The average American eats nearly 200 sandwiches a year. That stacks up to literally thousands of sandwiches eaten over the course of one’s lifetime. But life is way too short to be eating a bad sandwich, let alone 10,000 of them. As we’ve noted before, this town is full of great sandwiches. Below we highlight our favorite sandwiches for every taste and occasion. As always, tell us about your favorite sandwich in the comments.
Photo via Magialardo’s Facebook.
THE G-MAN AT MANGIALARDO AND SONS: The best Italian sub I ever ate outside of New York comes from this landmark Capitol Hill deli. For sixty years, the family has delivered the king of hoagies from a small storefront that has no seats, limited operating hours (7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday), and where lines reach out the door at lunchtime. Order a G-man at the counter, a gut-busting sandwich filled with ham, mortadella, salami, hot peppers, fontina and provolone cheese, dressed with a tangy oil and vinegar. While I prefer mine on a hard Italian roll, it also comes on a softer bun. No matter what your pick, the bread is just the vehicle for this incredible feast. Other sandwiches are on the menu, some pre-made to cater to the bustling lunch crew of police and emergency crews, Hill staffers and hungry passersby. If you can, I recommend you get it freshly made. There will be no regrets, even if there are no tables. —Johanna Mendelson Forman
Mangialardo and Sons is located at 1317 Pennsylvania Avenue SE.
BOLOGNESE PARMESAN AT BUB AND POP’S: When first glancing at the menu, the Bolognese Parmesan at Bub and Pop’s is a bit difficult to conceptualize. Meat sauce? On a sandwich? Sure, it may sound like a strange and messy proposition, but it’s neither of those things. In fact, there’s a good chance that it will find its way into your “best sandwiches I’ve ever had” list. This staple at the Dupont Circle sandwich shop features a rustic tomato and meat ragout consisting of meatballs, pork belly, and brisket (yes, all of those), topped with arugula, caramelized onion, Provolone, and Pecorino Romano, all on a toasted sub roll. And the best part? It’s composed so well that you can easily get through it without having half of it in your lap, even if you ambitiously opt for the full-size version instead of the half. The folks at Bub and Pop’s know how to put together a damn good sandwich. While there are plenty of great reasons to visit this gem, the Bolognese Parmesan is the best reason of all. —Jordan Anthony-Brown
Bub and Pop’s is located at 1815 M Street NW.
THE BRISKET CHAMP AT DCITY SMOKEHOUSE: There’s a reason why the Brisket Champ is DCity Smokehouse’s best-selling menu item. The juicy, smoky slices of brisket topped with crispy fried onions and housemade pickles sandwiched between two slices of crispy Texas toast makes for an incredible if not filling meal. And while DCity Smokehouse offers a plethora of sandwich options, one can never go wrong with brisket, especially from one of the best places to get ‘cue in the District. —Brett Gellman
DCity Smokehouse is located at 8 Florida Avenue NW.
TOP ROUND AT MGM ROAST BEEF: When a meat is in the name of a deli, clearly it must be tried. And while all the freshly made and hand-carved meats at MGM Roast Beef are delicious, their headlining top round is melt-in-your-mouth amazing. —Sarah Anne Hughes
MGM Roast Beef is located at 1905 Brentwood Road NE.
Photo via G Sandwich Shop’s Facebook page
THE LEHIGH AVENUE AT TAYLOR GOURMET: I confess I was initially trepidatious about ordering Taylor Gourmet’s Lehigh Avenue. White bean hummus, red pepper dressing, arugula? Count me in. But roasted cauliflower—on its own, delicious—gave me pause as a sandwich add-in. Still, I’m glad I took the leap of faith. The texture of the cauliflower provided a unique crunch, and a little spice in the dressing gave the whole thing a nice punch. While this option is vegan, it should be filling enough for hungry carnivores, too. —Victoria Finkle
Taylor Gourmet has nine locations in the D.C. area.
ROASTED CAULIFLOWER SANDWICH AT G SANDWICH SHOP: This vegetarian sandwich at G packs a ton of flavor with few ingredients. The crunchiness of the sesame seed baguette is a nice complement to the soft roasted cauliflower filling, and the nutty red pepper romesco sauce ties it all together. G’s hours (only 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.) do limit my sandwich intake. But, during baseball season, their Nationals Park location is a great option for hungry fans, as this sandwich is even big enough for two. —Lynne Venart
G Sandwich Shop is located at 2201 14th Street NW and behind section 136 at Nationals Park during baseball season.
LOMO SANDWICH AT MOCKINGBIRD HILL: Have you ever eaten something so good that you can’t stop thinking about it days or weeks later? I’ll confess, I spend an unhealthy amount of time thinking about Mockingbird Hill’s lomo sandwich. It’s a brilliant foil for sherry, the bar’s specialty, but it’s also a masterful balance of flavors in its own right. Paper-thin slices of Red Apron lomo (cured pork tenderloin) are layered atop a fluff of greens and a sprinkling of pickled golden raisins. The raisins are an unexpected addition, but they truly make the sandwich, lending the occasional bite of sweet and tangy against the rich pork and bitter vegetables. —Alicia Mazzara
Mockingbird Hill is located at 1843 7th Street NW.
