While legendary American sandwiches like the Reuben and the club are loved globally, there's a whole world of obscure regional specialties that deserve to be discovered (and devoured). One of the country’s lesser-known sandwiches is the spiedie (pronounced 'speedy'), a local delicacy that’s a huge part of the country's culinary culture – yet is in danger of disappearing for good, with many old-school spiedie spots closing in the past few years. Read on to discover more about this unique sandwich, and the places where you can still try it (for now).
The pride and joy of Binghamton, New York (near the Pennsylvania border), this simple yet satisfying sandwich consists of skewered cubes of chargrilled meat – chicken, pork, beef, or lamb – served in a hoagie roll or on fresh Italian bread. Its USP is the zesty marinade, which keeps the skewers of meat especially tender and juicy. Those who make spiedie sandwiches tend to keep their recipes secret, but the sauce generally contains olive oil, lemon juice, and vinegar, plus a special blend of Italian herbs and spices. After being marinated for at least 24 hours (but ideally longer), the meat is grilled over a high heat until perfectly charred and caramelized.
The origins of the spiedie are disputed, but the idea for the sandwich was reportedly brought to upstate New York by Italian immigrants in the early 1920s; the name comes from the Italian word spiedini, which translates to 'skewers.' It was popularized in its classic form by Italian brothers Camillo and Augustino Iacovelli, who began serving the dish at their Endicott restaurant, Parkview, around 1938. Their original marinade (which they called ‘zuzu’) was a simple affair, made with wine wine vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, and mint. Punchier ingredients, like onion and Italian spices, were later added to meet changing tastes.
The dish was an instant hit, with other restaurants and home cooks in the region soon making their own version of the spiedie, tweaking the marinade recipe to their liking. The sandwich quickly became completely integrated into the food culture of Binghamton and surrounding areas, and was sold by restaurants, street vendors, and grocery stores. The dish also continues to be a firm favorite at backyard cookouts.
As with many food origin stories, the account of the spiedie’s conception has been contested. The main contender is Peter Sharak, who claimed to have invented the sandwich before going on to sell them at his no-frills Binghamton restaurant, Sharkey's Bar and Grill, in 1947. Before shuttering in 2020, Sharkey's promoted itself as the birthplace of the spiedie, and was the go-to spot for an authentic rendition of the sandwich.
Luckily for spiedie devotees further afield, you can buy the sauce from a couple of much-loved local producers and have them shipped anywhere in the country. In 1975, Rob Salamida became the first person to bottle the marinade, and his Original State Fair Spiedie Sauce remains wildly popular to this day. Another much-loved version is available from Lupo’s. This family-owned meat market ran one of the original spiedie spots, Lupo’s S&S Char-Pit in Endicott, New York, from 1978 until 2023, when it unfortunately closed for good. Happily, the family still sells the famous sauce, as well as wholesale marinated meats, to local stores.
With two of Binghamton's most historic spiedie spots – Lupo's S&S Char Pit and Sharkey’s Bar and Grill – recently shuttered for good, getting your hands on the sandwich is harder than ever. One of the few remaining restaurants specializing in the dish is Spiedie & Rib Pit, which offers a less traditional twist on the sandwich, with lots of different toppings, breads, condiments, and sauces to choose from. You can also get spiedies at fast food spots Binghamton Hots and Pudgie's Pizza.
One event that’s truly keeping the spiedie dream alive, at least for three days of the year, is the annual Spiedie Fest and Balloon Rally, held in Binghamton every August since 1983. This lively community gathering now attracts more than 100,000 people from across the country, and features hot air balloons, live music, and (of course) a variety of spiedie sandwiches cooked and sold by local vendors. The weekend always finishes with a spiedie cook-off, when locals gather to see who can make the most flavorful version.
Read on to discover more about America’s fascinating original-recipe sandwiches, many of which you may not have heard of – and discover the best places to try them.
Buffalo, New York’s signature sandwich is a cross between a Boston roast beef and a French dip. It's made by slotting juicy slices of rare roast beef into a kummelweck (a German-style roll topped with kosher salt and caraway seeds). Traditionally, the top bun is dipped in beef jus and spread with horseradish. It’s unclear who first sold beef on weck, but everything leads back to German baker William Wahr, who brought the kummelweck roll with him to the States in the late 1800s. One story has it that the recipe was invented by a Buffalo bar owner, who thought the roll's salty top would encourage his customers to buy more drinks.
