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
Cafe 817, Anchorage, Alaska
This 25-year-old café is known for muffins, but the best thing here is the massive reindeer sausage sandwich.
817 W. 6th Ave., Anchorage; 907-279-6836
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
Sambo's Tavern, Leipsic, Delaware
In this small town (pop. 183), the crab cakes are made from blue crabs pulled right out of nearby Delaware Bay.
283 Front St., Leipsic; 302-674-9724
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
Gnaw Mart, Gnaw Bone, Indiana
This is about the best grub you can find at a gas station: classic breaded pork tenderloin on a soft bun.
4947 E. State Rd., Gnaw Bone; 812-988-8747
The Garden Cafe, Sioux City, Iowa
It's just ground beef on a bun, but Iowans swear by the local fave. It needs nothing else!
1322 Jackson St., Sioux City; 712-252-2515
My Tho, Wichita, Kansas
This Vietnamese spicy grilled-pork sandwich has easily won the hearts of beef-loving Kansans.
500 E. Central Ave., Wichita; 316-262-5452
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
Pioneer Pit Beef, Windsor Mill, Maryland
"Pit beef" is Baltimore slang for this beloved classic: sliced slow-grilled beef on a bun.
1600 N. Rolling Rd., Windsor Mill
China Star, Fall River, Massachusetts
This is the best of Chinese leftovers (noodles and veggies in an oyster-like sauce) in sandwich form.
101 President Ave., Fall River; 508-672-5223
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
Snackbar, Oxford, Mississippi
This sandwich doesn't look fancy, but it is: The filling is oysters and truffle-liver pâté slathered in a buttery sauce.
721 N. Lamar Blvd., Oxford; 662-236-6363
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
Broadway Pizzeria, Las Vegas, Nevada
Just whipped eggs and green peppers, this is the perfect morning-in-Vegas sandwich.
840 South Rancho, Las Vegas; 702-259-9002
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
White House Sub Shop, Atlantic City, New Jersey
This is the classic Italian sub in all its glory: salami, ham, capicola and provolone.
2301 Arctic Ave., Atlantic City; 609-345-1564
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
Lexington Barbecue, Lexington, North Carolina
Get this famous sandwich with “outside brown”: chewy bits of tasty charred pork.
100 Smokehouse Lane, Lexington; 336-249-9814
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
Black Widow Cafe, Salt Lake City, Utah
CLOSED-This is turkey in top form: roast meat and turkey bacon with gravy on the side.
837 E. 2100 S., Salt Lake City; 801-466-1929
Four Corners of the Earth, Burlington, Vermont
This tiny spot cranks out 40-plus sandwiches, but the artichokes and feta one is tops.
310 Pine St.., Burlington; 802-657-3869
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
Cam's Ham, Huntington, West Virginia
Ninety percent of orders here are for this sandwich, piled with shaved sweet ham and a tangy sauce.
809 First St., Huntington; 304-522-7012.
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
