89 Best Restaurants in USA

Part deli, part market, Bay Cities has been home to incredible Italian subs since 1925. This renowned counter-service spot is always crowded (best to order ahead), but monster subs run the gamut from the mighty meatball to the signature Godmother, made with prosciutto, ham, capicola, mortadella, Genoa salami, and provolone. At the market you can buy rare imported pastas, cheeses, wine, and sliced meats for a sunset beach picnic.

This po'boy institution has been around in one form or another for more than a century, but the way the corner restaurant fills up each day for lunch is proof neither New Orleanians or its visitors are growing tired of it any time soon. Sink your teeth into a fried shrimp po'boy, or a dozen other delicious options, and you'll feel transported back in time---the quality hasn't changed in decades, and neither have the decor and atmosphere regulars have come to love so much

A bustling space with high ceilings, brick walls, and live music some evenings, this contemporary take on a traditional Jewish deli is in a cheerful neighborhood on the south edge of Sugar House. It's a must for classic dishes—in enormous portions—of Reuben sandwiches, blintzes with fruit compote, matzo ball soup, and everything bagels with smoked sockeye salmon and a schmear.

Everything and nothing has changed at Katz's since it first opened in 1888, when the neighborhood was dominated by Jewish immigrants: lines still form for the giant, hand-carved corned beef and pastrami sandwiches, soul-warming soups, juicy hot dogs, and crisp half-sour pickles. You get a ticket when you walk in and then get it punched at the various stations where you pick up your food; don't lose it, or you'll have to pay the lost-ticket fee.

This James Beard Award winner not only has the look and feel of a no-frills Jewish deli from New York, it also has the food to match. The draw here is the hand-cut pastrami: lean, peppery, robust—and with a reputation for being the best in town. Other classics include the #19 (pastrami with Swiss and coleslaw piled high on twice-baked rye), but purists prefer it straight up with Russian dressing. The neighborhood is a little rough around the edges, but if you're in search of a classic deli, it would be wise not to worry and dive in for blintzes, matzo ball soup, and a take-home order of rugelach.

Mitchell Delicatessen is one of the pillars of East Nashville's Riverside Village neighborhood; having relocated from across the street to a larger space in 2014, it's one of the more spacious delis in town (with a large covered patio, to boot). Come for classics like the Turkey Avocado, and come back for Mitchell creations like the Turkey Brie and Asian Flank Steak.

The whip-quick, no-nonsense, food-smart staff behind the counter at this take-out delicatessen have been serving up the most delicious, and quite possibly the biggest, sandwiches in town since 1896. Grab a number, revel in the time warp that Sinatra in the background provides, marvel at the Italian-style cured meats, and let the artists build you an unforgettable combo; then head to Washington Square Park for a picnic. The family-run shop is helmed by the fourth generation; its current torch holder is Italian-Filipino Nicholas Mastrelli, one of the Piedmont-hailing original owner's great-grandsons. Nick takes great pride in upholding his family's legacy and creating community with regulars.

One of the newer (and better) additions to the Koreatown dining scene, Open Market is part restaurant, part corner store, specializing in sandwiches, coffee, and a meticulously curated selection of wines, chocolates, tinned fish, and more. Run by husband-and-wife team Brian and Yoona Lee, the minimalist market attracts everyone from midday construction workers to oenophiles looking for the next best thing. But the star of the show here is the sandwiches like the Hill St., a fried pork chop sandy with cabbage slaw and Serrano ham on pain de mie, or the Olympic, a lemongrass Jidori chicken sandwich with pickled radish, mint, and crispy chicken skin. Come for lunch and then stock up on specialty items that can't be found anywhere else.

Former contractor Jay Nix resurrected more than just a dilapidated building when he reopened Parkway: he also brought back to life a dormant community spirit. You can find neighbors and dedicated regulars from all over the city sinking their teeth into Parkway's po'boys: the roast beef with gravy and fried shrimp varieties are especially popular. Other locals simply wander in for a beer at the bar and to take in the New Orleans nostalgia decorating the walls (former President Obama was just one of many famous guests). For dessert, choose from a selection of rum cake, bread pudding, and banana pudding—all made fresh daily. Parkway is busy most weekends, especially during Jazz Fest, given its proximity to the Fair Grounds. Their famous fried oyster po'boy is only available on Wednesday and Thursday.

Open since 1984, there is often a long line at the rear of this downtown Manteo institution serving gourmet classics like BLTs, Reubens, tuna melts, and pimento cheese sandwiches. Enjoy your snacks up front in the friendly, honey-blond wood bar or on the waterfront deck around back. Poor Richard's After Hours bar serves pub food in the evening, and live music rocks the house on some weekends.

In opening this pitch-perfect bagel shop, chef-owner Chad Conley filled a long-neglected gap in Portland's food scene. Here you'll find spot-on New York–style bagels (made in-house every morning) with both expected and unusual add-ons, including pastrami nova, chopped liver, and whitefish salad.

Set in the ground floor of the historic Asheville Citizen Times Building, Citizen Vinyl is one of the South's foremost vinyl record producers. It's also a lounge, bar, coffee shop, and an excellent café, Session. Opt for a chicken salad melt, a breakfast sandwich with fried eggs and chili crisp, or sip a negroni and enjoy the classic playlist. 