In Buffalo and its suburbs, there’s no shortage of excellent spots specializing in beef on weck. Locally loved joints include Charlie The Butcher’s, a carvery where you can watch your roast beef being hand-carved in front of you, and Swiston's Beef & Keg, a no-frills bar that's been making the sandwich the same way since 1953. Buffalo even has its own beef on weck trail, taking in some lesser-known neighborhood restaurants that have been dishing out quality sandwiches for years.
It’s impossible to think of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania without picturing its famous cheesesteak: a mouth-watering feast of chopped beef smothered in vibrant melted cheese and stuffed into a soft sub roll. The dish was invented by two South Philadelphia hot dog sellers, brothers Harry and Pat Olivieri, who, having thrown some beef onto the grill to make a sandwich, were asked by a passing cab driver if he could try it too. Word spread, and the creation proved so popular that the duo opened Pat's King of Steaks in 1930. It's still one of Philly's best-known steak sandwich joints today.
For dedicated cheesesteak aficionados, the definitive cheese of choice is Cheez Whiz (referred to simply as 'whiz' on menus), though white American and provolone are acceptable alternatives. Other common cheesesteak toppings include long and sweet hot peppers, and fried onions; 'wit' and 'witout' are both acceptable choices. One thing that's key to a proper cheesesteak is the ‘drip factor’ – ideally, you should get a little greasy while eating it. Lots of napkins are a must!
While the original joint, Pat's King of Steaks, is a must-visit for cheesesteak newcomers, every Philadelphian inevitably has their own favorite spot – and there are so many to choose from. The best sandwiches can often be found at unassuming neighborhood joints; no-frills pizza parlor Angelo's Pizzeria regularly tops lists of brilliant cheesesteak spots, as does Dalessandro’s Steaks and Hoagies, which is known for its particularly hefty portions.
A favorite of five-star resorts, this room service staple is one of America’s oldest sandwiches, traditionally made with layers of toasted white bread, sliced roast turkey or chicken, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise. It's widely believed that it was first served at the Union Club in New York City in 1889 – though some claim it was invented at the Saratoga Club in Saratoga Springs, New York, in 1894. Either way, by the early 20th century it was a must-order at America's fashionable clubs and restaurants. It was even a favorite of England’s King Edward VIII and his wife, Wallis Simpson.
The beauty of the club sandwich is that it's basically the same wherever you go in the world, making it a comforting option for travelers pining for a taste of the familiar. Minor tweaks on the classic recipe usually involve the addition of ham, cheese, or egg – but there are plenty of inventive interpretations, too. The Tattooed Moose in Johns Island, South Carolina is famous for its triple-decker confit duck club, even featuring on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, while NYC’s Golden Diner serves a chicken katsu version.
When it comes to pure indulgence, Florida’s legendary sandwich is tough to beat. What makes a true Cubano is an exact combination of ingredients: thinly sliced ham, juicy roast pork marinated in mojo (a mixture of sour oranges, olive oil, garlic, and herbs), melted Swiss cheese, pickles, and yellow mustard (plus salami, if you're in Tampa). The filling is piled inside buttered slices of crunchy Cuban bread and grilled to gooey, juicy perfection on a plancha griddle.
Miami and Tampa have a friendly (and long-running) rivalry over which city invented the sandwich – but it's largely agreed it was first made in Tampa's Ybor City neighborhood to feed Cuban workers at local cigar factories in the late 1800s or early 1900s. Word quickly spread to Miami, where it became the city's quintessential dish. Sandwich lovers are spoiled for choice with delicious options in both cities, but for a truly classic rendition, Tampa’s La Segunda Central Bakery and Sanguich De Miami both come highly recommended.
The only thing French about this classic sandwich is the bread it's traditionally served on; it was actually invented in LA, California at one of two historic restaurants – either Phillipe's or Cole's, depending on who you ask. The decadent dish consists of thinly sliced roast beef, melted Swiss cheese, and onions, stuffed into a baguette or French roll, and accompanied by a bowl of jus (a thin gravy) to dip it into. However, there are plenty of variations, with some joints serving the bread or meat (sometimes both) also dipped in gravy.
Both Phillipe's and Cole's were founded in 1908, and claim to have originated the French dip. The Phillipe's story goes that, in 1918, owner Philippe Mathieu unintentionally dropped a sandwich into a roasting pan full of juices, then served it to a hungry policeman. The next day, the policeman returned with friends, asking for more – and a legend was born. Cole's claims to have invented the French dip by accident a decade earlier in 1908, but the details are sketchy. In any case, you can drop into either Los Angeles institution for a world-class sandwich.
