Club | Deli City Restaurant

Bacon isn’t an after­thought on this triple-decker sammie—it’s an equal player with the turkey. The classic rendition also includes fanned slices of tomato, crisp lettuce, and a layer of mayo on white toast

Chicken Torta | Taqueria La Placita

The chicken is griddled, making for lots of crispy bits. So is the bread, which is layered with blistered and melty queso fresco. It all comes together with pickled jalapeños, mayo, and tomato. We add slivered onions from the condiment tray and swipe it in the housemade red and green salsas.

“Green Goddess” | Mae’s Market

Like the best avocado toast you’ve ever had, but in sandwich form. White bread is stacked with extra-lemony avocado, ricotta, and cucumbers, and it all gets a subtle kick from Aleppo pepper.

“The Milano” | The Italian Store

This classic Italian sub comes with two hams, Genoa salami, and provolone. It’s customizable—we opt for the soft roll and dress it up with hot peppers, shredded lettuce, and vinaigrette.

Combination Sandwich | Banh Mi DC Sandwich

This Vietnamese market differentiates itself with its baked-in-house baguettes—light and airy with a crackly crust. Inside, find just the right balance of sweet-pickled carrots and daikon, slightly gelatinous cold cuts, jalapeño heat, cilantro, and healthy slathers of mayo and pâté.

“The Sando” | Wooboi

The hot-chicken sandwich wave has largely passed, but these twin shops are where we return when a craving strikes. Choose your spice level wisely—there are six, and even level two is fiery. Pickles, slaw, and rémoulade-like comeback sauce can buffer only so much.

This article appears in the August 2023 issue of Washingtonian.