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The Hook's Cheddar
The Hook's Cheddar
St. James Cheese Co.

12 Essential Sandwiches in New Orleans

Try them now

by Gwendolyn Knapp
2 comments / new
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The Hook's Cheddar
| St. James Cheese Co.
by Gwendolyn Knapp
2 comments / new

When it comes to essential sandwiches, New Orleans is a town of po' boys, with muffulettas and banh mi thrown in for good measure.

That being said, there are so many great po' boys in New Orleans that Eater will launch a separate essential po' boy map this week. But right now... let's turn our attention to the city's non-po' boy sandwiches.

All of these sandwiches are worth at least one try, and cover a lot of ground for locals and tourists alike. Here, now, New Orleans' essential sandwiches. Not ranked, just sorted by neighborhood.

Did Eater miss an essential sandwich? Leave a comment or hit up the tipline and tell us about your favorite sandwich in New Orleans.

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Oyster Loaf at Casamento's

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The seasonal oyster house on Magazine Street doesn't have a po' boy. Instead there's the oyster loaf with some of the freshest fried oysters around.
4330 Magazine St., New Orleans, LA 70115
(504) 895-9761
(504) 895-9761
Yelp/Ms. T

Muffuletta at Central Grocery

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Central Grocery's muffuletta is by far one of the most iconic sandwiches in New Orleans. It's cheap. It's huge. It's wrapped up like a present. And while, yes, the place is super touristy, waiting in line to get one is an experience everybody should have at least once in their lifetime.
923 Decatur St., New Orleans, LA 70116
flickr/Wally Gobetz

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Banh Mi at Dong Phuong

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New Orleans has a large and vibrant Vietnamese population, meaning we also have some of the best banh mi in the country. No matter where you like to get yours, Dong Phuong in New Orleans East has a reputation as the best.
14207 Chef Menteur Hwy, New Orleans, LA 70129
(504) 254-0214
(504) 254-0214
Yelp/Karen K.

Muffuletta at Butcher

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The muffuletta at Cocon Butcher gets critical acclaim, it's true. A lot of people claim it's the best in town. Much better than the one at Central Grocery or Napoleon House even.
New Orleans, LA
(504) 588-7675
(504) 588-7675
flickr/Andrew Huff

The Chic-Syl-Vain at Sylvain

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The newest of the iconic New Orleans sandwiches, Sylvain's chicken sandwich with pickles on a buttery bun is really like Chic-Fil-A on crack. It causes severe addiction, and is the perfect sandwich to eat while boozing in the quarter.
625 Chartres St., New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 265-8123
(504) 265-8123
Facebook

The Hooks Cheddar at St. James Cheese Company

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Since this Uptown cheese and sandwich emporium opened in 2006, the "Hooks" (previously known as the Grafton and The Beechers) has caused an everyday frenzy at this small shop during lunch. Soft ciabatta is packed with Hooks Cheddar, turkey, avocado, basil, tomato and mayo.
5004 Prytania St, New Orleans, LA 70115
(504) 899-4737
(504) 899-4737
courtesy of St. James Cheese Co.

The Rachel at Stein's Market & Deli

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The Rachel is basically a reuben with pastrami instead of corned beef, and it rules. The difficult question will be if you want to order this or The Sam, which is very similar but comes with coleslaw instead of sauerkraut.
2207 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 527-0771
(504) 527-0771
Yelp/Eric C.

Pulled Pork at The Joint

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The Joint has been a force in the Bywater for over a decade, and the pulled pork sandwich topped with slaw is as essential as it gets in terms of New Orleans barbecue.
701 Mazant St, New Orleans, LA 70117
(504) 949-3232
(504) 949-3232
Yelp/Marielle S.

Doner Kebab at Kebab

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This casual St. Claude restaurant specializes in awesome spit-roasted meats, and the bread is baked in an oven custom-built by the owners, making for excellent Gyro Kebab (pork) and Doner Kebab (chicken).
2315 Saint Claude Ave, New Orleans, LA 70117
Brasted

The Cuban at Regla Cuban Corner Market

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This Mid City corner store's history dates back to the 1970s when owner Carmen Garces' mother operated the Garces Restaurant—known for its Cuban fare— at the location. No surprise, the Cuban here is delicious, cheap ($5.75) and can be paired with an Iron Beer.
4200-4216 Dhemecourt St, New Orleans, LA 70119
(504) 485-6494
(504) 485-6494
Brasted

The Reuben at Parkway

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While Parkway is known for its incredible po' boys, the Reuben is one of the menu's hidden gems. If you're unsure about trying it, just order the housemade corned beef as a po' boy and you'll see the light.
538 Hagan Ave, New Orleans, LA 70119
(504) 482-3047
(504) 482-3047
Yelp/Kate D.