This sandwich is all about the dip. At Phillipe's, you have the option of having your sandwich single-dipped, double-dipped, or wet – which means it gets a thorough dunking in meat juices. Meanwhile, Cole's popularized the idea of serving a pot of gravy on the side for dipping. Outside of California, there are some superb restaurants dedicated to the French dip. Pony Up in Denver, Colorado offers global twists on the recipe with sandwiches like The Saigon, which consists of roast garlic pork on ciabatta, with spicy mayo and a pho broth.
Oozy and gooey on the inside, golden and crunchy on the outside, the perfect grilled cheese sandwich is a thing of beauty. The idea of serving melted cheese and bread together goes back centuries; it even featured in early Roman cookbooks. But the version we know and love today started cooking in the 1920s, when Depression-era Americans had to be economical with their grocery purchases. At this point, the dish was better known as ‘melted cheese’ or ‘toasted cheese,' and was more of an open-faced sandwich.
The components of the classic recipe – sliced white bread and American cheese – can be credited to two legendary inventors, James L. Kraft and Otto Rohwedder. In 1916, Canadian-American Kraft applied for a patent to make processed cheese that could be transported without spoiling. Then, in 1928, Iowa-born Otto Rohwedder first put his experimental bread slicing machine to the test, creating a product that would take the nation (and the world) by storm. By 1950, Kraft Singles were introduced and the two time-saving inventions were combined, with cooks eventually adding an extra slice of bread to make the grilled cheese we know and love today.
Now a staple in homes, cafeterias, and diners across America, the humble grilled cheese has experienced a gourmet makeover in the last decade, with chefs experimenting with fancy cheeses, exciting breads, and all kinds of extra additions, from kimchi to mac 'n' cheese. There are endless options to explore, but highly rated spots include the multi-award-winning American Grilled Cheese Kitchen in San Francisco, and former food truck The Grilled Cheeserie in Nashville.
Lobster rolls are a quintessential Maine delicacy, but did you know they were actually invented in Connecticut? A dish of hot lobster meat drenched in butter and piled onto a soft roll was first served in around 1927 at a restaurant called Perry's in Milford, when owner Harry Perry made it for a customer. Word soon spread up the coast to the rest of New England and, nowadays, you’ll struggle to find a seafood restaurant in the region that doesn’t serve lobster rolls.
There are two main versions of the sandwich: the original Connecticut-style lobster roll, served warm with melted butter, and the more common Maine-style roll, which is traditionally dished up cold. To make the Maine version, lobster knuckle, claw, and tail meat is lightly seasoned and dressed with mayo, then piled into a split-top, New England-style hot dog bun. Some restaurants add crunchy greens like finely chopped celery or scallions, but the idea is to keep the extras to a minimum to let the freshness of the lobster really shine through.
Cold or hot, the lobster roll is an essential part of New England dining, and most joints will serve the sandwich both ways. In Boston, foodies wait for up to two hours to get a table at Neptune Oyster, a tiny oyster bar famous for its lobster rolls, raw bar, and johnnycakes. Over in Maine, popular food truck and restaurant Bite Into Maine serves six different types of lobster roll, including ‘picnic style’, with homemade coleslaw, celery salt, and butter. For an old-school Connecticut lobster roll experience, head to Lobster Landing in Clinton, a charming seafood shack overlooking the marina.
The po' boy may be New Orleans’ most famous sandwich, but the muffuletta is the sammie of choice for those in the know. The name refers to the type of bread used – a hearty, round Sicilian loaf that’s similar in texture to focaccia, but has a crispier crust, and comes sprinkled with sesame seeds. Served warm or cold depending on where you go, the sandwich is traditionally filled with a stack of mortadella, salami, mozzarella, ham, and provolone, plus the key ingredient: a signature olive salad made with olives, herbs, olive oil, vinegar, and pickled vegetables.
Historians generally agree that the muffuletta was invented in 1906 at Central Grocery and Deli in New Orleans, Louisiana by owner Salvatore Lupo, a Sicilian immigrant. The story goes that he noticed local Italian workers buying cold cuts, cheese, olive salad, and bread to eat for lunch, making for a messy and hard-to-eat meal. He suggested combining all of the various antipasti inside the bread like a sandwich, and the muffuletta was born. Today, the store is still the go-to spot to try the sandwich, alongside other local favorites like Verti Marte and World Deli.
