See Also: Behind the Scenes at Chris Bianco's Restaurants See Also: The Sandwich Nazi (NSFW, Not Even a Little) See Also: Seven Hate-Free Chicken Sandwiches in Metro Phoenix Everybody loves a good sandwich, right? Bread, meat, cheese, veggies, condiments -- all things that taste pretty good, especially when you put them all together.
And the Valley has plenty of awesome sandwiches. So many, in fact, that it was extremely difficult to pick just 10. But we did it. Check out who made our list:
Bistro Steak Sandwich @ Portland's This decade-old downtown establishment makes a near-perfect steak sandwich, loaded with thin slices of cooked-to-order steak, sweet grilled onions, aged white cheddar cheese, spicy jalapeño remoulade, and fresh tomatoes and lettuce all on a lightly toasted herb focaccia. This hearty sandwich is big enough for two and available only on Portland's lunch menu, but if you can't find yourself a lunch date, you can trade in half of your sandwich for a side of their crispy Cajun fries or a side of steamed veggies.
Meatball Sandwich @ McGurkee's J P Sandwich Shop This west-side spot gets packed during the busy lunchtime hours and we're thinkin' it's because the Italian eatery churns out some of the best tasting sandwiches west of Central Ave. For almost 40 years, this homey shop has been impressing hungry sandwich lovers with their meaty subs and sesame seed-flecked bread. We love their rich meatball sub, loaded with savory handmade meatballs and covered in tomato sauce and melted mozzarella. The service is just as good as the sandwich itself and it's worth it to stick out the wait.
Free Range Chicken Salad @ Essence Bakery Eugenia Theodosopoulos and team not only bake up some of the best croissants and macarons in town, they also make a mean chicken salad sandwich. Shredded free-range chicken is bathed in a creamy sauce with hints of tangy lemon and sweet basil. Top it off with fresh spinach and cucumber slices then place it all on one of the bakery's extra soft and butter brioche rolls and eat! Sometimes the wait at this Tempe cafe can be a bit ridiculous, so if you're short on time, make sure you call ahead.
Smoked Brisket Mac & Cheese Grilled Cheese @ Q Up Barbecue We'll admit that we have a tiny problem with barbecue and maybe a small obsession with mac and cheese so when our favorite BBQ food truck announced the arrival of their latest menu item, we had to get our hands on one immediately. This decadent sandwich is a threesome of awesome with tender brisket and smokey bacon-laced mac and cheese all sandwiched between two piece of cheese-covered grilled sourdough. This obviously isn't a healthy combination but this sandwich is worth every guilt-filled bite.
Soprassata @ Pane Bianco Chris Bianco's little Central Phoenix bistro makes just a handful of sandwiches and each one is amazing but it's the Sopressata that has our hearts. Thick slices of spicy Italian salami, roasted red peppers and aged provolone are stacked between slices of Bianco's chewy wood fired bread. The simple sandwich isn't cheap but we're more than willing to shell out the dough for the quality ingredients.
The New Yorker @ Miracle Mile The Straw may be this old school Phoenix deli's most popular sandwich, but we're much bigger fans of its cousin sandwich, The New Yorker. Hot slices of slow cooked spiced pastrami are blanketed in a generous helping of the deli's housemade cole slaw and finished off with a healthy dose of Miracle Mile's secret dressing. We like ours on marble rye but the combo works on pretty much any bread behind the counter. If you're feeling daring, add a slice of swiss cheese for an extra kick of flavor.
Pork Tenderloin Banh Mi @ House of Tricks Don't get us wrong -- we love our cheap banh mi as much as the next guy -- but we just can't turn down House of Tricks' gourmet take on the classic. A crusty French baguette is filled with Asian barbecued pork tenderloin, Napa cabbage, julienned jalapenos, pickled carrots, onion, cilantro, and a spicy Sriracha aioli. It's the most expensive sandwich on our list but the flavors and the overall lunch time experience make it worth every penny of its $12 price tag.
