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Hands hold two banh mi over pavement — The banh mi from Ba Le just might be the best sandwich in Boston (or anywhere).

18 Essential Sandwiches in Greater Boston

Eat banh mi in Dorchester, Chilean sandwiches downtown, Cuban sandwiches in Jamaica Plain, tortas in Medford, and more

by Terrence Doyle and Rachel Leah Blumenthal Updated Jun 23, 2022, 10:39am EDT

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The banh mi from Ba Le just might be the best sandwich in Boston (or anywhere).

| Rachel Leah Blumenthal/Eater

by Terrence Doyle and Rachel Leah Blumenthal Updated Jun 23, 2022, 10:39am EDT

Boston doesn’t exactly have an iconic type of sandwich, at least not in the same way some cities do — Philly has the cheesesteak, Chicago has the Italian beef, and New York has pastrami on rye, for example. Sure, there’s the lobster roll, but if hot dogs aren’t sandwiches, lobster rolls aren’t sandwiches either (and are thus excluded from this map, except for one that actually is a sandwich; find the best of the best here).

The dearth of a definitive sandwich type notwithstanding, an eater can absolutely find a lot of very good sandwiches of various types in and around Boston, from banh mi to chicken parm to roast beef to fried fish. (And if you’re eating an Italian sub, don’t forget the hots.)

Here are 18 of Greater Boston’s must-try sandwiches.

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Dom's Sausage Co Inc.

You can walk into any pizzeria or sub shop in Greater Boston and find a steak tip sub, but the version at Dom’s in Malden is an exemplar of the genre. While there, be sure to pick up some extra steak tips to grill up for another meal, not to mention a sausage or two.

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10 Riverside Park, Malden, MA 02148

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A long sub, cut in half, is stuffed with saucy steak tips. It sits on white butcher paper. — A steak tip sub from Dom’s Sausage Co Inc.

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The Eater Boston Team’s 2021 Top Delivery and Takeout Standbys

Tenoch Mexican

This Medford Square staple first opened its doors in 2012 and has since expanded to include a fleet of food trucks and other brick-and-mortar locations in Boston’s North End and Somerville’s Davis Square. Tenoch serves a variety of Mexican street food — by all means, try one of its many exceptional tacos — but it specializes in and is best known for its tortas. The torta al pastor is packed with crispy, slightly smoky chunks of pork, which is topped with grassy, citrusy cilantro and a slice of tooth-achingly sweet pineapple. A trip to Medford must include a trip to Tenoch.

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24 Riverside Ave, Medford, MA 02155

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A Mexican torta — a round sandwich a little bigger than a standard hamburger — sits on a white plate on a wooden table. — A torta from Tenoch.

Also featured in:

15 Outstanding Mexican Restaurants In and Around Boston

Bob's Italian Foods

Most people will tell you to get the Italian from Bob’s Italian. (Makes sense!) But the 50/50 chicken parm/meatball combo is the real must-try. A seeded, braided roll is packed with chicken parm on one half and meatballs on the other, and it’s all topped with cheese and Bob’s classic red sauce.

324 Main St, Medford, MA 02155

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Closeup on a sub stuffed with meatballs and chicken parm, sitting on aluminum foil — The 50/50 chicken parm and meatball sub from Bob’s Italian.

Also featured in:

Where to Eat in Medford

Pennypacker's

The porchetta sandwich from Pennypacker’s is served on ciabatta, with accompaniments changing by the day, and it’s essential Greater Boston eating. If you’re there, you might as well order some duck fat roasted Brussels sprouts too, if available, or whatever else looks good on the ever-changing menu. Hours at the original Somerville location are pretty limited; head downtown to Boston’s new food hall, High Street Place, for an extended schedule.

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514 Medford St, Somerville, MA 02145

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Closeup on a simple porchetta sandwich with a side salad on a blue plate — The Pennypacker’s porchetta sandwich is exceptional.

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P & K Delicatessen

Like Bob’s (see above), fans of P & K — an unassuming little convenience store with a killer deli counter in the back — will recommend the Italian, but the magical choice is the meatball sub, the best in the area. It features bread with a just-right texture; it’s soft, but it doesn’t get soggy from the generous red sauce.

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244 Beacon St, Somerville, MA 02143

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A meatball sub and an Italian sub on white deli paper — The meatball sub and Italian sub from P & K Deli in Somerville.

