There’s something wonderful about a simple meal of meat, veggies, and condiments nestled between sliced bread. But what truly defines a sandwich? Do hot dogs count? (No, they do not). Do wraps count? (Yes, they do). Houston is lucky, because almost every kind of sandwich exists here, like bánh mì, tortas, shawarmas, po'boys, and every deli counter in-between. Here’s a list of sandwiches we’d be willing to sit in rush hour traffic for.
THE SPOTS
photo credit: Quit Nguyen
Sandwich: banh mi dac biet
The dặc biệt bánh mì from Alpha Bakery & Cafe will reach into your daydreams like a pork-laden angel. Watching a staffer spread slabs of creamy butter on a fresh baguette feels like a beautiful moment, especially when that baguette then gets stuffed with pâté, bologna, pork belly, head cheese, and a fistful of sliced vegetables and herbs. It’s the best bánh mì in Houston, and it’s hard to believe it only costs $5.
photo credit: Liz Silva
Sandwich: the high jive
Often, the filling makes a sandwich incredible, but here, it’s the bread. While the high jive sandwich at Moon Tower might look like it's between two slices of fresh, oil-slick focaccia, that’s not quite correct. This isn’t just focaccia. These are two pillow-top feather-down mattresses carefully cradling delicious sliced turkey, bacon, and swiss cheese dripping in tangy dill mustard. If heaven exists for sandwiches, this one’s at the top of the list.
Sandwich: chicken shawarma
According to sandwich 101, wraps are sandwiches, because it’s food surrounded by bread (in this case markouk). And the chicken shawarma from Aladdin Mediterranean is incredible. The fire-roasted chicken gets sliced into fresh bread, smooshed with tangy pickles, and smothered in garlic toum until well-saturated. And thanks to the foil wrap, you won’t get sauce all over your hands, but you should get some extra sauce on the side, too, just in case.
Sandwich: H-Town hot sandwich with crispy chicken
The hot sandwich at Gatlin’s Fins & Feathers turns up the heat. It can be made with fish, but get it with fried chicken. The sandwich at this Garden Oaks restaurant comes expertly crisped, loaded with Viet-Cajun hot sauce, and topped with fresh herbs and briny pickles. The spice might cause a few rogue sniffles, but it’s still balanced by the refreshing coleslaw on top. Ask for a side of golden fries and appreciate the perfect lunchtime meal.
photo credit: Richard Casteel
Sandwich: fiddler on the roof of your mouth
The pastrami-stuffed triple-decker sandwich from Kenny & Ziggy’s known as the Fiddler On The Roof Of Your Mouth is huge. Each measures about one Game of Thrones book in thickness. It’s like five sandwiches in one sandwich. It’s stuffed with slightly sweet smoked pastrami and mustard-seed-laced corned beef. While it already comes slathered in russian dressing, given how big the sandwich is, you might want to order more dressing on the side.
photo credit: Liz Silva
Sandwich: chilanga torta
The sandwiches at Las Tortas Perronas seem to defy the laws of physics, or at least the laws of how many ingredients one sandwich should possibly contain. The Chilanga torta here gets loaded with at least six kinds of meat, as well as cheese, and another six condiments, all squished between soft bolillo bread. For all the jamón, salchicha, and breaded skirt steak on the torta, it’s a wonder you don’t have to unhinge your jaw. Every bite tastes rich, slightly spicy, and fresh especially if extra salsa gets poured on top.
photo credit: Mikah Danae
Sandwich: crunchy chicken sandwich
Ask almost anyone in Houston what to get at Local Foods, and we bet at least 83% will say the crunchy chicken sandwich. Served on a sturdy pretzel bun, the sandwich gets stacked with thick slices of roasted chicken layered with a crispy crumble of nuts, seeds, and a generous layer of salted potato chips. Grab another side of chips and toasted pumpkin seeds if you need even more crunch.
photo credit: Liz Silva
Sandwich: shrimp po’boy
As with any reputable Cajun-Creole joint in this city, the folks at The Cajun stop in EaDo make a damn good po'boy. Every sandwich made here comes between two pieces of toasted french bread and is overflowing with pieces of deep-fried crab, crawfish, and catfish. But the Cajun seasoning on the shrimp po’boy here puts other shrimp po’boys around the city to shame. Order the foot-long po’boy with perfectly breaded pieces of shrimp filling up every bit of free space on the bread, and there will likely be enough left over to share with a friend or you in the future.
photo credit: Liz Silva
Sandwich: meatball sandwich
Ploughman’s in Garden Oaks makes a meatball sub sandwich that could satisfy a small wooly mammoth. Three meatballs roughly the the size of an adult fist, fill up the fluffy french bread without making the entire sandwich soggy. But when your sub arrives, you’ll have to use faith to believe that the meatballs are there because of the mountain of cheese on top.
Sandwich: french dip
Laurenzo's Prime Rib Restaurant’s founder is from the family behind Ninfa's — and their french dip has the same legendary reputation. This sandwich starts with the perfect bread-to-beef ratio, with the soft house-made italian roll holding the thinly sliced soft prime rib. Add the provolone and take dunks between the au jus and tangy horseradish to elevate the beef. Even if your table orders the specialized hand-cut steaks, feel confident that the right move is ordering this sandwich (full size) for your group.
Sandwich: Italian sub
Home Slice makes a banging Italian sub sandwich for a pizza place. The Midtown spot bakes their springy Italian white bread fresh every day then layers the footlong loaf with thick slices of ham, dry salami, capicola, and genoa salami. Meats get topped with a thick layer of thinly sliced slaw, sliced tomato, and provolone. Order a full size to either prepare for nuclear fallout or have one of the best sandwiches in town to snack on all day.
