18 Phenomenal Philadelphia Sandwiches

If you only eat one thing in Philadelphia, it should be a sandwich. The city’s eateries make some of the best sandwiches in the country, if not the world. But what sandwich? The easy choice would be a cheesesteak since the meaty sandwich’s fame has achieved global status. But that iconic sandwich is just one of many worth eating in the historic American city.

If you list the icons of Philly, cheesesteaks and hoagies rank up there with the Liberty Bell, Independence Mall and the Art Museum steps. However, it should be noted that these sandwiches weren’t part of the city’s food culture when Philadelpia was the nation’s original capital. Back then, in the latter part of the 18th century, the sandwich concept hadn’t yet jumped the pond. Instead, the city’s food culture was instead centered around taverns. Sandwiches became an integral part of the city’s fabric a century later thanks to the industrial revolution and immigrants, many of whom were Italian, German and Polish, who brought their food traditions to the city.

Those immigrants (and their children) get much of the early credit for Philly sandwiches like the cheesesteak, hoagie and roast pork sandwich. In more recent years, immigrants from Mexico and Vietnam have introduced tortas and banh mi sandwiches to the mix while innovative home-grown chefs have added their own twists. Sandwiches in Philly are so great that lunches and late night sandwich runs have become major events with crowds packing in to enjoy a range of proteins and accoutrements surrounded by bread.

Discover great sandwiches to eat in America and around the world.

We may be biased, based on our Philly roots, but we consider Philadelphia to be America’s greatest sandwich city. (Yes, we know that Chicago and NYC are great sandwich cities but there’s something special about Philly that goes way beyond the cheesesteak.)

We had our go-to sandwiches when we lived in Center City for more than three decades. And, while we still love many of those sandwiches, we’re constantly discovering new sandwiches every time we return to the city.

These are our current favorites and the ones you shouldn’t miss:

1. Cheesesteak

Unsurprisingly, the Philly cheesesteak tops this list. While the high protein sandwich has probably outgrown its reputation, there’s no disputing the cheesesteak’s place as the ultimate Philadelphia food icon. In all corners of the world, there’s no food that people associate more with Philly than the cheesesteak. Philadelphia Cream cheese is a close second despite the fact that its root are in New York.

Famous movie characters like Rocky have eaten cheesesteaks, numerous tv shows have featured them and food lovers around the world eat copycat versions in cities like Lisbon, London, Tokyo and even Dubai. But there’s something special about experiencing a cheesesteak at the source.

This cheesesteak is a true Philly original. Pat Olivieri gets credit for popularizing the iconic sandwich made with chopped rib-eye steak, cheese (typically Cheez Whiz, Provolone or Cooper Sharp White American). The sandwich’s bread is almost always a soft, long baguette-shaped hoagie roll. You can choose to add fried onions or not.

Where to Eat Authentic Cheesesteaks in Philly
Check out our Philly Cheesesteak guide for a comprehsensive list. If you’re not in Philly, you can follow our authentic cheesesteak recipe and eat one at home.

The roast pork sandwich may be the sandwich that locals love most. Popularized by Italian immigrants, its under-the-radar combination of slow-roasted pork, greens (typically broccoli rabe or spinach) and aged provolone (a.k.a. sharp provolone) is acknowledged by many Philly culinarians as the sandwich to both beat and eat.

The roast pork’s sandwich recipe is simple. Cooks pile specially spiced and braised pork shoulder on a long, soft sesame seed roll. Although you’ll find our favorite roast pork sandwich at deep South Philly’s John’s Roast Pork, DiNic’s in the Reading Terminal Market serves an excellent alternative if you’re in Center City without a car.

Where to Eat Juicy Roast Pork Sandwiches in Philly
DiNic’s Roast Pork in the Reading Terminal and John’s Roast Pork in South Philly

While the cheesesteak is Philly’s most famous sandwich, legendary mayor Ed Rendell declared the hoagie to be the city’s official sandwich in 1992. The marriage of meats, veggies and cheese on a long Italian roll is, essentially, Philly’s version of an Italian submarine sandwich.