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Hot Box

The North Shore-style roast beef sandwich is — in all of its sloppy, messy glory — an iconic Massachusetts bite. The classic version (or, the “super beef,” as it’s known in most shops) consists of an onion or seeded roll piled high with rosy-pink roast beef shaved impossibly thin and topped with mayonnaise, barbecue sauce, and a slice of white American cheese. It’s known colloquially as a “three-way,” and that’s exactly how Hot Box prepares its version. This Union Square shop’s beef compares favorably to all the best spots north of the city, from Revere Beach to North Beverly.

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1 Bow Market Way, Somerville, MA 02143

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A three-way junior roast beef sandwich on a sesame bun sits on aluminum foil — An honest-to-goodness North Shore-style roast beef sandwich from Hot Box.

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All Star Sandwich Bar

Beef on weck is a whole Buffalo vibe, so it may seem like a strange decision to put a version of it on a map of Boston’s most essential sandwiches. But All Star Sandwich Bar’s take on it — one of the only beef on wecks to be found in the Boston area — is too good not to make the list. Warm, thinly sliced roast beef is piled high on a kimmelweck roll, topped with spicy horseradish and au jus. It’s outstanding.

1245 Cambridge St, Cambridge, MA 02139

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Thinly sliced, rare roast beef is served on a kimmelwick roll with a side of fries on a plate with dark blue wavy lines. A can of Springdale beer Ginger & Juice is visible in the background. — Beef on weck from All Star Sandwich Bar.

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Bricco Salumeria & Pasta Shop

Bricco Panetteria is broadly regarded as one of the best bakeries in Greater Boston, so it’s not surprising that its sibling, Bricco Salumeria, combines that great bread with prosciutto, fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, basil, and olive oil to make a damn fine panino.

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11 Board Alley, Boston, MA 02113

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A post shared by Bricco Salumeria (@briccosalumeria)

Alive & Kicking Lobsters

Tucked away on a mostly residential side street a bit outside of Cambridge’s Central Square, the very casual seafood spot Alive & Kicking serves Greater Boston’s best lobster roll that’s not a roll — a sandwich that piles lightly mayonnaise-dressed lobster between buttered pieces of toasted Scali bread. It’s an experience.

269 Putnam Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139

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A post shared by Alive and Kicking Lobsters (@aklobsters)

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Sam LaGrassa's

It wouldn’t be a Boston sandwich map without Sam LaGrassa’s. The downtown restaurant’s menu is vast — like, 50 sandwiches vast — but the move at LaGrassa’s is the corned beef on pumpernickel with Swiss and spicy brown mustard. The corned beef is salty and tender and a little fatty, which is balanced by the sweet-and-sour dance of the pumpernickel and the sharpness of the mustard. (The chicken parm, pictured, is a hit as well.)

44 Province St, Boston, MA 02108

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A sesame-studded bun loaded with chicken parmesan cut diagonally — Chicken parm sub from Sam Lagrassa’s.

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Chacarero

The signature sandwich from Chacarero is unlike any other sandwich in the city. This Chilean sandwich consists of grilled steak or chicken (or both — get both), fresh tomatoes, steamed green beans, a slice of Muenster, avocado spread, salt, and pepper, and it’s all stuffed into a soft, freshly baked round roll. (Note: Chacarero is closed on weekends.)

101 Arch St, Boston, MA 02110

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View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Chacarero (@chacarerobos)

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Fiya Chicken

Boston is teeming with great fried chicken sandwiches, but Fiya Chicken might have the best version. The chicken used in its Korean fried chicken sandwich is brined with buttermilk and kimchi, which gives the final product a slightly fermented taste. Diners can choose from four different glaze options: soy garlic, spicy garlic, Fiya sauce (which is spicy), and cider honey mustard. The soy garlic glaze is the play here — it is sweet and salty, and it pairs well with the house-made kimchi and pickles that top the sandwich. It’s all served on a toasted brioche bun.

Open in Google Maps

1024 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215

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A post shared by FIYA Chicken (@fiyachicken)

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Michael's Deli

This is a twofer, and diners at Michael’s Deli should feel free to choose their own adventure: either the corned beef Rachel, or the corned beef Reuben. The Rachel comes with coleslaw, the Reuben comes with sauerkraut, they both come with Swiss cheese and Russian dressing, and they’re both served on toasted pumpernickel.

256 Harvard St, Brookline, MA 02446

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View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Steven Peljovich (@michaelsdeli)

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Cutty's

Virtually every sandwich on this Brookline Village shop’s menu was in the running for this list, but there could only be one, and that one is the Roast Beef 1000. It’s not a North Shore-style beef, but it doesn’t matter. The roast beef is cooked in-house to a tender pink, and it is topped with Thousand Island dressing, sharp cheddar, and crispy shallots. It’s all served on a black pepper brioche bun and griddled ever so slightly in a panini press for a bit of textural variety. This sandwich is a miracle.

