The Most Iconic Sandwich In Every State

Sandwiches are a beloved American food, which is perhaps why they have evolved to encompass such a wide variety over the years. In any given sandwich spot, you can order up to ten, twenty, or even fifty different sandwiches, all made with different fillings, bread, or methods. Each of these details can give a sandwich its own personality, sometimes turning it into an iconic food. Indeed, this is the case with many sandwiches across the country, to the point where each state can claim its own iconic sandwich based on local ingredients, local preferences, or tradition.

For instance, Maine is famous for its lobster, which makes a lobster roll the obvious choice for it being an iconic state sandwich. Meanwhile, the Philly cheesesteak is so famous that Pennsylvania could hardly have a more iconic bite. These are more than just sandwiches: They are part and parcel of a state's sense of identity. Take a look at the most iconic sandwiches in every state and what they're made of.

There might not be anything in particular about Alabama that screams "chicken" or "white sauce," but the chicken sandwich with white sauce is nevertheless considered to be the most iconic sandwich in the state. The recipe dates back to 1925, when a railway worker set up a makeshift sandwich spot to serve his friends and coworkers. The initiative turned out to be so popular that word spread, and the sandwich, whose white sauce consists of a creamy mayo and spicy horseradish sauce, became a symbol of Alabama as a whole.

Ask any bear in Alaska, and they'll probably tell you that their favorite sandwich is the salmon sandwich. Apparently, people agree too, because it is widely considered the state sandwich, along with the halibut sandwich. But it's a bit more complicated than just tossing a slab of fish onto bread. Typically, Alaskans will mix wild salmon with mayo, celery, onion, and cucumber to make a salmon sandwich, and that is what they will spread onto their bread.

Although the Sonoran hotdog is not a very longstanding sandwich in Arizona –- it first appeared in 1993 in Tucson, by way of Sonora, Mexico -– it seems to have captured the hearts and stomachs of Arizonans everywhere. These franks are wrapped in bacon, surrounded by a sweet bolillo-style bread roll, and topped with pinto beans, griddled and raw onions, diced tomatoes, yellow mustard, jalapeno sauce, and mayo. It is not for the faint of heart, but that's also what makes it so unique and so Arizonaian.

Some sandwiches are good because they're healthy and filling, while others are good because they let you indulge in your guiltiest pleasures. The latter seems to be the case with Arkansas' state sandwich, which is the fried Bologna sandwich. Perhaps Arkansas lays claim to this particular food because there, Bologna is nicknamed "Arkansas round steak," but whatever the case, the Bologna is the star of the show here, as toppings can vary from fried eggs to simply cheese and condiments.

There is no particular reason why California should lay claim to a sandwich that contains the word "French," other than the fact that this food was invented there. More specifically, it was the brain child of either Philippe the Original or Cole's, two L.A. restaurants that have been in business for more than 100 years.

The debate about the origin of the sandwich has raged on for decades, but what's most important is what it's made of: slices of beef, pork, or lamb placed between two slabs of crunchy bread, all of which is then dipped into gravy, which can come in several varieties and often involves mustard.

Colorado is known as one of the Gold Rush states of the 1800s, so it makes sense that this should be reflected in some of its iconic foods. As it happens, Colorado's most iconic sandwich is called the Fool's Gold Loaf, and is made with generous amounts of peanut butter (perhaps this is the fool's gold), blueberry jelly, and bacon, all smeared onto a hollowed-out loaf.

The sandwich was most notably popularized by Elvis Presley, famously a great lover of peanut butter. Rumor has it, he once ate 30 of these sandwiches in one sitting. Perhaps the inspiration for "Fools Rush In?"

Perhaps because of its status as a commuter state for New York, people often forget that Connecticut has a fairly ample coastline and the seafood culture to go with it. Indeed, Connecticut's most iconic sandwich is the fried clam roll, where the clams are fried in a crispy batter and served on a soft hot dog bun. At the end of the day, it's not that different from a lobster roll, which is also a Connecticut favorite.

Unlike most other sandwiches on this list, this food is not so much a type of sandwich as it is its very own, unique thing. But it also has its own trademark, making it more than a simple menu item. Whatever the case, The Bobbie has been going strong in Delaware since it was invented more than forty years ago, probably sometime around Thanksgiving, because it is defined by its roasted pulled turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, and mayonnaise on a roll.

