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Forget the tired cliche that LA runs entirely on green juice, gluten-free tortillas and macro bowls.
International Sandwich Day arrives Tuesday Nov. 3 — which also happens to be Election Day — giving hungry Southern Californians one more important decision to make: pastrami or prosciutto? French dip or focaccia? And perhaps most importantly, where to find the best sandwich in Los Angeles?
Fortunately, in a city where nearly everything comes with a side of traffic, sticker shock, or both, there’s no shortage of contenders for sandwich supremacy.
From the world-famous No. 19 at Langer’s Delicatessen, which recently enjoyed another helping of national attention courtesy of The New York Times, to the legendary lamb double-dip at Philippe the Original and the celebrity-friendly Godmother at Santa Monica’s Bay Cities Italian Deli, LA has been stacking up greatness in this department for generations.
Foodies at Eater LA and The Infatuation have been busy identifying the city’s most mouthwatering creations, while amateur sandwich sleuths on Reddit are passionately debating which establishments deserve to be crowned the breadwinners.
Here are some of the best sandwiches, per the pros, to sink your teeth into after casting your ballot.
Langer’s Delicatessen – No. 19
New York may think it has the pastrami market cornered, but one legendary LA deli has been giving the Big Apple a run for its money since 1947. Langer’s, the old-school Jewish deli near MacArthur Park, has built a national reputation around its No. 19 — a towering hand-cut sandwich with hot pastrami, Swiss cheese, coleslaw and Russian dressing, sandwiched between slices of the restaurant’s double-baked rye. For Angeleno’s, it’s more than lunch. It’s a civic treasure.
Philippe the Original – Lamb double-dip
At Philippe the Original, the historic downtown institution that has been serving Angelenos since 1908, the French dip is practically a religion. The restaurant famously claims to have invented the iconic sandwich, and while roast beef is the traditional order, fans insist that the lamb double-dip is the true star.
Bay Cities Italian Deli – The Godmother
For more than a century, Bay Cities has been feeding Santa Monica’s sandwich-loving masses. It’s signature Godmother is an unapologetically enormous Italian sub loaded with prosciutto, ham, capicola, mortadella, salami and provolone, all packed into their famously crusty bread. The pro’s recommend ordering it with “the works,” which includes mild or hot peppers.
Bodega Park – Chopped Cheese
At Silver Lake’s hip Bodega Park, one of New York’s beloved street-food staples is getting a distinctly LA makeover. The $17 Bodega Chopped Cheese features chopped Angus beef, American cheese, grilled onion and jalapeño, lettuce, tomato, ketchup, and mayo all crammed into a pressed sesame hero roll. It’s essentially a cheeseburger-meets-hoagie situation, with a spicy SoCal twist.
Jeff’s Table – Pastrami Reuben
Some of LA’s most extraordinary sandwiches are hiding in the most ordinary places. Tucked behind a liquor store in Highland Park, Jeff’s Table has become a destination for sandwich obsessives thanks to the creations of former TV producer and writer Jeff Strauss. Eater’s pick is the pastrami Reuben, an indulgent stack of smoky pastrami, melted Comte, sauerkraut and Russian dressing, finished with a crispy layer of Gruyere on griddled seeded rye.
