Any restaurant menu you glance at has a section dedicated to sandwiches. These sandwiches showcase the diverse love of food combinations across the United States. Each one tells a story about the state it represents. Do you know your state’s famous sandwich?
Alabama | Fried Green Tomato BLT
This is a twist on the classic bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich. It features fried green tomatoes, which are a Southern specialty, along with bacon, lettuce and (often) a tangy remoulade sauce.
Alaska | Salmon Burger
Reflecting Alaska’s abundance of salmon, this burger substitutes a beef patty with a salmon patty. It’s often seasoned with herbs and spices, and served with various toppings like lettuce, tomato, and a dill or caper sauce.
Arizona | Navajo Taco
While not a traditional sandwich, Navajo Tacos are a popular Native American dish. It consists of fry bread (a flat dough bread, fried) topped with ground beef, beans, lettuce, cheese and other taco-style toppings.
Arkansas | Fried Bologna
This is a simple, beloved sandwich in parts of the South. It features thick-cut bologna that’s fried until slightly crispy, then served on white bread, often with cheese and condiments like mustard.
California | French Dip
Originating in Los Angeles, this sandwich consists of thinly sliced roast beef on a French roll. It’s served with a side of beef broth or au jus for dipping.
Colorado | Denver Sandwich
Also known as a Western Sandwich, this state’s famous sandwich typically includes scrambled eggs, diced ham, onions and green bell peppers. It’s often served on toasted bread.
Connecticut | Hot Lobster Roll
Unlike the cold lobster rolls common in other parts of New England, Connecticut’s version serves warm lobster meat drizzled with melted butter on a toasted roll.
Delaware | The Bobbie
This sandwich, created by a local chain called Capriotti’s, is nicknamed “Thanksgiving on a roll.” It includes turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing and mayonnaise.
Florida | Cuban
The Cuban sandwich originated in Florida’s immigrant communities. It features ham, roasted pork, Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard on Cuban bread, pressed until crispy.
Georgia | Pimento Cheese
A Southern staple and state’s famous sandwich, pimento cheese is a spread made from cheese, mayonnaise and pimentos. In sandwich form, it’s often served on white bread and can be eaten cold or grilled.
Hawaii | Spam Musubi
While not a traditional sandwich, Spam Musubi is a popular Hawaiian snack. It consists of a slice of grilled spam on top of a block of rice, wrapped together with nori (seaweed). This reflects the influence of Japanese cuisine on Hawaiian food culture.
Idaho | Potato Ham on a Spud
This “sandwich” showcases Idaho’s famous potatoes. It likely involves a baked potato split and is filled with ham and other toppings, using the potato as a bread substitute.
Illinois | Italian Beef
A Chicago specialty, Italian Beef is thinly sliced roast beef simmered in au jus and served on a slightly moist Italian-style roll. It’s often topped with giardiniera (pickled vegetables) or sautéed green peppers.
Indiana | Pork Tenderloin
This sandwich features a breaded and fried pork cutlet that’s pounded thin and often much larger than the bun it’s served on. It’s typically topped with lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise.
Iowa | Loose Meat
Also known as a “tavern sandwich,” this consists of seasoned ground beef served on a bun. It’s similar to a sloppy joe, but without the tomato-based sauce.
Kansas | Bierocks
These are not traditional sandwiches but rather stuffed buns. Bierocks are yeast rolls filled with ground beef, onions and cabbage, reflecting the state’s German-Russian heritage.
Kentucky | Hot Brown
As an open-faced sandwich created at the Brown Hotel in Louisville, it consists of turkey and bacon topped with Mornay sauce, then broiled until the bread is crispy and the sauce begins to brown.
Louisiana | Po’ Boy
A New Orleans classic, the Po’ Boy is a sandwich served on French bread. It can be filled with fried seafood (like shrimp or oysters) or roast beef, and is usually dressed with lettuce, tomato, pickles and mayonnaise.
Maine | Lobster Roll
Maine’s version of this state’s famous sandwich is typically served cold, with chunks of lobster meat tossed in mayonnaise, often with a bit of celery or herbs, served in a top-split, toasted hot dog bun.
Maryland | Soft Shell Crab
This seasonal delicacy features a whole soft shell crab that has been battered and fried, served on bread with lettuce, tomato and often a remoulade or tartar sauce.
Massachusetts | Fluffernutter
A beloved New England sandwich, especially popular in Massachusetts. It consists of peanut butter and marshmallow fluff spread on white bread. It’s a sweet treat that’s particularly nostalgic for many who grew up in the region.
Michigan | Rueben
While the Reuben’s origin is debated, it’s particularly popular in Michigan. This sandwich features corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut and Russian dressing, grilled between slices of rye bread.
Minnesota | Fried Walleye
Walleye is a popular fish in Minnesota, and this sandwich typically features a breaded and fried walleye fillet on a bun, often served with tartar sauce, lettuce and lemon.
Mississippi | Slug Burger
Despite its name, this doesn’t contain slugs. It’s a Depression-era creation where meat (usually beef) is extended with flour or cornmeal to make it go further. The patty is deep-fried and served on a bun with mustard, pickles and onion.
Missouri | Hot Salami
This likely refers to a specialty of Gioia’s Deli in St. Louis. It features hot salami (also known as Salam de Testa or Head Cheese) served on Italian bread with various toppings.
Montana | Pork Chop
This grilled or fried pork chop on a bun might be dressed with lettuce, tomato and condiments like mayonnaise or mustard.