The history of immigration in Florida provides a clear hint as to what the most iconic state sandwich might be. Following political instability in Cuba starting in the 1960s, many came to Florida, the closest U.S. state to the island nation, and gave us Cuban sandwiches. Indeed, Miami would hardly be the same without its delightful Little Havana and the sandwich itself, which is made with Cuban bread, mojo-marinated pork, thinly sliced ham, dill pickle, melted Swiss cheese, and mustard, all assembled before being pressed.

Georgia may be best known for its peaches, but even Georgians haven't found a way to successfully put a peach in a savory sandwich. Instead, Georgia's most iconic sandwich is the pimento cheese sandwich, a simple food made with nothing more than cheese, mayonnaise, and pimiento peppers, all between two slabs of white bread. This may not sound like much, but even the Masters golf tournament, which takes place in Georgia every year, serves this sandwich as its official tournament food.

While Hawaii is known in large part for its Spam musubi, a block of Spam slapped on a rice patty and secured with a strip of nori, this is not exactly a sandwich. Instead, their state sandwich is something much more complex and interesting: the Kalua Pig. This Hawaiian sandwich is made with pulled pork that has been slow-cooked underground, a traditional system known as imu, which uses heated rocks to produce steam. It is also a system you'd be hard pressed to find in any other state.

Peanut butter already features in another's state's most iconic sandwich, but that's hardly surprising, since this is America and people love their peanut butter. In this case, the idiosyncratic Idaho element comes in the form of jam made with huckleberries, the official Idaho state fruit. As for assembling the sandwich, it's as simple as your regular PB&J, just that instead of grape or strawberry jam, the purple goo is made with huckleberries, which taste like a cross between blueberries and blackberries and thrive in Idaho's high altitude volcanic soil.

If you've ever seen the TV series "The Bear," where a Michelin-star chef takes over his family's Chicago beef sandwich place and turns it into a fine dining experience, you may have guessed that Illinois' most iconic sandwich is the Italian beef sandwich. The history of this sandwich goes back even further. 

In the 1900s, Italian immigrants came up with this winning combination of French bread, thinly sliced beef, peppers, and a special pickled veggie mix, called giardiniera. Nowadays, the sandwich comes in a myriad of variations, but you can't go wrong with the classic version.

There is nothing about Indiana, really, that screams pork tenderloin, yet this ingredient is the main filling in the state's most iconic sandwich. Perhaps it's because Indiana took a fairly commonplace meat -– flat, breaded pork -– to the extreme, placing a huge slab of meat into a tiny bun with nothing but a bit of mustard and a pickle. Find them at casual joints throughout the state, and definitely at summer fairs.

The Iowa state sandwich, or Maid-Rite, was named after the historic fast-food joint that invented it. The sammy consists of loose, ground beef slopped onto a bun, not unlike a Sloppy Joe, but without the sauce. But if you're a saucy kind of person, don't worry, because you can also find these beauties served with ketchup, mustard, or a nice melted cheese, all complete with onions, pickles, and sometimes bacon.

Kansas is known for its brisket burnt ends, a stalwart of its barbecue competitions and available at many barbecue restaurants. Indeed, people seem to like it so much they even put it in their sandwiches, making the brisket burnt ends an iconic Kansas sandwich. Made with the ends of a smoked brisket (who would have guessed?), and combined with beef broth and sweet barbecue sauce, the meat is cooked for 30 minutes and served on a hamburger bun.

Given Kentucky's predilection for fried chicken, one would think that the state's most iconic sandwich would involve fried chicken in some capacity. Yet Kentucky seemed to have bestowed the honor upon the Hot Brown, an open-faced sandwich of white bread covered in turkey, bacon, sliced tomato, and a creamy mornay sauce. The sandwich is then broiled until golden brown. Definitely a sandwich to be eaten with a fork and knife rather than hands.

Louisiana, or New Orleans, more precisely, is home to so many great sandwiches it's hard to determine which could be the most iconic. That said, there is probably no other place in the world that boasts as many po' boy sandwich shops as The Big Easy. Popular fillings include fried seafood and roast beef, but the defining quality of a po' boy is the soft French bread that strikes a perfect balance between being pillowy and sturdy enough to hold up a sloppy sandwich filling.

