There’s more to sandwiches than proteins, assorted vegetables, dressings and baked breads. In fact, Americans love their sandwiches so much that an entire month is dedicated to celebrating their very existence.
August is National Sandwich Month, and to celebrate all the amazing local options, CultureMap has picked our favorite Austin options. Read on to see if your favorites made the cut.
Garbo’s lobster roll
You may not expect to find great New England cuisine here in the South, but Garbo’s Fresh Maine Lobster isn’t your typical seafood. The restaurant serves a plethora of ocean fare, including shrimp cocktails, fish and chips, smoked salmon, oysters and baked clams, but our favorite dish by far is the lobster roll, made in both the Connecticut style (warmed in butter) and Maine style (mayonnaise, celery and lemon). The equally soft and crunchy sandwich comes with house-pickled vegetables and crisp fries.
The Hightower's carnitas
This East Seventh Street restaurant serves a myriad sandwiches and bites on its well-rounded menu. One of the most popular and decadent sandwiches the restaurant offers is the carnitas sandwich served with salsa verde, soft avocado, pickled shallots, pinto beans, crema and a bolillo roll. What’s more, in honor of National Sandwich Month, the restaurant is offering a 15 percent discount on all sandwiches during lunch hours through August 31.
FoodHeads' apple pork
You can’t go wrong with swine! Hyde Park sandwich stop FoodHeads has a delectable menu of sandwiches from every food group, but our favorite is the juicy apple pork. Grilled pork tenderloin is served with smoked gouda cheese, spinach, pungent apple and tomato pico, and honey Dijon aioli on toasted ciabbata.
Home Slice Pizza's Italian assorted
It’s not every day you go to a pizza place for a sandwich, but whenever you tire of Home Slice’s pies, try the Italian assorted. The sandwich has become a favorite of diehard Home Slice fans with its fresh-cut Italian meats (ham, Genoa salami, hard salami and capicola), locally sourced tomatoes, provolone cheese, lettuce, red onion, dressing and mayonnaise sandwiched between fresh-baked American-Italian bread.
Tam Deli's char-grilled pork banh mi
A good banh mi is hard to find and few local establishments have sourced the Vietnamese staple quite like Tam Deli. The North Lamar Boulevard cafe utilizes flaky French bread to surround an array of banh mi creations, including the savory pork with crunchy veggies. Elevate the sensory experience with a fried egg on top!
Noble Sandwich Co.'s PBLT
We find it near impossible to name our favorite sandwich at Noble Pig when all the options knock it out of the park. But if we’re forced to pick a winner, the gold medal goes to none other than the smoky PBLT. The popular Burnet Road sandwich shop does a play on the traditional BLT using smoked pork belly, romaine lettuce, roasted tomato and an aromatic garlic mayo on toasted bread.
Gourmands Cleopatra
Gourmands couldn’t have picked a better name for this beautiful vegetarian sandwich. The tall, garden-centric meal — made with havarti, marinated artichokes, black olives, poblano peppers, sliced cucumber, sprouts, soft avocado and roasted garlic mayonnaise — is a staple at this East Austin pub.
Counter Cafe's grilled pimento cheese
Down here in the South we take our pimento cheese seriously. Counter Cafe may have garnered fame for its Counter burger, but the grilled pimento cheese is a sandwich that must also be experienced. The acclaimed cafe blends an array of cheeses, diced pimentos, bibb lettuce, red onions, tomatoes and cafe-made mayonnaise surrounded by grilled nine-grain bread to create this splurge. Pair the cheesy meal with a side of sweet potato fries.
La Barbecue's La Chopped
You didn’t think we’d make it through this list without including a barbecue sandwich, did you? Franklin Barbecue boasts one of the most popular barbecue sandwiches in the city, but La Barbecue has infused a bit of magic into its version. Order this meaty entree with pulled pork or chopped brisket topped off with pickles, onion and tangy chipotle slaw. You won't go home hungry!
The Hightower's carnitas sandwich with fried egg.
And that's what an Asian-inspired pizza looks like.Photo courtesy of Sterrato Italian Specialties