It doesn’t get much simpler than peanut butter and fruit jelly spread on bread – but did you know this lunchbox staple actually dates all the way back to 1901, and was originally only eaten by the upper classes? The PB&J first featured in The Boston Cooking School Magazine, in a recipe that called for 'three very thin layers of bread and two of filling, one of peanut paste, whatever brand you prefer, and currant or crabapple jelly for the other.' At this point in history the nutty spread was very expensive to produce, so the exclusive sandwich was only really served at fancy parties and high teas.
Happily, the price of peanut butter dropped in 1922, when chemist Joseph Rosefield invented a process for making a smooth variety with a much longer shelf life (he eventually went on to create Skippy peanut butter in 1933). This – along with the invention of sliced bread in 1928 – made the dish much more accessible to ordinary Americans, especially children, who could easily make a PB&J themselves. During the Second World War, both peanut butter and jelly were even part of the military rations list for United States soldiers.
Today, the peanut butter and jelly sandwich is a snack you’re more likely to make at home than eat out, but you can still find plenty of restaurants giving the sammie a gourmet twist. The South Philadelphia Tap Room in Philadelphia takes the sandwich to the next level by crusting it with frosted flakes and frying it in French toast batter, while Wisconsin's Peanut Butter & Jelly Deli specializes in unique creations like the PBJ Quesadilla, and the Peanut Butter & Yeli: a hot dog on a hoagie bun with peanut butter, jalapeño jelly, and bacon.
This overstuffed sandwich is a New Orleans obsession, available everywhere from dive bars to sit-down restaurants. Originally known as a 'poor boy,' this historic dish is said to have been invented during the 1929 New Orleans streetcar strike, when restaurant owners Benny and Clovis Martin (former streetcar conductors themselves) would hand out free sandwiches to their former colleagues. Local lore says that, whenever a striker would walk into the restaurant, Benny would shout to Clovis: “Here comes another poor boy!” Cheap, filling, and extremely tasty, the dish soon caught on across the city.
A traditional po’ boy can be filled with a virtually limitless selection of ingredients, from roast beef and sliced ham to fried oysters and crispy catfish – as long as they’re served on New Orleans French bread, which is known for its crispy crust and fluffy center. When a po’ boy is ‘dressed,’ it means the sandwich comes with shredded lettuce, tomato, pickles, and mayonnaise. New Orleanians will all have their favorite spot, depending on the filling they like best; Short Stop Poboys is loved for its roast beef, while Liuzza's by the Track does an incredible barbecue shrimp version.
Cleveland’s native sammie is a real feast for the senses; grilled or deep-fried kielbasa sausage is piled on a bun and topped with mounds of French fries, coleslaw, and a generous slathering of barbecue sauce. Details about the dish's invention are surprisingly scarce, but it's generally agreed that Virgil Whitmore, the resourceful owner of Whitmore's Bar-B-Q in Warrensville Heights, came up with the sandwich in the 1940s when he decided to combine the ingredients on a whim.
These days, some of the finest Polish boy sandwiches you can eat are dished out from unassuming Cleveland food truck Seti's Polish Boys, which has been operating for over 20 years. Or, for something a bit more high-end, head to Banter, where the Polish boys are made with gourmet, house-made kielbasa sausages and can be enjoyed with local craft beers and delicious wines.
A staple at diners and sandwich shops across the country, this world-class sandwich consists of tender corned beef, melted Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Russian dressing, on rye bread. Although it's often associated with New York City’s Jewish delis, the hearty dish is rumored to have its roots in Omaha, Nebraska – specifically, the city’s Blackstone Hotel. The story goes that, in 1925, hotel chef Bernard Schimmel created the dish for card player Reuben Kulakofsky, a local grocer who requested a corned beef and sauerkraut sandwich at his weekly poker game.
The Reuben gained local fame when Schimmel put it on the Blackstone's lunch menu – and word spread even further when a former employee of the hotel, Fern Snider, won a national sandwich contest with the recipe in 1956. The Blackstone Hotel recently underwent a massive renovation and is now known as the Kimpton Cottonwood Hotel but, happily, the Reuben is still on the menu. Not convinced by the Blackstone Hotel story? Another account credits the sandwich to Arnold Reuben, the German-Jewish owner of NYC’s Reuben's Delicatessen, who apparently created the 'Reuben Special' in around 1914.