BLT AT BOUNDARY ROAD: In the interest of transparency, I work at Boundary Road a couple days a week. However, months before I started, I would lunch once a week at this bar/upscale neighborhood restaurant on the lower end of H Street NE. I’ve had the BLT many times, but I keep ordering it for three simple reasons: bacon, lettuce, tomato (OK, not really lettuce but you get the idea). I’ve had a lot of customers ask me where the tomatoes are from or exclaim how good they are. This is the kind of BLT with a modest amount of mayo, hearty sourdough bread, and a lot of matchstick fries on the side. I’m all for complicated sandwiches synthesizing international culinary traditions, but I’m also for a really good BLT. —Josh Kramer
Boundary Road is located at 414 H Street NE.
HERITAGE PORK AT PEOPLE’S BAO: Juicy and tender pork, onion marmalade, arugula and perfectly steamed bao: That’s all it takes to create this mind-numbingly good option from People’s Bao. —Sarah Anne Hughes
People’s Bao is located at 8520 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, Md., and at Eastern Market and the Mt. Pleasant Farmers Market on some weekends. Check their Twitter account.
Photo via Neopol’s Facebook page.
SMOKED EGG SALAD AT NEOPOL’S SAVORY SMOKERY: There is something terribly retro about egg salad, but that doesn’t make the tangy, mayonnaise-bound goop any less delicious between two slices of bread. As a recovering Midwesterner, I harbor strong opinions about my mayonnaise-based salads. Most of the egg salad sandwiches I’ve eaten do not measure up to the homemade stuff. Neopol’s version is a happy exception— I know full well I could never make something like this in my kitchen. Neopol’s smokes their hard-boiled eggs, chops them into big chunks, and envelopes them in a creamy layer of well-seasoned mayo. The flavor pops, unlike many a bland, dry egg salad. The sandwich comes with lettuce and tomato, but I recommend paying extra for a couple slices of Neopol’s house-smoked bacon for a salty, crunchy kick in each bite. —Alicia Mazzara
Neopol’s Savory Smokery is located inside Union Market at 1309 5th Street NE.
THE BULGARIAN FETA AT BUB AND POP’S: It’s hard to spot the bread that holds this amazing sandwich together, hidden as it is underneath a tangle of arugula and a generous dusting of snowy pecorino, but it’s there, supporting a delicious mound of veggies and rich feta. Each bite yields new surprises—a sweet taste of grilled fennel, a well-caramelized mushroom cap, a crunchy bit of hazelnut gremolata. You’ll probably wind up eating the sandwich almost like a salad; a fork is a necessity to scoop up the filling that is sure to spill out. The $8 half sandwich is plenty for lunch, though if you really do just want a salad, Bub and Pop’s offers the Beanie’s Greenie’s salad, essentially all of the Bulgarian Feta sandwich fillings, with even more arugula, minus the bread. —Elizabeth Packer
Bub and Pops is located at 1815 M Street NW.
BANH MI AT DUKE’S GROCERY: The inspiration for chef Alex McCoy’s exquisite banh mi (and much of the rest of his menu at the Dupont neighborhood favorite Duke’s Grocery) came from the ethnic hodgepodge of East London. The soft baguette is stuffed to bursting with catfish (or sometimes glazed pork shoulder), chicken liver paté, crunchy pickled carrots and daikon radish, a whole bouquet of cilantro, and plenty of mayo and Sriracha for extra richness and spice. It’s a vibrant monster salad of a sandwich, one best enjoyed with one of Duke’s rotating microbrews to tame the heat. You cannot eat it daintily—no reasonable person’s mouth opens as wide as this sandwich is tall—which is just as well, because it’s all too tempting to inhale. —Jenny Holm
Duke’s Grocery is located at 1513 17th Street NW.
GRILLED TURKEY AND BRIE AT PARKWAY DELI: Parkway Deli’s whole schtick is no-frills. You’d rarely be tempted to Instagram your meal before eating it, but that’s assuming you’d even have time to do so before hungrily inhaling it. Many of their sandwiches are put together with only a few basic ingredients from their deli section; the available-year-round masterpiece that Parkway simply calls the Grilled Turkey and Brie has a grand total of three. A helping of cranberry sauce rounds out the two ingredients listed in the title for year-round holiday cheer. The result is greasy, dead simple, and stupidly delicious. —Riley Croghan
Parkway Deli is located at 8317 Grubb Road in Silver Spring, Md.
THE PASTRAMI AT STACHOWSKI’S: For the uninitiated, the pastrami sandwich at Stachowski’s Market is aggressively large. Like I’d-have-to-unhinge-my-jaw-like-a-snake-to-eat-this large. Hefty slices of smokey, peppery house-made pastrami are stacked comically high between two slices of rye spread with mustard. Come hungry and expect to take home leftovers, because this thing could easily feed a person for several days. —Alicia Mazzara
Stachowski’s Market is located at 1425 28th Street NW.