No food is more iconic in the state of Maine than lobster, which makes the lobster roll hands down the most iconic sandwich in Maine. The most classic version of the Maine lobster roll is a mixture of chopped lobster, mayonnaise, and lemon served in a traditional hot dog bun.  If that sounds like street food to you, despite the lobster, that's because it is. When lobster rolls first became popular before the 1960s, lobster was a cheap commodity, and rolls were primarily filled with the scraps fishermen cobbled together. Oh how the tide has turned.

Crabs are a dime a dozen off the coast of Maryland, which makes the crab cake sandwich –- made with deep-fried soft-shell crab -– an obvious pick for most iconic state sandwich. Indeed, in 2013, a state senator proposed making it official as a way to boost business for fishermen and restaurants. But ultimately, opponents of the bill were not willing to risk revealing what was tantamount to a state secret: If too many people came for these sandwiches, the price of crab might soar, making them inaccessible to most.

Who said the most iconic state sandwich had to be savory? Precisely no one, which is why Massachusetts gets away with the Fluffernutter, a combination of peanut butter and marshmallow fluff spread out between two pieces of fluffy white bread. The sandwich came about as a result of meat rationing during WWI, but the combination became so beloved that the sandwich endured long after meat became widely available again.

The ham sandwich might just be the quintessential American sandwich. It doesn't get much simpler than this, which may be the reason behind its broad appeal. But if you're thinking that Michigan would be content with a slab of plain ham slapped between two pieces of bland sliced bread, you have another thing coming. Michigan's ham sandwich is, in fact, an elevated ham sandwich, if you will. First of all, the ham is honey-baked, light, airy, and piled high. Second, it comes on a fresh onion roll and is flavored with mustard and swiss cheese.

When you have an abundance of a certain ingredient, it makes sense to slap it on a sandwich and call it a meal. This seems to be what happened in Minnesota, where the most iconic state sandwich is the Walleye sandwich, made with the eponymous fish, a flaky white fish that is either fried or grilled before being served on a hamburger bun or French loaf, with lettuce, tomato, and tartar sauce. Sure, the Walleye might not be everyone's favorite fish, but it is so ubiquitous in Minnesota it certainly is iconic.

Sometimes a restaurant has such a great idea for a sandwich that it ends up influencing the whole state. This may be what happened in Mississippi, where the Big Apple Inn, in Jackson, has created a pig ear sandwich that is so good that it has become famous throughout the United States. But this restaurant didn't come up with the idea on its own. Current owner Geno Lee told the BBC that "pigs' ears are an important part of African American cuisine. They're what we call peasant food; a part of the animal that historically even the poorest could afford."

The Gerber sandwich is a delightful open-faced creation made with ham and Provel cheese named after a customer at Ruma's Deli in St. Louis, Dick Gerber, who asked for his sandwich to be made this way, proving that it's not always a bad idea to ask your server for substitutions or additions. That was back in 1973, but the Gerber sandwich has persisted. While it can still be enjoyed as the original Mr. Gerber intended at Ruma's Deli, many other delis and restaurants also serve a version of this sandwich.

Almost anything that is great on a plate is also great on a sandwich, and Montana's pork chop sandwich is proof. Made of battered pork chop, not unlike the schnitzel consumed by many German immigrants, the dish has been satisfying hungry customers in the state since the 1920s, during the copper boom. Soon, word of the sandwich's tastiness got out, and John Burklund, who invented the sandwich, soon had a successful restaurant business on his hands, one that is still up and running today.

Some iconic state sandwiches have boring names (like ham sandwich), and some of them have cool names, like the Runza of Nebraska, named after the restaurant that invented it and that also happens to be Tim Walz's favorite Nebraska restaurant. This state icon is made with loose hamburger meat, onions, and cabbage packed into a yeast bun and baked until soft and fluffy. It's basically a meat pocket stemming from German cuisine. 

Some of the state sandwiches on this list have not made it beyond that state's borders, as iconic as a sandwich may be in one particular place. But this is not the case with Nevada, which brought to us the patty melt, a hugely popular sandwich throughout the United States.