284 Washington St, Brookline, MA 02445

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A roast beef sandwich on brioche, topped with crispy shallots, a slide of cheddar, and Thousand Island dressing. — Not North Shore-style, but not bad either.

Also featured in:

Joe's Famous Steak Subs

Sub shops in Greater Boston are often measured by the quality of their steak and cheese, and Joe’s version is one of the best — the roll is pillowy, the shaved steak is tender, the cheese is abundant and melty, and the peppers and onions add a sweet and zesty zip. This Roxbury shop is not to be missed.

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140 Dudley St, Roxbury, MA 02119

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View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Mr. J. Famous (@joesfamous)

M&M BBQ

M&M BBQ has been doing its thing since 1982. The Dorchester restaurant has taken on many forms over the past four decades — food truck, catering business, pop-up — but it recently found a permanent home inside Dorchester Brewing Company. Its ribs are certainly worth your coins, but the Geneva Ave. sandwich — shredded beef brisket topped with pickled onions, barbecue sauce, and smoked cheese sauce — is absolutely the play here. Grab a four-pack of Dorchester Brewing’s Neponset Gold to wash it all down while you’re there.

Open in Google Maps

1250 Massachusetts Ave, Dorchester, MA 02125

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View this post on Instagram

A post shared by M & M BBQ (@mandmbbq)

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El Oriental de Cuba

The Cuban sandwich at El Oriental de Cuba in Jamaica Plain is compulsory Boston sandwich eating. The exterior is crispy, and the interior is filled with savory pork and tangy pickles dressed with a gooey amalgamation of Swiss cheese and mustard.

416 Centre St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

Visit Website

A Cuban sandwich on a counter in a restaurant kitchen, served in a plastic black basket and covered with lots of mustard — The Cuban sandwich at El Oriental de Cuba.

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Ba Le Restaurant

Boston has a spectacular banh mi scene, but the best of the best can be found at Ba Le in Dorchester. Its barbecue beef banh mi may just be the best sandwich in the entire city. The bread, which is baked in-house, has a shatteringly crisp exterior and a pillowy interior, and it is packed with fresh vegetables and sweet, charred strips of beef. Pick up some Vietnamese pantry staples and a Vietnamese iced coffee while you’re there.

Open in Google Maps

1052 Dorchester Ave, Boston, MA 02125

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Hands hold two banh mi over pavement — The perfect sandwich most certainly does exist, and you can find it on Dorchester Avenue

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Dom's Sausage Co Inc.

10 Riverside Park, Malden, MA 02148

You can walk into any pizzeria or sub shop in Greater Boston and find a steak tip sub, but the version at Dom’s in Malden is an exemplar of the genre. While there, be sure to pick up some extra steak tips to grill up for another meal, not to mention a sausage or two.

Open in Google Maps

10 Riverside Park, Malden, MA 02148

Visit Website

A long sub, cut in half, is stuffed with saucy steak tips. It sits on white butcher paper. — A steak tip sub from Dom’s Sausage Co Inc.

Tenoch Mexican

24 Riverside Ave, Medford, MA 02155

This Medford Square staple first opened its doors in 2012 and has since expanded to include a fleet of food trucks and other brick-and-mortar locations in Boston’s North End and Somerville’s Davis Square. Tenoch serves a variety of Mexican street food — by all means, try one of its many exceptional tacos — but it specializes in and is best known for its tortas. The torta al pastor is packed with crispy, slightly smoky chunks of pork, which is topped with grassy, citrusy cilantro and a slice of tooth-achingly sweet pineapple. A trip to Medford must include a trip to Tenoch.

Open in Google Maps

24 Riverside Ave, Medford, MA 02155

Visit Website

A Mexican torta — a round sandwich a little bigger than a standard hamburger — sits on a white plate on a wooden table. — A torta from Tenoch.

Bob's Italian Foods

324 Main St, Medford, MA 02155

Most people will tell you to get the Italian from Bob’s Italian. (Makes sense!) But the 50/50 chicken parm/meatball combo is the real must-try. A seeded, braided roll is packed with chicken parm on one half and meatballs on the other, and it’s all topped with cheese and Bob’s classic red sauce.

324 Main St, Medford, MA 02155

Visit Website

Closeup on a sub stuffed with meatballs and chicken parm, sitting on aluminum foil — The 50/50 chicken parm and meatball sub from Bob’s Italian.