Nebraska | Runza
A Runza is a bread pocket filled with beef, cabbage or sauerkraut, onions, and sometimes cheese. It reflects the German-Russian heritage in the state.
Nevada | Patty Melt
This classic diner sandwich is popular in Nevada, and consists of a hamburger patty with melted cheese (usually Swiss) and caramelized onions between slices of grilled rye bread.
New Hampshire | Monte Cristo
A variation of the French Croque Monsieur, the Monte Cristo is a sweet and savory sandwich. It typically contains ham, turkey and Swiss cheese, is dipped in egg batter, fried, and served with a dusting of powdered sugar and a side of jam.
New Jersey | Italian Sub
Also known as a hoagie or hero in other regions, the Italian sub is particularly associated with New Jersey. It features various Italian meats (like salami, capicola and ham), provolone cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, and oil and vinegar dressing on a long roll.
New Mexico | Green Chile Cheeseburger
This burger showcases New Mexico’s famous Hatch green chiles. It typically features a beef patty topped with roasted green chiles and melted cheese, often served on a toasted bun.
New York | Pastrami on Rye
This consists of thinly sliced pastrami (a type of cured and smoked beef) piled high on rye bread, usually served with mustard. It’s often associated with famous delis like Katz’s in New York City.
North Carolina | Pulled Pork
Reflecting North Carolina’s barbecue tradition, this sandwich features slow-cooked, shredded pork shoulder. In Eastern North Carolina, it’s typically served with a vinegar-based sauce while the western region often uses a tomato-based sauce. It’s usually served on a soft bun with coleslaw.
North Dakota | Sloppy Joe
While not unique to North Dakota, this state’s famous sandwich is the Sloppy Joe. It consists of ground beef in a sweet and tangy tomato-based sauce, served on a hamburger bun.
Ohio | Polish Boy
A Cleveland specialty, this sandwich consists of a grilled kielbasa sausage topped with French fries, coleslaw and barbecue sauce, all stuffed into a bun.
Oklahoma | Chicken Fried Steak
While traditionally served as a plated meal, the chicken fried steak sandwich is popular in Oklahoma. It features a breaded and fried beef cutlet served on a bun, often with lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise.
Oregon | Marionberry Jam and Turkey
This sandwich likely combines Oregon’s famous marionberry jam (marionberries are a type of blackberry cultivar developed in Oregon) with sliced turkey. It might be served on artisanal bread, reflecting Oregon’s food scene.
Pennsylvania | Philly Cheesesteak
An iconic sandwich originating in Philadelphia. It consists of thinly sliced beefsteak and melted cheese (often Cheez Whiz, provolone or American cheese) on a long hoagie roll. Grilled onions are a common addition.
Rhode Island | Grilled Pizza
While not a traditional sandwich, Rhode Island is known for its grilled pizza. This could be interpreted as an open-faced sandwich, with toppings on grilled pizza dough.
South Carolina | Shrimp and Grits
Another non-traditional “sandwich,” this likely refers to a dish where shrimp and grits (a Southern staple) are served between or on bread, creating a sandwich interpretation of the classic dish.
South Dakota | Pheasant Salad
South Dakota is known for pheasant hunting, so this sandwich likely features a salad made from chopped pheasant meat, mixed with ingredients like mayonnaise, celery and seasonings, served on bread or a roll.
Tennessee | Memphis BBQ
Reflecting Tennessee’s famous barbecue tradition, particularly in Memphis. This sandwich typically features pulled pork shoulder, slow-cooked and smoked, served on a bun with barbecue sauce and often topped with coleslaw.
Texas | Brisket
Texas is renowned for its beef brisket, particularly in its barbecue tradition. This sandwich would feature slices of smoked beef brisket on a bun, possibly with pickles, onions and barbecue sauce on the side.
Utah | Pastrami Burger
This burger combines a beef patty with sliced pastrami. It’s often topped with Swiss cheese, pickles and Thousand Island dressing, served on a hamburger bun.
Vermont | Apple, Ham and Cheddar
This sandwich likely showcases Vermont’s famous apples and cheddar cheese. It would combine sliced ham, sharp cheddar cheese and thinly sliced apples, possibly grilled or pressed between slices of bread.
Virginia | Country Ham
Virginia is known for its salt-cured country ham. This sandwich would feature thin slices of this intensely flavored ham on bread, often served with mustard and maybe a slice of cheese.
Washington | Salmon Teriyaki
Reflecting both the Pacific Northwest’s abundance of salmon and the region’s Asian influences, this sandwich would feature a teriyaki-glazed salmon fillet, possibly served on a bun with lettuce and additional teriyaki sauce.
West Virginia | Pepperoni Roll
While not a traditional sandwich, the pepperoni roll is iconic in West Virginia. It’s a soft, white, yeast bread roll with pepperoni baked inside, allowing the oils from the pepperoni to soak into the bread.
Wisconsin | Bratwurst
Showcasing Wisconsin’s strong German heritage, this sandwich features a grilled bratwurst sausage served on a hard roll or bun. It’s often topped with sauerkraut, onions and mustard.
Wyoming | Bison Burger
Reflecting Wyoming’s western heritage and wildlife, this sandwich would be a burger made from ground bison meat. It might be served on a bun with typical burger toppings like lettuce, tomato and onion.
Sandwich Traveling Times
Each state’s famous sandwich has its own origins, twists and styles. Changing up sauces, bread types, cheeses and meats is all that’s needed to explore and try different staples across the United States.
