Standout Sandwiches

From Grilled Cheese To Gourmet, Our Top Picks For The Area’s Most Well-Bred Creations Between Sliced Bread

One of the most widely available foods known to man and beast must be the sandwich.

The sandwich is ubiquitous, available as a breakfast, lunch and dinner option, as well as appetizer, snack and dessert.

There are simple sandwiches—say, a thick slice of tomato on white bread. And there are also more complex versions, like a Monte Cristo, where slices of city ham and gruyere cheese are stuffed between bread, dipped in egg batter, fried golden, and served topped with fruit preserves and coated in a sprinkling of confectionary sugar.

There are small ones—like tea sandwiches—and there are sweet ones—like ice cream sandwiches.

Some define a sandwich as any sort of filling contained in or on a baked item, mostly bread, which can leave a lot of room for interpretation; this means burritos, wraps, tacos, quesadillas and the like.

Others say a sandwich is simply a filling between two pieces of bread. That was the ruling in 2006 of Worcester, Mass. Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Locke in a case between the chains Panera Bread Co. and Qdoba, a fast-casual Mexican restaurant, over non-compete rights to be in the same shopping center.

We set a big table, and like the first definition best; besides, there are more to enjoy this way.

Below are our favorite sandwiches. There wasn’t a scientific method used in the selection, except these are creations we’ve enjoyed and would (and have) order again and again.

If we didn’t list your favorite sandwich, let us know what it is. We look forward to researching a follow-up article.

BREAKFAST

1. Doc Taylor’s

207 23rd St., Virginia Beach

757-425-1960

www.DocTaylors.com

“The Ray Ray”

Fried egg atop bacon, cheese, and grilled parmesan tomatoes on an onion roll. (Main image above)

2. Handsome Biscuit

2511 Colonial Ave., Norfolk

www.HandsomeBiscuit.com

Hella Fitzgerald

Fried chicken with bacon, cheddar, and red eye sausage gravy.

3. Papou George’s Hot Dogs

303 Oyster Point Rd., Newport News

757-269-0501

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Greek Sausage and Egg Sandwich

Housemade Greek sausage with egg. We like to add cheese and tomatoes.

CLUB/ BLT

1. The Terrace Room at the Williamsburg Inn

136 East Francis St., Williamsburg

888-965-7254

www.ColonialWilliamsburg.com

Restoration Sandwich

Sugar ham, roasted turkey, smoked bacon and herb mayonnaise on country white bread.

2. Waypoint Seafood & Grill

1480 Quarter Path Rd., Williamsburg

757-220-2228

www.WaypointGrill.com

Turkey BLT Panini

Herb-roasted turkey breast, fried green tomatoes and herb mayonnaise on artisan flatbread.

3. The Public House

1112 Colley Ave., Norfolk

757-227-9064

www.PublicHouseEats.com

Public House Club

Pulled turkey, sliced honey ham, applewood-smoked bacon, cheddar cheese, Swiss cheese, lettuce and tomato on Texas toast.

DECADENCE

(Dagwood, overstuffed, etc.)

1. The Route 58 Delicatessen

4000 Virginia Beach Blvd., #156, Virginia Beach

757-227-5868

www.58Deli.com

Hot Corned Beef

Overstuffed sandwich of housemade corned beef with cole slaw and Russian dressing.

2. Circa 1918 Kitchen + Bar

10367 Warwick Blvd., Newport News

757-599-1918

www.Circa1918.com

Circa 1918 Lamb Burger

Lamb burger with candied bacon and goats’ cheddar cheese.

3. Field Guide

429 Granby St., Norfolk

www.FieldGuide.is

Noodlefoot Williams

Sandwich of macaroni and cheese with peperonata (a ratatouille of thin-sliced bell peppers and seasonings) with paprika.

GOURMET

1. Taste Unlimited

Multiple locations across Coastal Virginia

www.TasteUnlimited.com

Northender

Honey smoked turkey, applewood smoked bacon, Havarti cheese, avocado, romaine lettuce, tomato and basil mayo on French bread.

2. The Cheese Shop

410 W. Duke of Gloucester St., Williamsburg

757-220-0298

www.CheeseShopWilliamsburg.com

Tuna Salad

An update of the classic with grapes and walnuts.

