Los Angeles may be a relatively young city, but it’s steeped in sandwich history. It lays claim to the French dip, with downtown dens Cole’s and Phillippe the Original both claiming to be the originator of the roast beef sandwich that comes on a French roll dunked in jus or with the drippings served on the side. The playfully dueling sandwich spots also represent two of the longest-running restaurants in the region, both founded in 1908.
Not only do the historic haunts disagree on who invented the French dip, but diners are often split on which spot makes the superior version. In fact, you’ll notice a similar argument around Langer’s, a Jewish deli in Westlake that’s been around since 1947, and the ideal modifications for its hot pastrami sandwich. That’s because the sandwich, universally beloved, is a highly personal and customizable dish.
“With a sandwich, you’re curating every single bite,” says Anna Sonenshein, who runs Little Fish, a seafood-centric counter in Echo Park’s Dada Market, with her partner Niki Vahle. “If you hand somebody a plate of food, they can figure out what gets on their fork. But in a sandwich, every bite is picked by us.”
Little Fish, which went viral for fried fish sandwiches modeled after McDonald’s Filet o’ Fish, is part of a new wave of sandwich makers harnessing nostalgia by re-creating iconic sandwiches with local, high-quality ingredients.
“A great sandwich is [about] balance,” says Brandon Kida, chef-owner of Go Go Bird, an L.A.-style fried chicken stand in Culver City’s Citizen Public Market. “There’s got to be a great balance of, obviously, the filling and the bread and then the particular condiments.”
Los Angeles is heaven for sandwich lovers. From longtime favorites to trendy newcomers, these are the best sandwiches to try right now.
Go Go Bird recently unveiled a new sandwich called the Reach, made in collaboration with Food Beast managing editor Richard Guinto — an homage to the original chicken sandwich at Burger King that Guinto ate with his grandfather growing up: the soft sesame roll, crumbly chicken patty, shredded lettuce and creamy mayo.
Alongside nostalgia-driven newcomers are sandwich makers translating the deli traditions they grew up with in various parts of the world, including a handful of Italian schiacciata specialists, a Wagyu tasting-menu restaurant offering its take on Philadelphia’s finest culinary import and a charming Silver Lake cafe where a staple Nowruz dish is tucked inside sesame-dotted barbari bread.
In this guide, L.A. Times Food staff writers highlight our favorite sandwiches across the city, including a couple of obvious heavy-hitters but notably skipping over a few. That’s not to say you shouldn’t come to your own conclusion regarding the two French dips, or try the seminal Godmother at Bay Cities (you’ll find the latter on columnist Jenn Harris’ guide to the best Italian subs). From soaked tortas ahogadas to meatball subs and a walnut shrimp katsu, these are 37 of (what we consider to be) the best sandwiches in L.A.