Bottega Cafe, Birmingham, Alabama
Celebrated chef Frank Stitt created this great lamb sausage–and-walnut wrap in honor of his Iranian wife.
2240 Highland Ave. S, Birmingham; bottegarestaurant.com
Pane Bianco, Phoenix, Arizona
Chef Chris Bianco transformed his famous pizza into this caprese sandwich on focaccia.
4404 N. Central Ave., Phoenix; pizzeriabianco.com/#pane
Jimmy's Serious Sandwiches, Little Rock, Arkansas
This mushroom-and-sprout number won a national contest in 1979 and is still a local fave.
5116 W. Markham St., Little Rock; jimmystogo.com
Bäco Mercat, Los Angeles, California
Of this upscale joint's flatbread-taco sandwiches (called bäcos), the braised oxtail version is tops.
408 S. Main St., Los Angeles; bacomercat.com
Vert Kitchen, Denver, Colorado
The key to the super-moist roast turkey on this sandwich is a two-day salt, sugar and apple cider vinegar brine.
704 S. Pearl St., Denver; vertkitchen.com
Caseus, New Haven, Connecticut
This is serious grilled cheese, made with six types (including gruyère, comté and gouda) and extra-thick bread.
93 Whitney Ave., New Haven; caseusnewhaven.com
Sundevich, Washington, DC
This is like a Middle Eastern burger: a spicy beef-and-lamb patty topped with tzatziki, tomato and herbs.
1314 9th St. NW, Washington D.C.; sundevich.com
Frenchy's, Florida
This chain has six boats dedicated to catching fish for its specialties, like the beloved grouper sandwich.
multiple locations; frenchysonline.com
Home Grown, Atlanta, Georgia
This is the best of the South in one package: pimiento cheese, fried green tomatoes and bacon on Texas toast.
968 Memorial Dr. SE, Atlanta; homegrownga.com
Kaka'ako Kitchen, Honolulu, Hawaii
This is not your usual tuna sandwich: It's a juicy ahi steak with teriyaki sauce on a purple taro bun.
Ward Centre, 1200 Ala Moana Blvd, Honolulu; kakaakokitchen.com
Bar Gernika, Boise, Idaho
This spicy Basque-inspired lamb sandwich is right at home in Boise, home to a large Basque population.
202 S. Capitol Blvd., Boise; bargernika.com
XOCO, Chicago, Illinois
The name means “drowned sandwich”: This delicious pork (carnitas) torta comes sliced-side down in tomato broth.
449 N. Clark St., Chicago; rickbayless.com
The Cheddar Box, Louisville, Kentucky
This lunch-only spot serves a Kentucky favorite (cucumber mixed with cream cheese) as the base for an amazing BLT.
3909 Chenoweth Sq., Louisville; thecheddarbox.com
Casamento's Restaurant, New Orleans, Louisiana
Crispy fried oysters on soft (not crusty) white bread make this a perfect alterna-po'boy.
4330 Magazine St., New Orleans; casamentosrestaurant.com
Duckfat, Portland, Maine
Chef Rob Evans presses delicious duck confit into this panini with a sweet seasonal spread like fig or blueberry.
43 Middle St., Portland; duckfat.com
Slows Bar B Q, Detroit, Michigan
Oddly, chicken is the star at this barbecue joint. The smoked meat is doused in mustard sauce and piled high.
2138 Michigan Ave., Detroit; slowsbarbq.com
St. Paul Cheese Shop, St. Paul, Minnesota
This shop makes the most of its top-quality cheese in simple sandwiches like this.
Multiple locations; stpaulcheeseshop.com
Salume Beddu, St. Louis, Missouri
This tiny salumeria pairs Italian speck with preserved lemons on locally made bread. It's a winning combo.
3467 Hampton Ave., St. Louis; salumebeddu.com
Staggering Ox, Montana
Co-owner Keith Clevenger stuffs ham, turkey and roast beef into trademarked cylindrical bread loaves to make this super popular sandwich.
multiple locations, Montana; staggeringox.com
Maggie's, Lincoln, Nebraska
Even meat lovers in Nebraska crave this tasty veggie wrap, stuffed with cheese and mustard sauce.
311 N. Eighth St., Lincoln; maggiesvegetarian.com
Miller's, Littleton, New Hampshire
Chef David Eyler creates New England fusion by filling tandoori flatbread with tender Yankee pot roast.
16 Mill St., Littleton; millerscafeandbakery.com
Mucho, Santa Fe, New Mexico
This grilled cheese comes with special features: crunchy bacon and New Mexico's prized green chiles.
1711 Llano St., Santa Fe; muchosantafe.com
Parm, New York, New York
The Italian-American classic is handled with care here: It's perfect chicken parm on a soft semolina roll.
248 Mulberry St., New York City; parmnyc.com
Hodo Lounge, Fargo, North Dakota
Of all the great upscale sandwiches here, the roast beef with gruyère is the best.
at the Hotel Donaldson, 101 Broadway, Fargo; hoteldonaldson.com
Barroco Grill, Lakewood, Ohio
Arepas — thick stuffed corn tortillas — have come to Ohio, and locals rave about this chorizo-stuffed one.
12906 Madison Ave., Lakewood; barrocogrill.com
Jamil's Steakhouse, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
This steakhouse's bologna is for grown-ups: It's smoked and served on a pretzel bun.
4910 N. Lincoln Blvd., Oklahoma City; jamilssteakhouseokc.com
Bunk Sandwiches, Portland, Oregon
This Cuban is a classic, only fattier and better: In place of roast pork is molasses-rubbed pork belly.
multiple locations, Portland; bunksandwiches.com
Primanti Bros., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Open 24 hours a day, Primanti Bros. serves its over-the-top kielbasa sandwich with french fries right in the middle.
46 18th St., Pittsburgh; primantibros.com
Hewtin's Dog Mobile, Providence, Rhode Island
This meatloaf is the texture of pâté, and even better, it's wrapped in bacon.
Twitter for location: @ChezPascal, Providence
Ted's Butcherblock, Charleston, South Carolina
Each month, a new artisanal bacon gets top billing on this no-nonsense sandwich.
334 East Bay St., Charleston; tedsbutcherblock.com
Teddy's Deli, Keystone, South Dakota
This deli serves a favorite American sandwich in a classic American setting: the shadow of Mount Rushmore.
236 Winter St., Keystone; teddysdeli.com
Sloco, Nashville, Tennessee
This tasty dark meat–only chicken salad is hyper local: The ingredients all come from nearby farms and suppliers.
2905 12th Ave. S., Nashville; slocolocal.com
Patina Green Home and Market, McKinney, Texas
If you're lucky, this will be on the menu when you go: It's made with smoked cheddar.
116 N. Tennessee St., McKinney; patinagreenhomeandmarket.com
No. 9 Lounge, Alexandria, Virginia
These three fried-chicken sliders come drenched in redeye gravy and served on fluffy sweet-potato biscuits.
2000 Mt. Vernon Ave., Alexandria; eveningstarcafe.net
Sirens Pub, Port Townsend, Washington
This place is right on the water, and the wild Alaskan salmon comes straight from local trollers.
823 Water St., Port Townsend; sirenspub.com
Honeypie, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
This hearty short rib sandwich comes with a Dairy State staple: creamy fontina cheese.
2643 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., Milwaukee; honeypiecafe.com
Wind River Brewing Company, Pinedale, Wyoming
The sauce on this popular smoked brisket is made with the brewery's own porter.
402 Pine St., Pinedale; windriverbrewingco.com