20 sandwiches worth traveling for

Quebec’s largest city is known to have a great culinary scene, and many Canadian bites originate in La Belle Province. You can’t visit without sampling a smoked meat sandwich, made with cured and smoked brisket that's seasoned to perfection. Have it on a Montreal bagel with a side of poutine for the ultimate Quebecois meal!

Italy is most often thought of as the place to eat pizza and pasta. And yes, that’s all well and true, but the most underrated thing you can travel to Italy to sample? A sandwich. No, really, particularly in cities like Florence, sandwich shops serve up mouthwatering warm pressed sandwiches - full of fresh cheese, pesto, meats, and the like!

This Louisiana delicacy is the perfect example of the state’s diverse history. This sub sandwich is your choice of meat, usually ham, beef, or some sort of fried seafood, with all the veggies, served traditionally, on a French roll

Baguette-style sandwiches have been adopted into Vietnamese cuisine due to French colonialism. A bánh mì is a meat or tofu sandwich filled with cucumber, pickled veggies, cilantro, and often, paté, served on a thin crust baguette.

France’s most famous sandwich! This international favorite is simply a fancy take on a ham and cheese melt. Typically, gruyère and parmesan are used, and then béchamel (cream) sauce as a topping. If you’re feeling particularly hungry, make it a croque madame, which adds a fried egg on top!

Created by Cuban immigrants in Florida, a Cubano, or Cuban sandwich, is a delicious bite on any hot Florida day. It is made up of two types of pork, roasted and ham, cheese, pickles, and mustard. All placed on a Cuban roll and toasted.

Japan is known for sushi and ramen, but there are a few sandwiches worth trying while in the country! One of those is the chicken katsu sandwich, which features, yes, katsu, as well as cabbage (and sometimes other veggies like cucumber or lettuce) on fluffy white bread.

Portugal’s favorite lunch is a bifana. This thinly sliced pork is marinated in tomato sauce, garlic, and spices. The ingredients are then cooked in oil and served on a bun to go.

Mexico City is one of Central America’s culinary capitals, and it does one simple dish very well: Hamburgers! Hamburguesa joints can be found all around town, usually in the form of street carts, grilled right in front of you.

If you’ve traveled the Mediterranean, chances are you’ve encountered a doner kebab, often shortened to just kebab. The pita sandwich is traditionally made up of chicken or veal cooked on a rotisserie, then shaved rather than cut into pieces. Fresh tzatziki and veggies accompany it, and often, fries.

A French bakery sandwich is an easy, quick lunch for locals and visitors alike. Typically served on fresh baguettes, a jambon beurre, or ham and butter, is a simple classic that never disappoints!

Falafel is a popular vegetarian sandwich option, but its origins are Egyptian, dating back to ancient times. The most notable difference is that traditional Egyptian falafel is made with fava beans, not chickpeas. These days, delicious falafel sandwiches can be found throughout the country, typically served in pita bread with veggies and tahini sauce.

A sandwich isn’t your first instinct to order from an Indian restaurant, but it should be! These delicious roti (Indian flatbread) sandwiches, typically filled with grilled veggies, chutney, and sometimes chicken, come from Kolkata, but meat versions exist.

On its own, steak and cheese sounds like an odd combo. However, for some reason, Philadelphia decided to put both in a hoagie roll with onions for a bizarre combo that just works!

This Uruguayan specialty is a mouthwatering mix of thin steak, ham (or sometimes bacon), mozzarella, olives, tomatoes, lettuce, and mayo. It is often topped with a fried egg.

The Nordic countries are famous for these open-faced sandwiches. Traditionally served on rye bread smothered in butter, the toppings are varied, depending on the country. However, common options include smoked or pickled fish, boiled eggs, meat, and pickled veggies.

Fresh lobster is a luxury in most of the world; however, in New England states and the Canadian Atlantic provinces, it’s just a regular summer lunch. These coastal delicacies are served with a combination of lemon juice, celery, mayo, or butter in a roll or hot dog bun, depending on the location.

A tasty street food option in the state of Jalisco, Mexico, these sandwiches are typically made with carnitas. This shredded pork is loaded into a roll and then dunked into a spicy red sauce. 

A South African sandwich, also known as Kato, originating near Johannesburg, the name means “quarter.” That’s because the base of this delicacy is a quarter loaf that is carved out to fill with as much meat, cheese, sauce, and occasionally fries as possible. A fried egg is also a common addition.

New Orleans, Louisiana, strikes again to round out the list. This sandwich, as the name suggests, has Italian origins, Sicilian sesame bread to be exact. Inside, salami, ham, cheese, and olives are combined to produce a filling lunch.