Metairie-ites in the know love this family run po’ boy and platter shop on Clearview, and with good reason — it dishes large portions of homestyle eats, from sandwiches and salads to daily dinner specials. Speaking of large portions, World Deli’s muffuletta is as big as it gets, and the mini muffuletta party tray is a Mardi Gras favorite.

Metairie’s charming, family-run Giorlando’s restaurant opened in 1972 and is much loved by locals and neighbors. Giorlando’s muffuletta comes on a nine-inch round of fresh baked bread, filled with salami, ham, mortadella, mozzarella, Swiss, and John G’s olive salad, served hot. Now run by the second generation, the restaurant’s Facebook page is pretty adorable with mostly family photos. Good to know: It’s closed on the weekends.

This little neighborhood po’ boy shop hangs onto its family legacy and homey feel after more than 40 years in Old Metairie. The muffuletta is classic, served hot, and has the right amount of everything.

R&O’s, a family establishment in Bucktown since the 1980s, touts pizza as its primary trade, but the po’ boys loom large for locals. While roast beef is the most famous here, the muffuletta has its own following as well — it’s a classic, served hot and melty with a finely chopped olive salad, one that seeps into its Italian loaf. Order one to go and head to the lakefront for a treat for the whole family — they’re huge.

Mandina’s is a casual, familial seafood and Creole Italian joint favored by many of the city’s most longstanding families. Just steps from the Canal Street streetcar line, it’s also a great place to snag a muffuletta. It differs from the norm, but primarily because of bread — it’s served toasted on French bread, instead of an Italian loaf. The olive salad is also a bit different, in that the olives stay whole. Otherwise, the flavors are all there, topped with melty cheese.

This 1940s-era Creole Italian restaurant in Mid City is known for its own special twist on the classic muffuletta, called the “Frenchaletta.” Forget the round seeded loaf. Liuzza’s stuffs it all in po’ boy bread. It’s basically the opposite of the one at Parran’s (muffuletta bread stuffed with po’ boy fillings).

Love this family owned grocery store on Esplanade Avenue, the kind of place where the Italian sausage is homemade - the hot is amazing - and the hogshead cheese has its own fan club. On Saturdays - and Saturdays only - buy a half or whole muffuletta at Terranova’s, wrapped in plastic and sitting up by Karen at the register. When they’re gone, they’re gone. So good.

Creole House, because of its location on Canal at Decatur, draws a largely tourist crowd. But locals in the know that happen to be nearby would be well advised to check out the restaurant’s solid menu of Nola dishes, from char-grilled oysters to po’ boys, red beans and rice and — ta-da — a damn fine muffuletta, served pressed to melt the cheese.

Napoleon House pairs its hot muffulettas with opera music in a French Quarter spot full of history: The building was once set up to receive Napoleon in exile. He died before he made it and now it’s home to stellar muffulettas and cold Pimm’s Cups. If it’s nice out, grab a seat in the courtyard.

For those who want a muffuletta available 24/7, there’s Verti Marte in the French Quarter. This version is piled high with thick-cut meat and served either hot or cold. Verti Marte is the perfect spot to soak up a night of merry-making, or to grab an incredible sandwich any time of day.

While the singular gold standard for the muffuletta, Central Grocery, prepares to reopen in Fall 2023 (hopefully) , there’s an easy way get your fix, and it doesn’t even involve going out to Metairie for a visit to Zuppardo’s (though you can get them there as well). Simply go next door to Sidney’s Wine Cellar, where they sell Central Grocery-made muffs, either a half ($14) or a full sandwich ($25 and serves four). It’s just as good as you remember, promise.

Fiorella’s may be best known for its award-winning fried chicken, but the decades-old family business now headquartered in Gentilly offers much more. This old-school counter service shop is one of few area red sauce joints, known for meatballs, veal, and chicken parmesan, as well as New Orleans classics like fried chicken, po’boys, and muffulettas. They love their muffuletta bread so much they also use it for the stromboli.

Dimartino’s is a must-stop on the West Bank for a muffuletta or roast beef po’ boy since 1975. Now with three locations, including one of the Northshore.