Few things are more New Orleans than a gut-filling, over-stuffed po-boy. Like the city itself, these sandwiches aren’t about restraint or reason. Rather they hold a sacred, perhaps even fanatical, place among the city’s food iconography -- and eating one amounts to an act of civic pride. First invented and sold to striking streetcar workers in the 1920s, these tasty and cheap “poor boy” sandwiches soon found popularity in the city’s working class: dock workers, tradesmen, and laborers. Eventually locals of every stripe took up the habit.

Ask any local, and they will tell you, with fervor, where to find the best po-boy in town, from take-out corner stores to dive bars to sit-down eateries. Expect supporting details from the quantity of the meats, to the crispiness of the bread, to the value vs. price debate, to the atmosphere of the venue.

Of course, Eater’s list could be twice as long and still not do justice to all the great po-boy contenders out there. If your favorite spot has been left out, know we are deeply sorry. And please, do spread the good word and leave a comment.

Don’t see a po-boy shop that needs to be on the essentials list? Send an email or leave a comment. And, as usual, these are listed by neighborhood, not by ranking.

Note: Restaurants on this map are listed geographically.