Pan bagnat
Pan bagnat is a sandwich from Nice, in southern France.
The bread used for this dish is crispy pain de campagne – a popular choice in bakeries.
The bread is cut in half and filled with fresh vegetables, anchovies, olives, a sliced hard-boiled egg, diced tuna, and drizzled with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
CNN has compiled a list of the 10 best sandwiches, based on criteria such as popularity, high customer ratings and reviews, flavor, tradition and identity associated with the destination, and convenience.
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Bocadillo de jamón Ibérico
A Spanish Iberian ham sandwich, or bocadillo de jamón ibérico, is a simple yet iconic snack made with crusty bread and high-quality slices of Jamón Ibérico, sometimes enhanced with olive oil, tomato, or garlic.
The sandwich showcases the rich, nutty flavor of acorn-fed, cured pork and is widely regarded as one of Spain's finest culinary staples.
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Banh mi
A staple of Vietnamese cuisine, banh mi has evolved into a wide range of regional variations and can be easily found at shops and street vendors on corners across the country.
Common fillings include pâté, Vietnamese sausage, roasted pork, pickled carrots and radishes, cilantro, and mayonnaise.
The combination creates a balance of crispy, fresh, and rich flavors that diners consistently praise as both satisfying and distinctly delicious.
Photo by Nguyen Dong
Torta ahogada
Known as a “drowned” sandwich, this iconic street food from Guadalajara, the capital of Mexico’s Jalisco state, features chopped pork stuffed into crusty bread influenced by the French occupation in the 1860s.
It is then soaked in a spicy red sauce, an approach said to have become tradition after a sandwich was accidentally dropped into the sauce.
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Tramezzino
Originating in Turin, Venice, this popular lunchtime snack is elevated to a new level, with chefs stuffing triangular white bread rolls with a variety of fillings, from olives to tuna, soft-boiled eggs, ham, and truffles.
Bars throughout Venice serve tramezzino at lunchtime.
To properly enjoy this dish, visitors should savor it by the canal with a glass of wine.
Photo by A Path to Lunch
Shawarma
The name shawarma comes from the Arabic word for “turning,” referring to the way its meat is slow-cooked on a vertical rotisserie.
As the dish spread across the Mediterranean and into Europe, it evolved into regional variations such as the Greek gyro and the doner kebab in Germany via Turkey.
Despite its many adaptations, the core remains the same: thinly sliced, spiced meat—typically chicken, lamb, or beef—shaved from the rotating spit and wrapped in soft pita bread.
It is commonly topped with ingredients like tomatoes, onions, and parsley, and finished with sauces such as tahini or chili for added flavor.
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Muffaletta
Muffaletta is a signature sandwich of New Orleans, created by Italian immigrants who settled in the French Quarter in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The sandwich is made using a large, round Sicilian sesame loaf, often bigger than two hands placed side by side. Inside, layers of chopped olive salad, Genoa salami, ham, and a mix of cheeses (commonly including Swiss) come together to create a rich, savory flavor.
According to culinary experts cited by CNN, this combination makes muffaletta one of the most irresistible sandwiches in American cuisine.
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Chivito
Despite its name meaning “little goat,” Uruguay’s chivito does not contain goat meat. Instead, it features a hearty combination of thinly sliced beef, ham, bacon, lettuce, mayonnaise, and mozzarella cheese.
Often finished with a fried egg on top, the sandwich is designed to be filling and indulgent, ensuring diners leave fully satisfied.
Photo by Hungary Budha
Smørrebrød
Built on a base of rye bread, Smørrebrød of Denmark features an extensive array of toppings, ranging from curried or pickled herring and delicate pink shrimp to sliced boiled eggs and rare roast beef, all typically layered over butter.
True to Scandinavian style, presentation is just as important as flavor, with these open-faced sandwiches crafted to be as visually striking as they are delicious.
Photo by Wbur
Spatlo
Closely associated with Gauteng province and the city of Johannesburg, South Africa’s spatlo, often called kota, meaning “quarter”, is a hearty sandwich made from a hollowed-out quarter loaf of bread packed with a generous mix of fillings.
Typically, it is loaded with seasoned fries, cheese, bacon, polony (similar to bologna), and Russian-style sausage, often topped with a fried egg and a spoonful of spicy atchar sauce made from green mangoes.
Photo by Sandwich Tribunal
