Regional and national sandwiches from Vietnam, Cuba, Japan, Poland, India, Italy and many other places, each traced to the sources that document it.
Every post in this section is listed below, newest posts included as they are published. The Start Here page suggests where to begin, and the glossary defines sandwich terms used across the site.
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Bacon, Egg and Cheese Sandwich
The bacon, egg and cheese sandwich: its place in New York delis and bodegas, the usual build, disputed origins, the British bacon butty and how it is griddled.
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Banh Mi History: How the Baguette Became Vietnam’s Sandwich
Banh mi history by place: the baguette under French rule, the Saigon sandwich, standard fillings, regional styles, and how it reached California and Australia.
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Bauru Sandwich: Origin of São Paulo’s Roast Beef and Melted Cheese Classic
The bauru sandwich of São Paulo, Brazil: hot roast beef, tomato, pickles and melted cheese in a hollowed roll, and the law student whose nickname named it.
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Bocadillo: Spain’s Crusty-Loaf Sandwich, Its Name and Its Regional Forms
The bocadillo is a split crusty loaf with one or two fillings. Sources on its name, Madrid’s squid version, pan con tomate, regional types and tapas.
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Bunny Chow: The History of Durban’s Curry in a Loaf
Bunny chow, Durban’s hollowed-out loaf of curry, has no agreed inventor. The name, the dates and the rival claims from Kapitan’s, Patel’s and caddies, sourced.
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Cemita Poblana: The Sesame-Roll Sandwich of Puebla
The cemita poblana of Puebla: a sesame roll piled with milanesa, quesillo, avocado, chipotle and papalo, plus the disputed name and the torta difference.
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Cheese Toastie vs Grilled Cheese: What Is the Difference?
Cheese toastie vs grilled cheese compared side by side: butter, pan or sandwich toaster, cheddar and Red Leicester, Welsh rarebit, and the Australian jaffle.
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Chip Butty: Origin, Regional Names and the Bacon Butty Connection
The chip butty’s origin is contested: an 1863 Lancashire shop, Yorkshire, Liverpool. Sources on the word butty, regional names and the bacon butty.
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Chivito Sandwich: Uruguay’s National Sandwich
The chivito is Uruguay’s national steak sandwich. Sources trace it to Punta del Este but disagree on the year, the customer, and what the first one held.
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Choripán: The Argentine and Uruguayan Chorizo Sandwich, Its Name and Disputed Origins
Choripán is grilled chorizo in bread. The gaucho origin story is unproven, and chimichurri’s name is disputed. Sources on Argentine and Uruguayan styles.
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Croque Monsieur: What It Is, Where It Came From and How It Differs From Grilled Cheese
The croque monsieur, part by part: its documented origin, bread, ham, béchamel and broiled top, the croque madame, relatives abroad, and grilled cheese.
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Cuban Sandwich History: Tampa vs Miami and What Goes Inside
The Cuban sandwich grew out of cigar-factory communities in Florida. Tampa adds salami, Miami refuses, and a 2012 city vote made the dispute official.
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Francesinha: Porto’s Sandwich, Its Origin Story and the Sauce
Porto’s francesinha is credited to Daniel da Silva at A Regaleira, in 1952 or 1953. Sources differ on the year, the name’s origin and the sauce.
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Gatsby Sandwich
Cape Town’s Gatsby is a footlong roll packed with hot chips and fillings. Its 1976 origin story, disputed details, fillings and sharing customs, sourced.
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Gyro: Etymology, Doner Lineage and the Chicago Cone Industry
The gyro means “turn” in Greek and descends from Ottoman doner. Sources disagree on who made the first American cone in Chicago in the 1960s and 1970s.
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Hoagie, Sub, Hero, Grinder: Why One Sandwich Has So Many Names
Hoagie, sub, hero, grinder, wedge, zep and spuckie all name one long-roll sandwich. A region-by-region look at each word and who claims its origin.
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Horseshoe Sandwich: The Open-Faced Original from Springfield, Illinois
The horseshoe sandwich of Springfield, Illinois: open-faced toast, meat, fries and cheese sauce, and the disputed story of the Leland Hotel chef behind it.
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Italian Beef: The Chicago Sandwich of Thin-Sliced Roast Beef and Gravy
Italian beef is Chicago’s spiced, thin-sliced roast beef sandwich served in its own gravy. Al’s, Scala and the Ferraro family each claim its origin.
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Jibarito: The Chicago Plantain Sandwich From Humboldt Park
The jibarito, Chicago’s plantain-bread sandwich, is credited to Juan “Peter” Figueroa of Borinquen in 1996. Sources differ on dates, patents and name.
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Katsu Sando: History, Origins and How the Japanese Cutlet Sandwich Is Made
The Japanese cutlet sandwich traces back to tonkatsu and yoshoku. Sources differ on when Isen first made it, and recipes differ on frying, sauce and bread.
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Lobster Roll: Connecticut Style vs Maine Style
Warm and buttered in Connecticut, cold and dressed in Maine: how each lobster roll is made, why the split-top bun matters, and who claims the first one.
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Mexican Torta: History, Regional Types and Fillings
The Mexican torta, from the bolillo and telera to the ahogada of Guadalajara, the cemita of Puebla and Mexico City’s cubana, with its contested origins.
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Muffuletta: The New Orleans Olive Salad Sandwich
The New Orleans muffuletta: Sicilian bread, olive salad, a disputed 1906 origin at Central Grocery, rival claims, and how it is assembled and served today.
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Panini vs Panino: Meaning, History and How to Press One
Panino is the Italian singular, panini the plural. How the word became a pressed English sandwich, the Milan paninari of the 1980s, and how to press one.
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Po’ Boy Sandwich: Origin, Bread and What “Dressed” Means
The New Orleans po’ boy traces to a 1929 streetcar strike, but historians dispute that story. A look at the name, the bread, the fillings and “dressed.”
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Sabich: The Iraqi Jewish Eggplant and Egg Sandwich of Israel and the Story Behind Its Name
Sabich began as an Iraqi Jewish Shabbat breakfast. Sources differ on who first sold it in a pita, when, and whether its name honors a man or means morning.
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Smørrebrød: The Danish Open-Faced Rye Bread Sandwich, Its History and Toppings
Smørrebrød, Denmark’s open-faced rye sandwich: its history, classic toppings, the herring-to-cheese order of eating and its place in Danish lunch culture.
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Southern Tomato Sandwich: White Bread, Duke’s Mayonnaise and a Summer Tomato
The Southern tomato sandwich has no known inventor. Sources on Duke’s mayonnaise, Blue Plate, Cherokee Purple tomatoes, white bread and the 1911 print mention.
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Vada Pav: Mumbai’s Potato Fritter Sandwich, Its Disputed Origin and Political Life
Ashok Vaidya’s Dadar stall is the usual origin of vada pav, dated 1966, but sources differ on the year and name other early sellers and Shiv Sena stalls.
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Zapiekanka: Poland’s Baked Baguette Sandwich
Zapiekanka, the Polish open-faced baguette baked with mushrooms, cheese and ketchup: its 1970s origins, the contested Gierek story, and where it is sold.