Pennypacker's

514 Medford St, Somerville, MA 02145

The porchetta sandwich from Pennypacker’s is served on ciabatta, with accompaniments changing by the day, and it’s essential Greater Boston eating. If you’re there, you might as well order some duck fat roasted Brussels sprouts too, if available, or whatever else looks good on the ever-changing menu. Hours at the original Somerville location are pretty limited; head downtown to Boston’s new food hall, High Street Place, for an extended schedule.

Open in Google Maps

514 Medford St, Somerville, MA 02145

Visit Website

Closeup on a simple porchetta sandwich with a side salad on a blue plate — The Pennypacker’s porchetta sandwich is exceptional.

P & K Delicatessen

244 Beacon St, Somerville, MA 02143

Like Bob’s (see above), fans of P & K — an unassuming little convenience store with a killer deli counter in the back — will recommend the Italian, but the magical choice is the meatball sub, the best in the area. It features bread with a just-right texture; it’s soft, but it doesn’t get soggy from the generous red sauce.

Open in Google Maps

244 Beacon St, Somerville, MA 02143

Visit Website

A meatball sub and an Italian sub on white deli paper — The meatball sub and Italian sub from P & K Deli in Somerville.

Hot Box

1 Bow Market Way, Somerville, MA 02143

The North Shore-style roast beef sandwich is — in all of its sloppy, messy glory — an iconic Massachusetts bite. The classic version (or, the “super beef,” as it’s known in most shops) consists of an onion or seeded roll piled high with rosy-pink roast beef shaved impossibly thin and topped with mayonnaise, barbecue sauce, and a slice of white American cheese. It’s known colloquially as a “three-way,” and that’s exactly how Hot Box prepares its version. This Union Square shop’s beef compares favorably to all the best spots north of the city, from Revere Beach to North Beverly.

Open in Google Maps

1 Bow Market Way, Somerville, MA 02143

Visit Website

A three-way junior roast beef sandwich on a sesame bun sits on aluminum foil — An honest-to-goodness North Shore-style roast beef sandwich from Hot Box.

All Star Sandwich Bar

1245 Cambridge St, Cambridge, MA 02139

Beef on weck is a whole Buffalo vibe, so it may seem like a strange decision to put a version of it on a map of Boston’s most essential sandwiches. But All Star Sandwich Bar’s take on it — one of the only beef on wecks to be found in the Boston area — is too good not to make the list. Warm, thinly sliced roast beef is piled high on a kimmelweck roll, topped with spicy horseradish and au jus. It’s outstanding.

1245 Cambridge St, Cambridge, MA 02139

Visit Website

Thinly sliced, rare roast beef is served on a kimmelwick roll with a side of fries on a plate with dark blue wavy lines. A can of Springdale beer Ginger & Juice is visible in the background. — Beef on weck from All Star Sandwich Bar.

Bricco Salumeria & Pasta Shop

11 Board Alley, Boston, MA 02113

Bricco Panetteria is broadly regarded as one of the best bakeries in Greater Boston, so it’s not surprising that its sibling, Bricco Salumeria, combines that great bread with prosciutto, fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, basil, and olive oil to make a damn fine panino.

Open in Google Maps

11 Board Alley, Boston, MA 02113

Visit Website

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Bricco Salumeria (@briccosalumeria)

Alive & Kicking Lobsters

269 Putnam Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139

Tucked away on a mostly residential side street a bit outside of Cambridge’s Central Square, the very casual seafood spot Alive & Kicking serves Greater Boston’s best lobster roll that’s not a roll — a sandwich that piles lightly mayonnaise-dressed lobster between buttered pieces of toasted Scali bread. It’s an experience.

269 Putnam Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Alive and Kicking Lobsters (@aklobsters)

Sam LaGrassa's

44 Province St, Boston, MA 02108

It wouldn’t be a Boston sandwich map without Sam LaGrassa’s. The downtown restaurant’s menu is vast — like, 50 sandwiches vast — but the move at LaGrassa’s is the corned beef on pumpernickel with Swiss and spicy brown mustard. The corned beef is salty and tender and a little fatty, which is balanced by the sweet-and-sour dance of the pumpernickel and the sharpness of the mustard. (The chicken parm, pictured, is a hit as well.)

44 Province St, Boston, MA 02108

Visit Website

A sesame-studded bun loaded with chicken parmesan cut diagonally — Chicken parm sub from Sam Lagrassa’s.

Chacarero

101 Arch St, Boston, MA 02110

The signature sandwich from Chacarero is unlike any other sandwich in the city. This Chilean sandwich consists of grilled steak or chicken (or both — get both), fresh tomatoes, steamed green beans, a slice of Muenster, avocado spread, salt, and pepper, and it’s all stuffed into a soft, freshly baked round roll. (Note: Chacarero is closed on weekends.)