3. 3Way Café

216 E. Plume St., Norfolk

757-625-3929

www.3WayCafe.com

The Figgy Piggy

Herb-roasted pork with fig glaze, baby spinach, gouda cheese, roasted tomatoes and pesto aioli on sourdough bread.

GRILLED CHEESE/ CHEESE

1. Press 626 Café & Wine Bar

626 W. Olney Rd., Norfolk

757-282-6234

www.Press626.com

Award Winning Grilled Cheese

A sandwich of Vermont cheddar, Swiss cheese, Pepperjack cheese and goat cheese on grilled sourdough bread; we add applewood-smoked bacon and tomato.

2. The Public House

1112 Colley Ave., Norfolk

757-227-9064

www.PublicHouseEats.com

Grilled Cheese

Grilled sandwich of aged yellow cheddar and fontina cheese topped with housemade bacon, tomato and caramelized onion.

3. Flip Flops VB Grill

2217 Upton Dr., Virginia Beach

757-427-3547

www.FlipFlopsVB.com

Big Cheesey

Large sandwich of cheddar jack cheese, tomatoes and pesto on grilled Texas toast.

GRINDER/ HERO/ HOAGIE/ SUB

1. Greater Grinders Submarines

Locations in Norfolk and Portsmouth

www.GreaterGrindersSubmarines.com

The Super Greater Grinder

A large sandwich of salami, ham, spiced luncheon meat, pepperoni, provolone cheese, American cheese, Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and onions on toasted sub roll.

2. Subway Station

12288 Warwick Blvd., Newport News

757-599-0167

www.SubwayStationSubs.com

The Subway Express

An Italian hot sub of salami, spiced luncheon meat, ham, pepperoni, Swiss cheese, provolone cheese, lettuce, tomato, onions and a secret sauce.

3. Mister Jim’s Jumbo Submarine Sandwiches

346 Battlefield Blvd. S., Chesapeake

757-482-1333

www.MisterJimsOnline.com

Chesapeake Jubilee

A large sub of ham, turkey and roast beef with cheese, lettuce, tomato, onions and housemade Italian dressing. We add hot and sweet peppers.

HOT

(Barbecue, burgers, hot dogs and the like)

1. No Frill Bar and Grill

Locations in Norfolk and Virginia Beach

www.NoFrillGrill.com

Norfolk Hot Brown

Grilled chicken, Surry ham, tomato, Norfolk Canyon Ale (from O’Connor Brewing Co.) sauce and cheddar jack cheese over sourdough toast points.

2. County Grill & Smokehouse

Locations in Hampton and Yorktown

www.CountyGrill.com

The Pit Master

A large sandwich of pulled pork shoulder, sauced, and topped with sliced beef brisket and cole slaw.

3. DoG Street Pub

401 W. Duke of Gloucester St., Williamsburg

757-293-6478

www.DoGStreetPub.com

A Very Large Griddled Hot Dog

Indeed, a very large hot dog, griddled, and topped with stout chili, onions and Tillamook cheddar cheese.

INTERNATIONAL

(Banh mi, gyros, etc.)

1. Azar’s Natural Foods

2000 Colley Ave., Norfolk

757-664-7955

www.AzarFoods.com

Chicken Tawook

A wrap filled with strips of baked chicken breast marinated in a garlic herb mixture, along with cabbage, tomato, pickles, parsley and a zesty housemade dressing.

2. Mojito Café

300 28th St., Virginia Beach

757-233-6855

www.MojitoCafeVB.net

Cubano

Classic grilled rendition with roasted pork, ham, Swiss cheese, mustard and pickle.

3. Jessy’s Tienda y Taqueria

3201 E. Ocean View Ave., Norfolk

757-531-0033

www.Facebook.com/JessysOV

Beef Milaneza Torta

A classic Mexican sub; thinly sliced and breaded steak with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, jalapenos, avocado and mayonnaise.

MELTS/ CHEESESTEAKS

1. No Forks CheeseSteaks & More

5045 Virginia Beach Blvd., #101, Virginia Beach

757-473-0087

www.Facebook.com/NoForks101

Jojo

Grilled ribeye steak with melted provolone cheese, topped with Cajun-seasoned french fries (yes, on the sandwich) and finished with warm Cheese Whiz, all inside a toasted roll.

