The 3 Toppings (And Bun) That Make A North Shore 3-Way Roast Beef Sandwich Irresistible

When foodies think of Boston's culinary scene, regional fare like the eponymous Boston cream pie, Boston lobster, or the meme-worthy Dunkin' commercials starring native sons Matt Damon and Ben Affleck might come to mind. One of the city's lesser-known signatures that also deserves the spotlight is a roast beef sandwich that emerged as a North Shore specialty in the mid-20th century. A roast beef subculture is thriving in the Boston area (don't even get 'em started on the correct "B2B," aka the beef-to-bun ratio), and it's all about the North Shore 3-Way. 

Boston's distinctive North Shore sandwich features thinly sliced rare roast beef (often top or bottom round) piled high on a plush, toasted onion roll, and served warm. The "3-way" in the title refers to the sandwich's trio of customary toppings: mayo, white American cheese, and James River BBQ sauce. It's a straightforward formula, and fans follow it piously, with no substitutions or omissions (for the most part). Toothsome shaved beef meets the sweet tang of BBQ sauce, creamy American cheese, and luscious mayo — a rich moisture component that melds the sammy into a cohesive bite with an unmistakable flavor profile. 

Locals swear by Cain's Extra Heavy Mayonnaise, but the mayo brand ultimately seems to matter less than the BBQ brand. The bun is typically an onion roll, though some restaurants embrace other soft bread varieties like a sesame bun. North Shore 3-Ways are customarily available in three sizes: Junior, Regular, and Super Beef.

According to Bostonian lore, the North Shore 3-Way was born in 1951 at a joint called Kelly's Roast Beef on Revere Beach, just north of the city. It's said that Kelly's invented the sandwich as a way to use up roast beef from a cancelled wedding reception (ouch). Whatever the case, the now-iconic creation quickly became a local favorite. Soon thereafter, more and more roast-beef-centric shops opened their doors to meet the rising customer demand. One of these shops was Bill and Bob's in Salem, the place where the pivotal addition of James River BBQ sauce came to be. The North Shore 3-Way's saucy flavor boost is now inextricable from the handheld. The sweet-and-tangy condiment provides a rounding counterbalance to the ultra-savory roast beef (it's not a smoky BBQ sauce).

Although it's a less mainstream New England delicacy beyond Massachusetts, there's no shortage of roast beef sandwich shops in the area where folks can score a North Shore 3-Way today: Modern Butcher in Danvers (Saturdays only), Londi's in Peabody, Nick's in Beverly, and Zeno's in Ipswich, among many others. Kelly's Roast Beef, where it all began, has expanded to nine locations, one of which is in New Hampshire. Still, this aptly named sandwich remains the fiercely beloved fare of the coastal region that created it, and neither it nor its diehard local fanbase is going anywhere anytime soon.