THE SPRING GARDEN STREET AT TAYLOR GOURMET: While Taylor Gourmet’s menu is full of tasty, meaty options (apparently Obama is partial to the chain’s turkey offerings), the recently-introduced Spring Garden Street sandwich is so hearty and flavorful, you won’t miss the lack of animal protein. Breaded zucchini cutlets are layered with a slick of marinara sauce, arugula and a creamy layer of lemony goat cheese, all sandwiched in a chewy hoagie roll. It’s like a chicken parm sandwich, but lighter and more flavorful. —Elizabeth Packer
Taylor Gourmet has nine locations in the D.C. area.
French dip at Right Proper. Via Caviar/Right Proper.
THE EIGHT-HOUR LAMB AT RIGHT PROPER BREWERY: Right Proper may be known for its beer, but the food is nothing to sneeze at either. The menu contains many enticing bar vittles, including plenty of salty and fried items that play beautifully with their house brews. However, it’s hard to pass up the lamb dip: thick, toasted slices of tangy sourdough encircling meat that’s been cooked until meltingly tender. The lamb is delicious on its own, but the little bowl of heady red wine jus puts the whole thing over the top. Sop it up with the bread or drink it straight out of the dish when you’re done. —Alicia Mazzara
Right Proper Brewery is located at 624 T St NW.
THE NATITUDE AT BULLFROG BAGELS: Buzzy Bullfrog Bagels has the chutzpah to coin a phrase, “bagelwich,” for its bagel sandwiches. Morning customers may rise and shine with an eggy choice, but nothing signals lunch like the Natitude, a mound of house-cured and smoked pastrami with Swiss cheese and dijon mustard sauce. Given that the bagelry closes at 1 p.m. (and is not open Mondays), it’s most accessible to Hill workers, but could be just a streetcar ride away later this month. —Andrea Adleman
Bullfrog Bagels is located at 1341 H Street NE.
MEATBALL SUB AT RED APRON: Like choosing a favorite child, it is difficult to choose a favorite sandwich from Red Apron. After all, each one is unique and delicious in its own way. But I’m going to go with the pork meatball sub for its consistency and crowd appeal. The meatballs are always moist and tender, never dry or rubbery from overcooking. And while the balls are certainly the star, it’s the accompaniments that really make this sandwich sing. Tucked inside a toasty baguette, the balls are dressed in a bright tomato sauce, a flurry of nutty grated grana padano cheese, and a squiggle of salsa verde. It’s this herbaceous green sauce that helps set Red Apron’s version apart from a sea of ho hum meatball subs. —Alicia Mazzara
Red Apron has locations in Penn Quarter, Union Market, and Merrifield.
THE MERGUEZ SAUSAGE AT WOODWARD TABLE: The amusingly named Woodward Table Food (WTF) is the to-go counterpart of Woodward Table, a fancy restaurant at 14th and H streets (think $17 burgers.) WTF has a smaller and mercifully somewhat less expensive menu of soups, salads and sandwiches, and my new favorite in all of D.C., is the Merguez sausage sandwich. As a fan of encased meats, I figured I’d give it a shot when I visited and was subsequently hooked. The sausage is spicy and well-made, and it comes with fresh broccoli rabe, grilled onion, arugula, cilantro, roasted pepper, and harissa aioli (a North African chili paste) on an Italian stirato roll. That’s a lot of ingredients, some of which I wasn’t super familiar with before Googling, but it’s wonderful—messy and spicy and big. While it comes in at $10.75, pricey for lunch, you can easily save half of it for later. There’s only a few tables at WTF and it’s often packed, so you should plan to get their delicious bites to go. —Andrew Wiseman
Woodward Table is located at 1426 H Street NW.
SPICED BABY GOAT AT G SANDWICH SHOP: G’s sandwiches aren’t for the faint of heart. OK, some of them are, but more specifically, their wood-roasted sandwiches definitely aren’t. My favorite one, the Spiced Baby Goat sandwich, is perhaps the heartiest sandwich i’ve ever had. Baby goat meat (gross in theory, taste delicious, whatever) is piled high with harissa, lemon potatoes, and oregano (you know, for flavor). It’s huge, delicious, and can probably count as, like, two meals. — Matt Cohen
G Sandwich Shop is located at 2201 14th Street NW.
ISTANBUL AT SUNDEVICH: SUNdeVICH specializes in sandwiches inspired by different cities across the world, meaning that no two sandwiches are remotely alike. This is a good and bad problem: it’s good in that it has perhaps the most diverse selection of sandwiches in D.C.; it’s bad because OMG CHOICES. Undoubtedly, your selection of sandwich at SUNdeVICH is going to come down to what style of food you’re in the mood for. Except if you are like me and just get the same thing every time because it’s so damn good. That’s what I do with the Istanbul, which features ground beef and lamb, sumac onions, tomato, tzatziki, fresh herbs. Save your self the agonizing decision-making process and just get this. — Matt Cohen
SUNdeVICH is located at 1314 9th Street NW, in the alley.