Arguably the most famous rendition of the Reuben sandwich is served at New York City institution Katz's Delicatessen. The no-frills Jewish deli has been around since 1888, and is famous for its towering version of the classic sammie, as well as a wildly popular twist made with pastrami instead of corned beef. Over in Ann Arbor, Michigan, diners are willing to travel from far and wide to get a bite of one of the generously filled Reubens at Zingerman’s Delicatessen. There’s usually a line, but it’s so worth it.
Few sandwich recipes are as exacting as the recipe for Boston’s iconic roast beef sandwich; the roll must be soft, squishy, and slightly toasted, while the beef must be served rare and very thinly sliced. When it comes to toppings, there are only three acceptable additions: plenty of Cains mayo, James River Barbecue Sauce, and melty American cheese (or Cheddar).
It’s generally accepted that regional fast food chain Kelly's Roast Beef invented the Massachusetts delicacy in 1951 at its original Revere Beach location, a longtime local favorite that still has lines all year round. While Kelly's is a must-visit, you can also sink your teeth into the juicy sandwich at joints all over Boston’s North Shore, including Nick's Famous Roast Beef in Beverly and Billy’s Roast Beef & Seafood in Wakefield. Over at Jamie's Roast Beef in Peabody, founder Matt Marquis puts gourmet twists on the classic recipe by adding the likes of Boursin cheese, Cajun aioli, and beer-battered onion rings.
This meaty mash-up is relatively unknown outside of Virginia, but it has a dedicated local following around the state – particularly at Richmond’s Jewish delis. The sailor sandwich consists of hot pastrami, melted Swiss cheese, mustard, and grilled knockwurst sausage served on rye bread. The New York Deli, a Jewish deli founded in 1929, claims to be the originator of the dish, which was apparently a favorite of navy seamen stationed in the area during World War II.
Today, the bustling New York Deli (which is also said to be Richmond’s oldest restaurant) is a trendy hotspot known for its rooftop bar and massive sandwich menu, but it still remains the go-to joint for those wishing to try the old-school sammie. Another spot famous for its sailor sandwich is Dot's Back Inn in Richmond, a retro diner that was praised by Guy Fieri on an episode of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.
Many regions on the East Coast have their own variation on the sub – a long, Italian-style roll, filled with various types of cold cuts and vegetables, and served hot or cold. New York has the hero, Philly has the hoagie, and Maine has the Italian sandwich. Some accounts trace the use of the term 'submarine' or 'sub' to New London, Connecticut, which was the site of the United States Navy's primary submarine base during the Second World War (the shape of the roll resembles a submarine).
However, an earlier story says it was Italian immigrant Dominic Conti who first came up with the name in around 1928. The trailblazing sandwich seller started making traditional Italian rolls (filled with cheese, cold cuts, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, onions, and Italian seasonings) at his grocery store in Paterson, New Jersey in around 1910. According to his granddaughter, he came up with the name 'sub' after seeing a recovered 1901 submarine called Fenian Ram at The Paterson Museum in New Jersey.
The hero is New York’s version of the sub, and comes stuffed with deli meats, cheese, and vegetables – though fillings can also include eggplant parmigiana, chicken parmigiana, and meatballs. Some accounts say that the name was coined in the 1930s by New York Herald Tribune food writer Clementine Paddleford, who apparently described the sandwich as being so large, 'you had to be a hero to eat it.' Want to try New York’s finest? Foodies rave about the gargantuan delights dished up at Sal, Kris & Charlie's Deli in Astoria.
Beloved by Pennsylvanians, the hoagie is essentially the same as a sub. There are countless stories about how the sandwich got its name, but one of the most colorful dates back to the Depression era, when Al De Palma, a jazz musician and sandwich shop owner, is said to have started calling his sandwiches 'hoggies' because you 'had to be a hog' to eat a sandwich that big. 'Hoggies' somehow became 'hoagies', and the rest is history. In Philadelphia you’re never far from a delicious hoagie, but you’ll find some of the best in town at local chain PrimoHoagies.
Local legend says that Maine’s version of the iconic East Coast sandwich was invented in around 1902 by baker Giovanni Amato, who owned a small shop on Portland’s waterfront and would sell loaves of freshly baked Italian bread, loaded with meat, cheese, and vegetables, to local dock workers. The name of the sandwich refers to the nationality of the inventor and his original customers rather than its ingredients, so anything goes when it comes to fillings. Amato’s sandwich shop is still thriving to this day, with 45 branches across the East Coast.
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