Food historians trace the hoagie’s origins to the early 20th century. Back then, Italian workers ate long rolls stuffed with meats and cheeses while working at South Philly’s Hog Island Shipyard. Today, the city’s best sandwhich shops create hoagies with artisan rolls, Italian meats like prosciutto di Parma, coppa and Genoa-style salami, sharp Provolone, oil, vinegar and oregano. But you can also eat hoagies at suburban strip malls and corner pizza shops.

Not all modern hoagies are the same. Some shops replace the cured meat with chicken cutlets while others replace Provolone with Cooper Sharp American cheese. Other shops sell cheesesteak hoagies and tuna hoagies or take a vegan route by eschewing both meat and cheese entirely. Then there’s Wawa’s hoagies. The ubiquitous convenience store’s sandwiches fit the bill for those short on time, cash or both.

Where to Eat Loaded Hoagies in Philly
Angelo’s Pizzeria in the Italian Market, Cosmi’s Deli, in South Philly Farina Di Vita in Queen Village, Liberty Kitchen in Fishtown and WaWa Convenience Stores

When German immigrants introduced pretzels to Philadelphia centuries ago, they probably didn’t think of making sandwiches from the twisty treats. Instead, they were busy with farming, sausage making, barn raising and other bucolic activities.

Times have changed. Since Rowhome Coffee’s Hugh Morretta and Eli Shaika aren’t distracted by plows and wheelbarrows, the duo has time to transform soft pretzels into sandwiches when they’re not focused on their specialty coffee mission.

The coffee shop’s savory selection includes everything, cinnamon sugar and salt pretzels filled with cream cheese, breakfast pretzel sandwiches and lunch-worthy pretzel sandwiches. It also includes a pretzel grilled cheese. Our only question: Why haven’t more Philly sandwich shops jumped on the pretzel bandwagon?

Where to Eat Pretzel Sandwiches in Philly
Rowhome Coffee in East Kensington and Fitler’s Square

A bagel is a bagel except when it’s something more. Such is the case at Cleo Bagels. Sure, you could order a traditiona bagel or bialy with lox or white fish at the West Philly shop but the smarter move is to order the shop’s signature Ramen Thing.

Cleo’s passionate owner Alex Malamy invented the Ramen Thing years ago when Cleo was a pop-up called Dodo. Although we knew Malamy back then, we didn’t try the Ramen Thing until recently. Excuse the cliche but these two ramen fans legit eperienced love at first bite.

The unique bagel sandwich is loaded with classic ramen ingredients – marinated egg, braised bamboo, house-pickled ginger, seaweed crisp, togarashi mayo, toasted ground sesame and scallion. It captures the Japanese soup’s spirit in a way that’s both portable and unique. More important, this sandwich, which is served inside Malamy’s quality bagel, tastes great.

Where to Eat Ramen Thing Bagel Sandwiches in Philly
Cleo Bagels in West Philly

Breakfast sandwiches became a grab-and-go favorite at Philly food trucks decades ago. Times have changed – more than a few cafes and restaurants have transitioned the old shcool BEC (bacon, egg and cheese sandwich) into something worth pairing with a Bloody Mary or Mimosa.

Some spots like Middle Child accomplish this feat by upgrading breakfast sandwich ingredients to include items like Cooper Sharp American cheese and house-smoked pastrami. Others like K’Far Cafe add exotic flavors like schug and za’atar, placing those ingredients inside a seeded Jerusalem style bagel.

Where to Eat Eye Opening Breakfast Sandwiches in Philly
K’Far in Rittenhouse, Middle Child in Center City, Middle Child Clubhouse in Fishtown, Mighty Bread Company in South Philly and Rowhome Coffee (both locations)

Chicken sandwiches aren’t unique to Philadelphia. But there’s something special about eating a fried chicken sandwich at FedNuts (i.e. Federal Donuts & Chicken) – and not just because of the excellent donuts that are also on the menu.

