provides a tribute to Chicago with a sandwich made from sliced pork dunked on adobo jus and then torpedoed with a longaniza. It’s his version of the Italian beef combo, and it’s wonderful.

Tempesta Market

Copy Link

Father-and-son duo Agostino and Tony Fiasche’s cured meats market in West Town has earned rave reviews since opening at the end of 2017. Nduja, a spreadable cured sausage from the Calabrian region of Italy, is the favorite here and for good reason as the family is also behind Nduja Artisans salumeria. Diners should try the Dante, an Italian sandwich holding six layers of nduja, soppressata, mortadella, finnochinoa, coppa, and porchetta as well as giardiniera, nduja aioli, lettuce, and tomato. Order online here.

Manny's Cafeteria & Delicatessen

Copy Link

Hailed as "Chicago’s Finest Deli," Manny's Cafeteria & Delicatessen remodeled and expanded its space a few years ago but the food is still as good as when it opened in 1942. Taste a bit of that history with Manny’s famous corned beef, sliced thinly to perfection and served on bread or a roll along with a pickle spear. Outdoor seating is available. Online ordering is available here.

Ricobene's

Copy Link

When USA Today called the breaded steak sandwich at this South Side pizzeria the best sandwich in the world, it unsurprisingly caused a bit of a stir. Whether folks agree or not, the article made the combination of breaded steak, tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, and hot giardiniera a must-try. Save time be ordering ahead here.

Maxwell Street Depot

Copy Link

"Every visitor to Chicago should experience a pork chop sandwich," writes Mike Baruch in Street Food Chicago. Legend has it that Jim's Original was the first to serve the sandwich in 1941, but Maxwell Street Depot is also known for offering it to customers 24 hours a day. Unique for having a "bone on a bun," the sandwich features a tender, juicy, bone-in pork chop that's thrown between a bun and loaded with mustard, grilled onions, and hot peppers.

Daisy's Po' Boy and Tavern

Copy Link

The owners of Virtue aimed to give Chicago a taste of New Orleans in Hyde Park. The bread for Daisy’s po-boys is imported and the fried catfish is easily adapted from Virtue’s delicious recipe.

A shrimp po’boy sandwich on a square plate.
Daisy’s is from James Beard Award-winning chef Erick Williams.
Barry Brecheisen/Eater Chicago

Stony Sub

Copy Link

The origins of the “Gym Shoe” sandwich are unclear. Eaters, though, couldn’t care less because the delicious South Side creation at Stony Sub arrives packed with a heaping pile of roast beef, gyro meat, and corned beef and mixed with giardiniera, sweet peppers, onions, tzatziki sauce, tomatoes, Swiss cheese, and mayo. It’s quite the mouthful and certainly leagues better than the odd name implies.

Hot Chi Chicken & Cones

Copy Link

Chicago is the land of mild sauce, the only good use for ketchup in the city (the famous condiment is a mixture of the stuff with barbecue sauce and other flavorings). But Hot Chi Chicken proves that this city enjoys its heat with a wonderfully hot sandwich that mocks the fascination with a certain fast-food chain. “Popeyes Ain’t !@#%” brings heat thanks to a mixture of Kashmiri and other chiles with some harissa for a multi-culture party in your mouth. Please be careful about the spice levels and don’t wipe your eyes.

Home of the Hoagy

Copy Link

Italian beef gets all of the hype but sweet steak is Chicago’s true variant of the Philly cheesesteak. Popularized on the South Side, the sandwich sports coarsely chopped rib eye, sweet peppers, tomatoes, and a signature sweet sauce on a sub roll.

Nhu Lan Bakery

Hungry lunch crowds have long swarmed this Lincoln Square treasure for its Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches. The house-baked baguettes give a pleasing crunch and are paired with meats, seafood, or tofu plus sweet pickled daikon, fresh cucumber spears, and lots of cilantro. A second Nhu Lan outpost is located in Uptown.

L&M Fine Foods

L&M Fine Foods has a stellar deli counter in the back of this gourmet store, and there are plenty of challenging decisions presented by the menu. The porchetta, made in the store, is a standout, served with garlic aioli and capers. Get this one hot and take a minute to savor it all.

J.T.’s Genuine Sandwich Shop

Irving Park shop JT’s pulls on Midwestern influences for much of its menu, which includes options like a breaded pork tenderloin sandwich and a Coney dog. Owner Christopher Cunningham’s finest creation, however, is a riff on a Philly favorite, the Italian roast pork sandwich. His version consists of thinly-shaved pork in a honey and garlic glaze, served on a sesame roll with provolone, grilled rapini, Calabrian chili aioli, and jus. Al fresco dining is available on the restaurant’s patio when the weather permits. Online ordering is available here.

TriBecca’s Sandwich Shop

A spinoff of Honey Butter Fried Chicken, TriBecca is rooted in Midwestern nostalgia. There are several winners here, but here’s one for vegetarians: the Roasted C.A.M. It’s a symphony of roasted carrots, Portabella mushrooms, apples, and fontina cheese. 

Loaf Lounge

The bread’s the difference at Loaf Lounge, a pandemic pivot for a husband-and-wife team who worked at acclaimed restaurants like Giant and Sepia. For their simple BLT, the jalapeño-cheddar bread elevates everything. Don’t forget to buy a loaf to bring home where you can treat yourself to midnight snacks.

Big Kids

The hottest sandwich shop in town is the brainchild of former Blackbird chef Ryan Pfeiffer and Mason Hereford of celebrated New Orleans destination Turkey & the Wolf. Drawing on ‘90s nostalgia, the pair create unique and playful items like a fried bologna sandwich and a vegan taco tot melt. The collard melt, a Turkey & the Wolf original, also makes an appearance here. This intriguing sandwich, which boasts braised collard greens, Russian dressing, coleslaw, and Swiss cheese on rye bread, is short on meat but big on flavor. Online orders can be placed here.