The music-loving owner of this downtown shop mashes up ingredients with verve and imagination—a recent grilled purple grapes and feta specimen with micro-herbs, dry-roasted peanuts, and pear vinaigrette is but one example. Regulars rave about three frequently appearing messy-good sandwiches (ask for a fork), namely the banh mi; the chicken satay with harissa cucumber slaw; and the Spam and kimchi with grilled pineapple, chunky chili sauce, and peanut butter.

Within Stoltzfus Meats, a meat-centric supermarket selling all things sausage, cold cuts, and cheese, is Amos' Place, a popular deli serving breakfast and lunch. A surprisingly lengthy menu includes cheesesteaks, subs, and broasted chicken (similar to fried chicken), and there are salads for the cholesterol-challenged. Order at the counter and snag a table, or grab something to go.

Open since 1915, this authentic New York–style deli near the Jewish Museum is the only vestige of Baltimore's "Corned Beef Row" operating in its original location. Don't be put off by the long lines—they move fairly quickly, and the outstanding corned beef sandwiches are worth the wait, as are the pastrami, homemade chopped liver, and other oversized creations. Attman's closes at 6:30 pm on Monday through Saturday and 5 pm on Sunday.

Robin's-egg-blue banquettes and metal chairs in different colors add to the cheer at this sunny spot. Drop in for hearty local coffee and excellent breakfast and lunch sandwiches, including those on the popular cragel, a combination of a croissant and a bagel.

If sandwich-making was an art form, Bodega Park is a culinary gallery. The Korean-owned café has made a buzz in Silver Lake for its ingenious offerings such as their Peruvian chicken breakfast burritos and juicy pork bulgogi rolls. Bodega Park knows how to keep it light as well: the minimalist environment also makes for a great space to meet a friend over a cup of hot nurunji latte.

Located in Sunset Ridge in Alamo Heights, this little place is big on coffee, tea, and bagels. As in, a case full of every type of bagel imaginable. You can watch the bagels getting made. Get in queue to peruse the offerings and decide exactly what you want when it's your turn to order. Choose from butter, jam, Nutella, or peanut butter spread, or select a 6-ounce house-made schmear. Or go all out with bagel sandwiches Texican Scramble, Slammin' Salmon, Ultimate Grilled Cheese, Aunt Katie's Chicken Salad and more.

Tucked into the back of a tiny produce market is a counter serving up some of the biggest, juiciest, best sandwiches in town for lunch—strictly to go. Try the turkey-bacon-pesto Sanfranpsycho sandwich.

This natural foods haven has been serving Savannah's organically minded since the 1970s. In the back of this full-fledged grocery and supplement store is a busy deli counter busting out custom sandwiches with meat, vegetarian, and vegan options as well as house-made side dishes, salads, and cakes. Eat at the small counter indoors, at one of the tables out front or—since it's located at the southern end of Forsyth Park—put together a picnic to enjoy on a bench.

Located in the Casa del Balboa building near the San Diego History Center, this café is a convenient stop for a quick breakfast or lunch, or a midday coffee break. The café offers a good selection of pastries, paninis, soups, and salads, and a few indoor tables in case you find yourself there on the odd rainy day.

This snug, more than 70-year-old shop (family owned and operated up until a few years ago) in Harvard Square purveys exotic imports, including cheeses, chocolates, British biscuits, jams, olive oils, and mustards, along with sandwiches, cheeses, and charcuterie to go. You'll also find a generous assortment of champagnes and domestic caviar, fine wines, and assorted beers. They also have a new location in Boston's Seaport.

There's a distinct European flavor to this sidewalk café where you can grab a sandwich to-go or stay and relax with a sorbet or glass of wine.

Of course this gourmet market offers an excellent cheese selection---ask for a sample---but it also makes terrific sandwiches to go, available through the sidewalk window. Stop in for a Willie Brown Bird (smoked duck) or charcuterie board and a bottle of wine, or grab a coffee and pastry from their outdoor café.

Better known as the CBA (and just steps from the CTA itself), Chicago Bagel Authority is the home of steamed bagel sandwiches, aka steamwiches. Dozens of cleverly named steamwiches, like the Kool Julez, the Jane Train, and the Brennaissance come stuffed with roast beef, turkey, ham, and plenty of other toppings, then served on soft, warm bagels. It all comes together in a properly satisfying yet messy combination, especially at breakfast where their menu serves as a reliable hangover cure for many nearby Depaul and Loyola undergrad students. 

It's easy to forget that this is a college town, but this cheerful dive keeps up the school spirit. The white-brick eatery is dark and scruffy inside. Walls are hung with fraternity and sorority pictures, graduation snapshots, and sports-team photos. Booths and tables are in the William and Mary colors of green and gold. Deli sandwiches, subs, specialty pizzas, pasta, stromboli, and Greek dishes are all prepared with fresh ingredients and are all delicious, and there's a wide selection of beers on tap. The Delly delivers free to nearby hotels from 6 pm to 1 am.

Offering excellent cheeses since 1967, it's impossible to resist sampling the variety of cheese available or resist picking up all sorts of other items that go well with cheese, from crackers and chocolates to jams and a great wine selection. You can also pick up sandwiches and salads to go.

If you want to avoid the neon-lit tourist-center of cheesesteaks and go where the locals go, head to Cosmi's. It's a true Philadelphia corner deli, where all the meat is cut to order and the person taking your order will let you know if they think you're ordering incorrectly; we suggest trying a cheesesteak on a seeded roll with Cooper sharp cheese and fried onions to taste what the hype is all about.