Porcellino @ Cibo Okay, okay, most people don't go to an Italian joint for a pulled pork sandwich but maybe they should start. Cibo's lunch menu is teeming with amazing sandwiches, including a superb meatball sandwich and a breaded eggplant parmesan that has made us question why we even need to eat meat, but the one the keeps us coming back is the Porcellino. Tangy BBQ sauce engulfs tender shredded pork and creamy fontina cheese ties the whole thing together on Cibo's always perfect wood fired bread. If they had this sandwich on the dinner menu, we'd probably skip the pizza and go straight for this sandwich. (Or maybe they should make this sandwich into a pizza. Hint, hint.)
Jewish Sliders @ Chompie's These aren't your everyday, run of the mill, tiny burger sliders, these are something much better. Mini challah rolls are sliced in half and garnished with Chompie's signature barbecue brisket, a miniature latke, and smooth jack cheese. And if you're in love with these little guys as much as we are and you also like to punish yourself with massive amounts of food, try the Chompie's Slider Challenge. If you can eat an entire dozen of these delicious mini sandwiches, your meal's on the house! (If you can't, then you'll have to cough up the $39.95.)
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The Doughboy @ Cheese N' Stuff Vintage sandwich shops are few and far between in the Valley, but after more than 60 years this midtown sandwich shop isn't going anywhere. Thank heaven because we don't know what we'd do without Cheese N' Stuff's Doughboy Sandwich. Extra soft sourdough is stuffed with layers of deli-style turkey, crispy bacon, ripe avocado, and a dollop of creamy mayo. It's a simple sandwich which is sometimes exactly what we need after too many over-the-top sandwich creations.
And check out our other lists: 9 Favorite Fried Chicken 7 Favorite Juice Bars 6 Favorite Hawaiian Restaurants 7 Spots to Eat and Drink Around ASU Downtown 7 Spots to Eat and Drink Around ASU Tempe 10 Favorite Cookie Shops 10 Favorite Vietnamese Restaurants 10 Favorite Restaurant Playlists 10 Favorite Places for Romance on a Budget 10 Favorite Places to Buy Craft Beer 7 Favorite British Restaurants 10 Favorite Bloody Marys 10 Favorite Meat Shops 11 Favorite Summer Cocktails from Metro Phoenix Restaurants 10 Favorite Drive-Thrus 10 Favorite Spots for Guacamole 10 Favorite Theme Restaurants 15 Favorite Late Night Eats 10 Favorite Summer Foods 7 Favorite Soul Food Places 10 Favorite Sangrias 7 Favorite Paleteria 10 Favorite Breakfast Places 10 Favorite International Markets 10 Favorite Spots for Crepes in Greater Phoenix 11 Favorite Phoenix Beers 10 Favorite Spots for Seafood in Greater Phoenix 10 Favorite Gelato Spots 10 Favorite Burrito Joints in Metro Phoenix 10 Favorite Spots for Wings in Metro Phoenix 11 Things to Eat and Drink Before You Leave Phoenix Ten Favorite Phoenix Hot Sauces and Salsas Top Ten Spots for Mac 'n' Cheese in the Valley Three Favorite Espresso Shots in Metro Phoenix Ten Favorite Metro Phoenix Farmers' Markets Ten Favorite Metro Phoenix Grilled Cheese Sandwiches Eleven Favorite Favorite Places for Sushi in the Valley Ten Favorite Metro Phoenix Cupcakes Eleven Favorite Barbecue Joints in Greater Phoenix Ten Favorite Metro Phoenix Wine Bars Ten Favorite Phoenix Irish Restaurant & Pubs Six Favorite Specialty Cocktails in Phoenix Ten Favorite Metro Phoenix Craft Beer Bars Ten Favorite Gourmet Pizza Shops in the Valley Five Favorite Japanese Restaurants in Phoenix Ten Favorite Margaritas in Metro Phoenix Ten Favorite Coffee Shops in Phoenix Five Favorite Thai Restaurants in Metro Phoenix Eleven Favorite Ice Cream Shops in Greater Phoenix Ten Favorite Phoenix Happy Hours Five Favorite Sonoran Dogs in the Valley Ten Favorite Hot Dogs in Greater Phoenix Ten Favorite Desserts in Phoenix Ten Favorite First Date Restaurants Ten Favorite Burgers in Greater Phoenix Ten Favorite Downtown Phoenix Restaurants for Late Night Dining Ten Favorite Vegetarian Entrees in Metro Phoenix Ten Favorite Chinese Restaurants in Greater Phoenix
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