We became immediate fans of FedNuts’ Original Fried Chicken Sandwich when the original shop opened in Pennsport in 2011. While that location has closed, the classic clucker still rocks with its twice-fried chicken breast dusted with buttermilk ranch seasoning, American cheese, dill pickle slices and spicy rooster sauce. Other worthy FedNuts chicken sandwiches include a fried chicken sandwich with za’atar seasoning and the loaded Early Bird breakfast sandwich. They’re all served on potato rolls.

Where to Eat Crispy Chicken Sandwiches in Philly
Federal Donuts & Chicken in Various Neighborhoods and Huda in Center City

These aren’t Philly’s only cheesesteaks that stray from the classic formula. Some replace the rib-eye steak with meats like chicken and pastrami. Others incorporate Mexican and Korean ingredients. Barclay Prime makes a version with hand cut wagyu, black truffle and and foie gras that costs well over a hundred bucks.

Where to Eat Tongue Tingling BBQ Cheesesteaks in Philly
Mike’s BBQ in South Philly

The pastrami on rye has been a fixture on Philadelphia deli menus since the early 1900’s. The meaty sandwich became an instant favorite after Jewish immigrants introduced pastrami to the city.

For the uninitiated, pastrami is typically beef brisket that’s been brined, smoked and served warm from a steam table. It’s also a classic meat to serve on rye bread. Pairing the resulting sandwich with kosher pickles and cole slaw creates a meal that’s big enough to share.

We ate more than a few hot pastrami sandwiches at Famous Fourth Street Delicatessen when we lived four blocks from the deli. Sure, we could have ordered other sandwiches with additional meats but we chose to save stomach space for extras like chopped liver and matzo ball soup intead.

     Where to Eat Ginormous Pastrami Sandwiches in Philly
Famous 4th Street Delicatessen in Queen Village and Hershel’s East Side Deli in the Reading Terminal Market

Could there be a more satisfying Sunday brunch item that a well crafted bagel sandwich made with hand cut lox (i.e. brined smoked salmon) and cream cheese plus optional ingredients like tomatoes, onions and cucumber? This is obviously a rhetorical question.

While bagels became popular in Philly during the early 20th century, they didn’t go mainstream until this century. Collin Shapiro and Jonathon Zilber started the trend in 2015 when they began boiling bagels in a beer-laden hot liquid bath at the original Philly Style Bagels location on Girard Avenue. (They now have locations in Fishtown and Old City.) We’d call the market saturated with too many new bagels shops except, at least in our book, there’s no such thing as too many bagels.

Where to Eat Satisfying Bagels and Lox in Philly
Bart’s Bagels in Bella Vista and West Philly, Cleo Bagels in West Philly, K’Far in Rittenhouse, Kismet Bagels, Knead Bagels in Washington Square, Philly Style Bagels in Fishtown and Old City, South Street Philly Bagels in Queen Village and Spread Bagelry (Multiple Locations)

Over the last 30 years, Philly’s Mexican food scene has grown from just a few joints on 9th Street to Fishtown, the Northeast and beyond. Many of these eateries serve tortas but great tortas aren’t as easy to find as excellent burritos and tacos. But great tortas are there if you know where to look.

You’ll find the city’s most lauded tortas at El Chingon. Helmed by Carlos Aparicio, the Mexican restaurant is far from a hidden gem – it’s been recognized by both the James Beard Foundation and the New York Times. Aparicio’s menu currently features nine different Pueblan cemitas including our favorite – the Clásica with crispy fried chicken, avocado, quesillo (i.e. cheese), onion, chipotle and papalo aioli. We also like the tortas at Blue Corn, a traditional Mexican eatery in the Italian Market.

Where to Eat Tasty Tortas in Philly
Blue Corn in the Italian Village and El Chingon in Fishtown and South Philly

We love New Orleans muffulettas as much as we love Philly hoagies but we never thought to combine the Italian-American sandwiches. Luckly, the team at Ellen Yin’s The Bread Room had the foresight to fuse the two tasty sandwiches into one.

This fusion makes sense. Similar to the hoagie, the muffuletta was created by Italian immigrants and features cured meats and cheese. The differences lie in the muffuletta’s bread as well as in its bonus ingredient – marinated olive salad.