Daisies

Daisies’ lunch service will soon slumber as ownership prepares to open a new location and remodel its original into a market and full-time lunch spot. For lunch, the Philly Steak & Cheese is outrageous. One of the richest sandwiches in the city, it’s made with sliced wagyu, roasted peppers, and Daisies’ take on Cheez Whiz (it’s spiked with jalapeño).

Le Bouchon

Le Bouchon is a classic Chicago restaurant with all the vibes of what one would expect from a French bistro. For lunch, dine on a French dip made with roast wagyu beef, Raclette, and cornichon aioli. A side of French onion broth is provided for dipping pleasure.

La Bomba

It’s not as nationally famous as other iconic Chicago dishes but the jibarito deserves recognition. Originally created at the late Borinquen by Juan Figueroa, the Puerto Rican sandwich is defined by thinly sliced steak, lettuce, tomato, mayo, and cheese between fried plantains. Today, it’s available at many Latin American restaurants like La Bomba, where the recipe remains unchanged. Online orders can be placed here.

Hermosa Restaurant

Ethan Lim’s Pan-Asian sandwich shop charms diners by riffing on classics, such as a bulgogi cheesesteak. But the best of the bunch is the fried chicken sandwich that embraces Cambodian flavors with pickled papaya, long beans, Asian herbs, and garlic mayo. Order online here.

Phodega

Phodega attempts reverse psychology with signs reading “you won’t like it.” Well, this Vietnamese American restaurant’s food stars in this fast-casual meet corner store concept in Bucktown. They’ve adapted the French dip using a beef banh mi and a side of pho. 

Johnnie's Beef

The Italian beef is perhaps the most iconic sandwich in all of Chicago. Although it’s hotly contested, a large chunk of people think the best one is found at Johnnie's Beef out in Elmwood Park. Order it the traditional way: Topped with spicy giardiniera or sweet peppers, and dipped in jus. Picnic tables are set up outside for dining. A second location is in Arlington Heights.

Kasama

Kasama is the only Michelin-starred Filipino restaurant in the world. That honoir is mostly due to its fancy dinner service. But that doesn’t mean lunch is an afterthought. Chef Tim Flores provides a tribute to Chicago with a sandwich made from sliced pork dunked on adobo jus and then torpedoed with a longaniza. It’s his version of the Italian beef combo, and it’s wonderful.

Tempesta Market

Father-and-son duo Agostino and Tony Fiasche’s cured meats market in West Town has earned rave reviews since opening at the end of 2017. Nduja, a spreadable cured sausage from the Calabrian region of Italy, is the favorite here and for good reason as the family is also behind Nduja Artisans salumeria. Diners should try the Dante, an Italian sandwich holding six layers of nduja, soppressata, mortadella, finnochinoa, coppa, and porchetta as well as giardiniera, nduja aioli, lettuce, and tomato. Order online here.

Manny's Cafeteria & Delicatessen

Hailed as "Chicago’s Finest Deli," Manny's Cafeteria & Delicatessen remodeled and expanded its space a few years ago but the food is still as good as when it opened in 1942. Taste a bit of that history with Manny’s famous corned beef, sliced thinly to perfection and served on bread or a roll along with a pickle spear. Outdoor seating is available. Online ordering is available here.

Related Maps

Ricobene's

When USA Today called the breaded steak sandwich at this South Side pizzeria the best sandwich in the world, it unsurprisingly caused a bit of a stir. Whether folks agree or not, the article made the combination of breaded steak, tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, and hot giardiniera a must-try. Save time be ordering ahead here.

Maxwell Street Depot

"Every visitor to Chicago should experience a pork chop sandwich," writes Mike Baruch in Street Food Chicago. Legend has it that Jim's Original was the first to serve the sandwich in 1941, but Maxwell Street Depot is also known for offering it to customers 24 hours a day. Unique for having a "bone on a bun," the sandwich features a tender, juicy, bone-in pork chop that's thrown between a bun and loaded with mustard, grilled onions, and hot peppers.

Daisy's Po' Boy and Tavern

The owners of Virtue aimed to give Chicago a taste of New Orleans in Hyde Park. The bread for Daisy’s po-boys is imported and the fried catfish is easily adapted from Virtue’s delicious recipe.

A shrimp po’boy sandwich on a square plate.
Daisy’s is from James Beard Award-winning chef Erick Williams.
Barry Brecheisen/Eater Chicago

Stony Sub

The origins of the “Gym Shoe” sandwich are unclear. Eaters, though, couldn’t care less because the delicious South Side creation at Stony Sub arrives packed with a heaping pile of roast beef, gyro meat, and corned beef and mixed with giardiniera, sweet peppers, onions, tzatziki sauce, tomatoes, Swiss cheese, and mayo. It’s quite the mouthful and certainly leagues better than the odd name implies.

Hot Chi Chicken & Cones

Chicago is the land of mild sauce, the only good use for ketchup in the city (the famous condiment is a mixture of the stuff with barbecue sauce and other flavorings). But Hot Chi Chicken proves that this city enjoys its heat with a wonderfully hot sandwich that mocks the fascination with a certain fast-food chain. “Popeyes Ain’t !@#%” brings heat thanks to a mixture of Kashmiri and other chiles with some harissa for a multi-culture party in your mouth. Please be careful about the spice levels and don’t wipe your eyes.

Home of the Hoagy

Italian beef gets all of the hype but sweet steak is Chicago’s true variant of the Philly cheesesteak. Popularized on the South Side, the sandwich sports coarsely chopped rib eye, sweet peppers, tomatoes, and a signature sweet sauce on a sub roll.

Related Maps