101 Arch St, Boston, MA 02110

Visit Website

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Chacarero (@chacarerobos)

Fiya Chicken

1024 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215

Boston is teeming with great fried chicken sandwiches, but Fiya Chicken might have the best version. The chicken used in its Korean fried chicken sandwich is brined with buttermilk and kimchi, which gives the final product a slightly fermented taste. Diners can choose from four different glaze options: soy garlic, spicy garlic, Fiya sauce (which is spicy), and cider honey mustard. The soy garlic glaze is the play here — it is sweet and salty, and it pairs well with the house-made kimchi and pickles that top the sandwich. It’s all served on a toasted brioche bun.

Open in Google Maps

1024 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215

Visit Website

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by FIYA Chicken (@fiyachicken)

Michael's Deli

256 Harvard St, Brookline, MA 02446

This is a twofer, and diners at Michael’s Deli should feel free to choose their own adventure: either the corned beef Rachel, or the corned beef Reuben. The Rachel comes with coleslaw, the Reuben comes with sauerkraut, they both come with Swiss cheese and Russian dressing, and they’re both served on toasted pumpernickel.

256 Harvard St, Brookline, MA 02446

Visit Website

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Steven Peljovich (@michaelsdeli)

Cutty's

284 Washington St, Brookline, MA 02445

Virtually every sandwich on this Brookline Village shop’s menu was in the running for this list, but there could only be one, and that one is the Roast Beef 1000. It’s not a North Shore-style beef, but it doesn’t matter. The roast beef is cooked in-house to a tender pink, and it is topped with Thousand Island dressing, sharp cheddar, and crispy shallots. It’s all served on a black pepper brioche bun and griddled ever so slightly in a panini press for a bit of textural variety. This sandwich is a miracle.

284 Washington St, Brookline, MA 02445

Visit Website

A roast beef sandwich on brioche, topped with crispy shallots, a slide of cheddar, and Thousand Island dressing. — Not North Shore-style, but not bad either.

Joe's Famous Steak Subs

140 Dudley St, Roxbury, MA 02119

Sub shops in Greater Boston are often measured by the quality of their steak and cheese, and Joe’s version is one of the best — the roll is pillowy, the shaved steak is tender, the cheese is abundant and melty, and the peppers and onions add a sweet and zesty zip. This Roxbury shop is not to be missed.

Open in Google Maps

140 Dudley St, Roxbury, MA 02119

Visit Website

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Mr. J. Famous (@joesfamous)

Related Maps

M&M BBQ

1250 Massachusetts Ave, Dorchester, MA 02125

M&M BBQ has been doing its thing since 1982. The Dorchester restaurant has taken on many forms over the past four decades — food truck, catering business, pop-up — but it recently found a permanent home inside Dorchester Brewing Company. Its ribs are certainly worth your coins, but the Geneva Ave. sandwich — shredded beef brisket topped with pickled onions, barbecue sauce, and smoked cheese sauce — is absolutely the play here. Grab a four-pack of Dorchester Brewing’s Neponset Gold to wash it all down while you’re there.

Open in Google Maps

1250 Massachusetts Ave, Dorchester, MA 02125

Visit Website

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by M & M BBQ (@mandmbbq)

El Oriental de Cuba

416 Centre St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

The Cuban sandwich at El Oriental de Cuba in Jamaica Plain is compulsory Boston sandwich eating. The exterior is crispy, and the interior is filled with savory pork and tangy pickles dressed with a gooey amalgamation of Swiss cheese and mustard.

416 Centre St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

Visit Website

A Cuban sandwich on a counter in a restaurant kitchen, served in a plastic black basket and covered with lots of mustard — The Cuban sandwich at El Oriental de Cuba.

Ba Le Restaurant

1052 Dorchester Ave, Boston, MA 02125

Boston has a spectacular banh mi scene, but the best of the best can be found at Ba Le in Dorchester. Its barbecue beef banh mi may just be the best sandwich in the entire city. The bread, which is baked in-house, has a shatteringly crisp exterior and a pillowy interior, and it is packed with fresh vegetables and sweet, charred strips of beef. Pick up some Vietnamese pantry staples and a Vietnamese iced coffee while you’re there.

Open in Google Maps

1052 Dorchester Ave, Boston, MA 02125

Visit Website

Hands hold two banh mi over pavement — The perfect sandwich most certainly does exist, and you can find it on Dorchester Avenue

Related Maps