Falafel Sandwich at 1000 Figs

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The team behind 1000 Figs made its name with the beloved Fat Falafel food truck, and for good reason, the falafel sandwich comes teeming with fresh slaw and cabbage and slathered in a trio of delicious sauces.
Ponce De Leon St, New Orleans, LA 70119
Yelp/Paige J.

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Oyster Loaf at Casamento's

4330 Magazine St., New Orleans, LA 70115
The seasonal oyster house on Magazine Street doesn't have a po' boy. Instead there's the oyster loaf with some of the freshest fried oysters around.
4330 Magazine St., New Orleans, LA 70115
(504) 895-9761
(504) 895-9761
Yelp/Ms. T

Muffuletta at Central Grocery

923 Decatur St., New Orleans, LA 70116
Central Grocery's muffuletta is by far one of the most iconic sandwiches in New Orleans. It's cheap. It's huge. It's wrapped up like a present. And while, yes, the place is super touristy, waiting in line to get one is an experience everybody should have at least once in their lifetime.
923 Decatur St., New Orleans, LA 70116
flickr/Wally Gobetz

Banh Mi at Dong Phuong

14207 Chef Menteur Hwy, New Orleans, LA 70129
New Orleans has a large and vibrant Vietnamese population, meaning we also have some of the best banh mi in the country. No matter where you like to get yours, Dong Phuong in New Orleans East has a reputation as the best.
14207 Chef Menteur Hwy, New Orleans, LA 70129
(504) 254-0214
(504) 254-0214
Yelp/Karen K.

Muffuletta at Butcher

New Orleans, LA
The muffuletta at Cocon Butcher gets critical acclaim, it's true. A lot of people claim it's the best in town. Much better than the one at Central Grocery or Napoleon House even.
New Orleans, LA
(504) 588-7675
(504) 588-7675
flickr/Andrew Huff

The Chic-Syl-Vain at Sylvain

625 Chartres St., New Orleans, LA 70130
The newest of the iconic New Orleans sandwiches, Sylvain's chicken sandwich with pickles on a buttery bun is really like Chic-Fil-A on crack. It causes severe addiction, and is the perfect sandwich to eat while boozing in the quarter.
625 Chartres St., New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 265-8123
(504) 265-8123
Facebook

The Hooks Cheddar at St. James Cheese Company

5004 Prytania St, New Orleans, LA 70115
Since this Uptown cheese and sandwich emporium opened in 2006, the "Hooks" (previously known as the Grafton and The Beechers) has caused an everyday frenzy at this small shop during lunch. Soft ciabatta is packed with Hooks Cheddar, turkey, avocado, basil, tomato and mayo.
5004 Prytania St, New Orleans, LA 70115
(504) 899-4737
(504) 899-4737
courtesy of St. James Cheese Co.

The Rachel at Stein's Market & Deli

2207 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70130
The Rachel is basically a reuben with pastrami instead of corned beef, and it rules. The difficult question will be if you want to order this or The Sam, which is very similar but comes with coleslaw instead of sauerkraut.
2207 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 527-0771
(504) 527-0771
Yelp/Eric C.

Pulled Pork at The Joint

701 Mazant St, New Orleans, LA 70117
The Joint has been a force in the Bywater for over a decade, and the pulled pork sandwich topped with slaw is as essential as it gets in terms of New Orleans barbecue.
701 Mazant St, New Orleans, LA 70117
(504) 949-3232
(504) 949-3232
Yelp/Marielle S.

Doner Kebab at Kebab

2315 Saint Claude Ave, New Orleans, LA 70117
This casual St. Claude restaurant specializes in awesome spit-roasted meats, and the bread is baked in an oven custom-built by the owners, making for excellent Gyro Kebab (pork) and Doner Kebab (chicken).
2315 Saint Claude Ave, New Orleans, LA 70117
Brasted

The Cuban at Regla Cuban Corner Market

4200-4216 Dhemecourt St, New Orleans, LA 70119
This Mid City corner store's history dates back to the 1970s when owner Carmen Garces' mother operated the Garces Restaurant—known for its Cuban fare— at the location. No surprise, the Cuban here is delicious, cheap ($5.75) and can be paired with an Iron Beer.
4200-4216 Dhemecourt St, New Orleans, LA 70119
(504) 485-6494
(504) 485-6494
Brasted

The Reuben at Parkway

538 Hagan Ave, New Orleans, LA 70119
While Parkway is known for its incredible po' boys, the Reuben is one of the menu's hidden gems. If you're unsure about trying it, just order the housemade corned beef as a po' boy and you'll see the light.
538 Hagan Ave, New Orleans, LA 70119
(504) 482-3047
(504) 482-3047
Yelp/Kate D.

Falafel Sandwich at 1000 Figs

Ponce De Leon St, New Orleans, LA 70119
The team behind 1000 Figs made its name with the beloved Fat Falafel food truck, and for good reason, the falafel sandwich comes teeming with fresh slaw and cabbage and slathered in a trio of delicious sauces.
Ponce De Leon St, New Orleans, LA 70119
Yelp/Paige J.

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