Hungry lunch crowds have long swarmed this Lincoln Square treasure for its Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches. The house-baked baguettes give a pleasing crunch and are paired with meats, seafood, or tofu, plus sweet pickled daikon, fresh cucumber spears, and lots of cilantro. A second Nhu Lan outpost is open in Uptown.

L&M Fine Foods has a stellar deli counter in the back of this gourmet store, and there are plenty of challenging decisions presented by the menu. The porchetta, made in the store, is a standout, served with garlic aioli and capers. Get this one hot and take a minute to savor it all.

Irving Park shop JT’s pulls on Midwestern influences for much of its menu, which includes options like a breaded pork tenderloin sandwich and a Coney dog. Owner Christopher Cunningham’s finest creation, however, is a riff on a Philly favorite, the Italian roast pork sandwich. His version consists of thinly-shaved pork in a honey and garlic glaze, served on a sesame roll with provolone, grilled rapini, Calabrian chili aioli, and jus. Al fresco dining is available on the restaurant’s patio when the weather permits.

The bread’s the difference at Loaf Lounge, a pandemic pivot for a husband-and-wife team who worked at acclaimed restaurants like Giant and Sepia. For their simple BLT, the jalapeño-cheddar bread elevates everything. Don’t forget to buy a loaf to bring home where you can treat yourself to midnight snacks.

The fountain soda and comfort food experts at this all-day retreat in Logan Square know a thing or two about solid sandwiches and have thus earned a loyal following among locals and fans around town. Even often-mundane chicken salad gets the star treatment at Same Day, which delivers a memorable almond- and date-studded curry chicken salad sandwich with arugula on toasted rosemary bread.

Chef James Martin has created a welcoming Spanish all-day restaurant in Lincoln Park. The space will remind customers of Europe and the food does its best to mix Spanish and American culture. For example, the smoked lamb short rib sandwich (it’s not a McRib; confused customers are likely why management just calls it a lamb sandwich now) is large enough so a hungry Chicagoan won’t complain. It’s delicate and the pickled green beans are a nice touch. It’s a great pick-me-up on the way to the beach or Lincoln Park Zoo.

Logan Square’s all-day tribute to Old World butcher shops has rapidly carved out a reputation as a go-to sandwich spot across from the CTA Blue Line California stop. Chef and partner Christopher Thompson (Coda di Volpe) and his team make and cure their own charcuterie, which surely takes center stage in favorites like the Frenchie (cured ham, country pork pate, brie, dijon, cornichon mayo, baguette).

Le Bouchon is a classic Chicago restaurant with all the vibes of what one would expect from a French bistro. For lunch, dine on a French dip made with roast wagyu beef, raclette, and cornichon aioli. A side of French onion broth is provided for dipping pleasure.

Ethan Lim’s Pan-Asian sandwich shop charms diners by riffing on classics, such as a bulgogi cheesesteak. But the best of the bunch is the fried chicken sandwich that embraces Cambodian flavors with pickled papaya, long beans, Asian herbs, and garlic mayo. Order online here.

The Italian beef is perhaps the most iconic sandwich in all of Chicago. Although it’s hotly contested, a large chunk of people think the best one is found at Johnnie's Beef out in Elmwood Park. Order it the traditional way: Topped with spicy giardiniera or sweet peppers, and dipped in jus. Picnic tables are set up outside for dining. A second location is in suburban Arlington Heights.

Phodega attempts reverse psychology with signs reading “Don’t try it. You won’t like it.” Well, this Vietnamese American restaurant’s food stars in this fast-casual restaurant-cum-corner store. In 2023, co-owners Nate Hoops and Anthony Ngo closed their duo of locations in Pilsen and Wicker Park for a move to a larger space slated to open Friday, August 11. Check out the new digs and the Viet dip, a succulent spin on the French dip with a beef banh mi and a side of pho.

Kasama is the only Michelin-starred Filipino restaurant in the world. That honor is mostly due to its fancy dinner service. But that doesn’t mean lunch is an afterthought. Chef Tim Flores provides a tribute to Chicago with a sandwich made from sliced pork dunked on adobo jus and then torpedoed with a longaniza. It’s his version of the Italian beef combo, and it’s wonderful. Flores and spouse-slash-co-owner chef Genie Kwon won the James Beard Foundation’s 2023 award for best chefs: Great Lakes.

West Town’s charming Italian American deli and grocer is rightly celebrated for its juicy Italian beef, as well as a stellar lineup of subs. Favorites include the Italian, piled with capicolla (that’s “gabagool” to Tony Soprano), Genova salami, mortadella, provolone, and the shop’s own hot or mild giard. Subs are available in 9-inch, 12-inch, or 3-foot portions.

Originally a side project in the basement of Publican Quality Meats, this bakery upgraded to a home of its own in 2022, helmed by James Beard Award-winning head baker Greg Wade. In addition to loaves and pastries, If you are lucky to walk in after the first bake, get a slice of the aptly named Big Sandwich (pizza bianca, burrata, mortadella, apricot and summer squash salad, arugula, spiced apricot jam).

Hailed as "Chicago’s Finest Deli," Manny's Cafeteria & Delicatessen remodeled and expanded its space a few years ago but the food is still as good as when it opened in 1942. Taste a bit of that history with Manny’s famous corned beef, sliced thinly to perfection and served on bread or a roll along with a pickle spear. Outdoor seating is available. Online ordering is available here.

When USA Today called the breaded steak sandwich at this South Side pizzeria the best sandwich in the world, it unsurprisingly caused a bit of a stir. Whether folks agree or not, the article made the combination of breaded steak, tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, and hot giardiniera a must-try. Save time be ordering ahead here.

The owners of Virtue aimed to give Chicago a taste of New Orleans in Hyde Park. The bread for Daisy’s po-boys is imported and the fried catfish is easily adapted from Virtue’s delicious recipe.

The origins of the “Gym Shoe” sandwich are unclear. Eaters, though, couldn’t care less because the delicious South Side creation at Stony Sub arrives packed with a heaping pile of roast beef, gyro meat, and corned beef and mixed with giardiniera, sweet peppers, onions, tzatziki sauce, tomatoes, Swiss cheese, and mayo. It’s quite the mouthful and certainly leagues better than the odd name implies.

Chicago is the land of mild sauce, the only good use for ketchup in the city (the famous condiment is a mixture of the stuff with barbecue sauce and other flavorings). But Hot Chi Chicken proves that this city enjoys its heat with a wonderfully hot sandwich that mocks the fascination with a certain fast-food chain. “Popeyes Ain’t !@#%” brings heat thanks to a mixture of Kashmiri and other chiles with some harissa for a multi-culture party in your mouth. Please be careful about the spice levels and don’t wipe your eyes.