2. Iggles A Cheesesteak & Burger Joint

2676 Virginia Beach Blvd., Virginia Beach

757-340-0314

www.IgglesCheesesteaks.com

Cheesesteak

A classic rendition with grilled, sliced steak and served with a choice of cheese (we like white American) and other options. We keep it simple and just choose grilled onions, although sometimes we crave some hot and sweet peppers added.

3. The Ten Top

748 Shirley Ave., Norfolk

757-622-5422

www.TheTenTop.com

Tuna Cheddar Melt

Tuna salad, made from fresh and not canned tuna, fills a French baguette and is topped with cheddar cheese then baked.

MISCELLANEOUS

1. Doumar’s

1919 Monticello Ave., Norfolk

757-627-4163

www.Doumars.com

Taylor Pork Roll

The classic processed pork roll is sliced and grilled, then added to toast with lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise.

2. Bakers Crust

Locations in Chesapeake and Virginia Beach

www.BakersCrust.com

Open-Faced Chicken & Apple

Sliced chicken breast, muenster cheese, spinach, caramelized onions, apples, honey mustard dressing placed atop sourdough bread.

3. The Route 58 Delicatessen

4000 Virginia Beach Blvd., #156, Virginia Beach

757-227-5868

www.58Deli.com

Chopped Liver Sandwich

The traditional deli offering—flavorful with the addition of schmaltz (chicken fat)—comes sandwiched between two slices of bread (we love it on rye) or you can add a scoop to any other sandwich.

PANINI

1. Mannino’s Italian Bistro (Portsmouth)

606 High St., Portsmouth

757-966-7522

www.ManninosItalianBistro.com

Smoked Turkey & Swiss Panini

Fresh sliced turkey along with Swiss cheese and honey mustard aioli are sandwiched between two slices of bread and pressed/grilled.

2. Press 626 Café & Wine Bar

626 W. Olney Road, Norfolk

757-282-6234

www.Press626.com

Veggie Press

A pressed/grilled sandwich on nine-grain bread is filled with grilled zucchini, red pepper, portobello mushrooms, tomato, basil and goat cheese.

3. Rigoletto Italian Bakery & Café

2181 Upton Dr., #414, Virginia Beach

757-427-3999

www.RigolettoItalianBakery.com

Florintina

Thinly shaved marsala-marinated beef is combined with caramelized onions, provolone cheese and tomatoes in this pressed/grilled sandwich.

SEAFOOD

(Lobster roll, crabcake, po boys, etc.)

1. Rudee’s on the Inlet Restaurant & Cabana Bar

227 Mediterranean Ave., Virginia Beach

757-425-1777

www.Rudees.com

Barroll’s Point Lobster Roll

Based on owner Carter Turpin’s childhood memories of summers in Maine, this is a classic rendition with freshly-picked lobster meat salad served in a split-top New England-style roll.

2. Mallards at the Wharf

2 Market St., Onancock

757-787-8558

www.MallardsLLC.com

“All Crab” Cake

A grilled cake of all crab—no filler—is served on a soft roll with a choice of tarter sauce or cocktail sauce (our pick); made with local Eastern Shore of Virginia crab.

3. No Frill Bar and Grill

Locations in Norfolk and Virginia Beach

www.NoFrillGrill.com

Smoked Salmon BLT

Honey-smoked Pacific salmon is added with bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, cucumbers and housemade boursin cheese on a choice of bread.

VEGETARIAN/ VEGAN

1. Field Guide

429 Granby St., Norfolk

www.FieldGuide.is

Walkabout

A sandwich of roasted turnips with arugula, peperonata (a ratatouille of thin sliced bell peppers and seasonings) and honey-ricotta.

2. The Ten Top

748 Shirley Ave., Norfolk

757-622-5422

www.TheTenTop.com

Grilled Portobello Mushroom Cap

A large grilled portobello mushroom cap served topped with balsamic onions, melted blue cheese and Dijonnaise on a sesame seed bun.

3. Taste Unlimited

Multiple locations across Coastal Virginia

www.TasteUnlimited.com

Inlet

Fresh mozzarella cheese, tomato, fresh basil, balsamic vinaigrette and basil mayonnaise on Italian flatbread.



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