To us, the hoagie muffuletta is the best of both sandwich worlds. On one hand, it’s a round hoagie with punchy, acidic olive salad. On the other hand, it’s a muffuletta served on an artisanal sesame focacia. Either way, it makes both our mouths equally happy.

Where to Eat Hoagie Muffulettas in Philly
The Bread Room in Washington Square

Choosing just one sandwich was a challenge. Huda’s menu currently has 10 milk bread sandwiches with toppings like spicy fried chicken, Korean fried chicken, grilled swordfish, brisket, short rib and maitake mushroom. Three are technically burgers. And, as a sweet bonus, cinnamon milk buns are on the menu too.

Where to Eat Milk Bun Sandwiches in Philly
Huda in Center City

Our two favorite Philly banh mi spots couldn’t be more different. Located on Washington Avenue in the Little Saigon neighborhood, no frills Ba Le Bakery sells more than 20 different banh mi sandwich combinations plus summer rolle and other Vietnamese foods. Across town, in Kensington, the chicer Càphê Roasters offers just three banh mi options (chả lụa, crispy tofu and fried chicken). Worth noting, all three are served on Banh Le Bakery baguettes.

Where to Eat Excellent Banh Mi Sandwiches in Philly
Ba Le Bakery in Little Saigon and Càphê Roasters in Kensington

While most Philly eateries offer at least one vegetarian option, Michael Solomonov’s Goldie goes two steps further. All of the food sold at the Israeli-style falafel shop is both kosher and vegan. One of those foods is a falafel sandwich.

That falafel sandwich is essentially a pita that’s stuffed with crispy falafel balls, tomato, cucumber, marinated cabbage, parsley and various tehina sauces. We like the harissa tehina sauce. We also like Goldie’s original tehina shake. If you think this sounds like too much tehina, think again.

Where to Eat Flavorful Falafel Sandwichs in Philly
Goldie (Multiple Locations) and Various Middle Eastern Restaurants in NE Philly

In Philly, you can eat a classic Reuben at a spots like Famous 4th Street, Hershel’s East Side Deli and Middle Child. Or you can go a different route at Middle Child Clubhouse by eating a pastrami rueben, a turkey reuben or a roasted veggie reuben. While there are no bad choices in this scenario, we choose to eat our reubens with either corned beef or pastrami

Where to Eat Mouthwatering Reuben Sandwiches in Philly
Famous 4th Street Delicatessen in Queen Village, Hershel’s East Side Deli in the Reading Terminal Market, Middle Child in Center City and Middle Child Clubhouse in Fishtown

The history of the hamburger is as clear as mud with Hamburg in Germany and various American cities staking a claim to its origin. Philadelphia isn’t one of those cities. And, yet, Philadelphia has a slew of hamburger options that go beyond fast food. And they’re not all the same.

Lucky’s Last Chance serves some of the city’s most unusual burgers – the PB & Bacon and Pickle Monster are two prime examples. Huda Burger leans hard into smash burgers while Che Dave Conn’s Alice serves a classic burger. Meanwhile, Fountain Porter stands out from the pack by selling its burger for just $6 (price subject to change) along with one of the city’s best craft beer menus.

Where to Eat Banging Burgers in Philly
Alice in the Italian Market, Fountain Porter in South Philly, Huda Burger in Fishtown and Lucky’s Last Chance in Mannayunk and Queen Village

Although Philly is no longer a full-on hot dog city, you can still eat hot dogs at various spots in the city. Lucky’s Last Chance is one of those spots. However, eating a hot dog while watching a Phillies game is the wiener way to go.

Since dollar dog nights are sadly another thing of the past, your best bet is to buy a Hatfield hot dog from a Citizen Bank Park vendor and top that stadium hot dog with mustard. Another option is to catch one from the Phillie Phanatic’s cannon but that’s a long shot – pun intended.

Where to Eat Staduium Hot Dogs in Philly
Citizen Bank Park, Lincoln Financial Field and Xfinity Mobile Arena

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