Restaurants

9 Mouthwatering Sandwiches to Eat Like a Local, No Matter Where in the World You Are

To truly eat like a local no matter where you are in the world, you’ve got to try their version of stuff stuffed into other stuff—yes, we mean sandwiches.
Image may contain Burger Food Bread and Sandwich
Danny Kim

As much as Chileans are different from Canadians, and Jamaicans from Japanese, there’s one thing everyone has in common: We all love our sandwiches. So when traveling, if you want to understand how the locals eat, you’ve got to try their version of stuff stuffed into other stuff. This isn’t to say that you should cancel your reservation at that four-star hot spot you scheduled your vacation around (enjoy!), but if you don’t snag a jambon-beurre on a perfectly crusty baguette while breezing through the Marais, or scarf a cemita dripping with juicy pork and chipotles after a night of mezcal in Puebla, well, you weren’t really there.

  • Image may contain Food Hot Dog Plant Produce and Sandwich
    Danny Kim
    1/9

    Banh Mi (Vietnam)

    Crisp pickled vegetables, mayo, and fish sauce play nice with meaty fillings ranging from sliced meats and pâté to rich stew-y meatballs.

  • Image may contain Burger Food and Bread
    Danny Kim
    2/9

    Sabich (Israel)

    Hard-boiled eggs, crunchy-soft fried eggplant, hummus, and Israeli salad stuffed into a pita make for a vegetarian sandwich with real heft.

  • Image may contain Food and Sandwich
    Danny Kim
    3/9

    Smoked Meat (Montreal)

    The land of long winters brings us spiced, smoked, and steamed brisket piled high on yellow mustard–schmeared rye bread.

  • Image may contain Food Bread and Burger
    Danny Kim
    4/9

    Muffuletta (New Orleans)

    The best of the Italian deli case—think mortadella, salami, ham, provolone, and oily olive relish—all stacked up on a pillowy round of sesame bread.

  • Image may contain Food Dessert Chocolate Cookie Biscuit Brownie Plant and Cake
    Danny Kim
    5/9

    Smørrebrød (Denmark)

    Before hipsters made things-on-toast a “thing,” the Danes were mounting just about anything in the fridge atop dense slabs of butter-slathered rye.

  • Image may contain Food Dish Meal and Plant
    Danny Kim
    6/9

    Doubles (Trindad and Tobago)

    Turmeric-laced disks of fried dough can barely contain fiery curried chickpeas and a sweet slick of tamarind sauce. Messy and magical.

  • Image may contain Pottery Jar Vase Plant and Food
    Danny Kim
    7/9

    Katsu Sando (Japan)

    Juicy panko-fried pork, white bread (crusts removed, of course), sweet tonkatsu sauce—this is Japanese fast food at its finest.

  • Image may contain Food Burger and Hot Dog
    Danny Kim
    8/9

    Arepa (Venezuela)

    Griddled cornmeal patty split and loaded with all kinds of tasty business, from beans and cheese to saucy shredded pork shoulder.

  • Image may contain Food Pork Hot Dog and Burger
    Danny Kim
    9/9

    Jambon-Beurre (France)

    An exercise in restraint: crusty baguette, butter, delicate French-style ham, and maybe a slice of Gruyère. Très français.

Amiel has worked at Bon Appétit in some capacity since 2012(!)—a sentence that makes him feel very old indeed. In that time, he has focused primarily on writing and editing service-driven cooking content across all platforms but has also developed recipes, penned travel guides, and hosted more than a few videos. These days, he ... Read More
Contributing Editor
Explore Bon AppétitSandwichTravel