According to lore, the sandwich, which is made of a beef patty, melted cheese, and caramelized onions, got its start at the Golden Gate Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, with some believe the sandwich was invented in Los Angeles. But regardless of the patty melt's real place of origin, Nevada has claimed the sandwich as its own.

The Monte Cristo may sound like a dramatic name for a sandwich that represents New Hampshire. But all it is, is ham and cheese on French toast. It is often deep-fried for added effect. It resembles the French sandwich Croque Monsieur, and is widely found throughout New Hampshire, which is home to a large contingent of French and French Canadian immigrants from generations past.

If you're looking for the ultimate ham, egg, and cheese sandwich, head to New Jersey, where the dish is iconic. In fact, it's not just iconic, but official: In 2016, the New Jersey legislature voted to declare the Taylor Ham, egg and cheese sandwich as the New Jersey State Sandwich.

But not without some debate. Some believed the sandwich should have been called a pork roll, a term favored by southern New Jersey folks, while northerners prefer Taylor Ham. But, what's in a name? Whatever you want to call it, the sandwich's composition remains the same.

Green chile is ubiquitous in New Mexico and used in a wide range of dishes, including stews and tacos. It makes sense, then, that it should also feature prominently in the state's most iconic sandwich, which is, in fact, the green chile cheeseburger. The sandwich is served in many different restaurants throughout the state, each having come up with their own version. 

Many different sandwiches could claim to be iconic for New York, including the ham, egg, and cheese sandwiches New Yorkers like to gobble down at three in the morning. But the pastrami sandwich, served on rye, might top the list. Not only is it prepared by establishments that are themselves iconic –- like Katz's Deli -– but it seems to scream New York Jewish deli in a way that even a sturgeon sandwich at Barney Greengrass couldn't do.

As a foodie destination, North Carolina has many great sandwiches to offer, but it seems that the most iconic, and perhaps also the tastiest, is the pulled pork sandwich. This makes sense: North Carolina has excellent southern barbecue, and pulled pork is a quintessential barbecue food. When ordering this dish, expect the pulled pork to be rubbed with a spice mix and smoked on aromatic woods. Once the meat is cooked, it is served with a white bun and often a side of coleslaw.

Just because a state didn't invent a particular sandwich doesn't mean it can't claim it as its most iconic. Indeed, while Iowa invented the Sloppy Joe, North Dakota claims it as its own, in part because they seem to just love it so much. This sandwich made of loose hamburger meat, onions, and tomato sauce on a bun can be found almost anywhere in North Dakota.

Back in the 1800s, Ohio was a prime destination for Polish immigrants, who of course brought many of their culinary traditions along with them. One such tradition evolved to become the Polish Boy, Ohio's most iconic sandwich. And rest assured that no actual Polish boys were harmed in the making of this sandwich. Rather, it comprises kielbasa, french fries, coleslaw, and barbecue sauce, all served on a hoagie roll or hot dog bun.

Love it or hate it, the iconic state sandwich of Oklahoma is the chicken fried steak, made with a thin slice of beef that is breaded and fried up as if it were chicken, then slapped in a white bun with lettuce and tomato. Although the chicken fried steak is often considered a southern dish, in much the same way as fried chicken itself, Oklahomans seem to love this type of sandwich and serve it widely across the state.

Fried chicken is famously a southern food, as are savory biscuits, yet Oregon has nevertheless managed to claim the fried chicken biscuit sandwich as its most iconic sandwich. This happened because Oregon outperformed many of its southern counterparts in preparing this food. Pine State Biscuits came up with a dish called the Reggie Deluxe, containing fried chicken, bacon, cheese, gravy, and a fried egg and people loved it so much it extended its status as an icon to the whole state.

When thinking of the Philadelphia food scene it's hard not to jump straight to the Philly Cheesesteak, as if there were nothing else to eat in the city. Indeed, this sandwich is so iconic it might even be a candidate for America's most iconic sandwich.

Philly Cheesesteaks can be found at various restaurants throughout the city, but if you're going for iconic over quality, you might want to stop at Geno's Steaks or Pat's King of Steaks. The two spots are across the street from each other and are often pitted against each other in the fight for best Philly cheesesteak. 

Rhode Island is so small it's easy to forget it's there, and that it, too, has its own culinary traditions. One such tradition is the Italian grinder, which the food critics at Zagat determined is Rhode Island's most iconic sandwich. This meal is made of thinly sliced salami and other deli meats, provolone cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and condiments all stuffed tightly into an oblong piece of white bread.

North Carolina's most iconic sandwich might be the pulled pork sandwich, but South Carolina's is the pulled pork with gold sauce, so take that, North Carolina. Petty differences aside, the Carolina Gold sauce used in this southern state is what distinguishes its barbecue from its counterpart to the north. The gold sauce is made with mustard, vinegar, brown sugar, and spices, all ingredients that pack a flavor punch and serve to turn South Carolina barbecue dishes into something quite distinct from what they're doing in North Carolina.

If you like the idea of hunting for your sandwich, South Dakota might be the place for you. This state's most iconic sandwich is the pheasant sandwich, which is also the state bird, and which is widely hunted for sport and food. Once you've gotten hold of your quarry, you'll have to prepare the bird, cook it, and assemble a chicken salad-like mixture, that is, mix the pheasant with mayonnaise and maybe some chopped carrots, celery, and onions.

In Tennessee, hot chicken typically refers to Nashville-style hot chicken, which is buttermilk fried chicken doused in a blend of hot spices and hot oil. The chicken can be eaten on its own or in sandwich form. Legend has it that the dish was born some 80 years ago when a housewife decided to take revenge on her husband for some grievance by dousing his chicken in spiciness. The move resulted in the launching of a family hot chicken business, Prince's Hot Chicken, which is still alive and kicking today.

Brisket is such a popular southern dish it was bound to appear in a sandwich somewhere on this list. Texas is one place where you will find good brisket all over, including in your sandwich. More specifically, you will find it between two slices of white bread or Texas Toast alongside cole slaw and pickles and covered in barbecue sauce. Between the sauce and the slaw, there is a lot going on in this sandwich, but if you want a truly good one, be sure to find a place that focuses on the brisket.

New York might be the home of the pastrami sandwich, but Utah lays claim to the pastrami burger as its most iconic sandwich. This does not mean a burger made with pastrami, but a burger topped with pastrami, cheese, and assorted toppings. As for the origins of this sandwich, it is believed to have been invented in California, but then took hold in Utah as the inventors themselves moved to the state.

You probably don't need us to tell you that a sandwich called the Vermonter is the most iconic sandwich in Vermont. That much is clear. What's less obvious, is the contents, which do not include maple syrup. Rather, a Vermonter is made up of sliced turkey or ham, sharp cheddar cheese (the element that perhaps best represents Vermont), sliced green apples, and honey mustard.

Country ham may sound like a garden variety ham, but it's actually a very tasty type of ham specifically produced in Virginia, where it's the star of the state's most iconic sandwich. Indeed, not much else matters about this sandwich, other than the ham. As long as you have that, you can savor it on a biscuit, a baguette, or any other bread, with or without mustard.

When you live in an area with bountiful salmon, it would be a crime not to use it to make a delicious sandwich. Washington state seems to know this, as it has claimed the smoked salmon sandwich as its most iconic. The matter is official: In 1987, state legislators gathered to decide which specific type of smoked salmon sandwich would be the official state sandwich. All the options they tried were so good they couldn't pick just one, so they opted to leave the sandwich's other ingredients open to interpretation.

If you like breakfast sandwiches, your spirit state will probably be West Virginia, where the most iconic sandwich is considered to be the sausage biscuit sandwich. One great place to get such a sandwich is Tudor's Biscuit World, which not only produces great biscuits and sausages, but is also a very West Virginian type of place, despite the fact that the chain has expanded to a myriad of other states over the years.

Wisconsin, home of the cheeseheads, unsurprisingly has an iconic state sandwich that prominently features cheese. In fact, in many cases, the classic grilled cheese sandwich has nothing but cheese and bread. It may be enhanced a bit with some butter on the outside, or with some deli meat on the inside, but cheese is always the main event. This is especially true in Wisconsin, where people know the value of good cheese.

Trout — particularly, cutthroat trout — are widely fished in the wild blue rivers of Wyoming. If you happen to be up this way with your fly-fishing pole, you might try to catch a trout, fry it up (or smoke it), and slip it in between two slices of bread with some lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickles. The key here is to focus on the trout, which should be fresh out of the water – practically squirming.