Our five favorite sandwiches in Chicago in 2021!

5 favorite sandwiches of 2021Adam and Madalyn

Chicago knows a thing or two about assembling meats, cheeses, and toppings between two slices of bread. In a city known for iconic food, perhaps it does not get enough credit for being one of the best sandwich cities in the entire world. Chicago boasts world-class delis with a mix of restaurants that serve up their iconic sandwich.

Side note, we did not include the most iconic sandwich in Chicago, the Italian beef, on this list. Be on the lookout for that list later this month!

If you follow us, you know that we love to eat, especially here in Chicago. And while Chicago is known for its hot dogs and pizza, we think it is one of the best sandwich cities in the world.

Here are our top 3 favorite sandwich places of 2021.

If your favorite spot didn't make this list, suggest it in the comments below, and we'll try to make it there in 2022.

J.P. Graziano's

J.P. Graziano's Mr. G subAdam and Madalyn

If we've got one spot to go in Chicago for a sandwich, J.P. Graziano's is where we are going. This west loop specialty grocery store has long been a Chicago sandwich favorite. Our opinion is that their porchetta sandwich is one of the best sandwiches we've ever had anywhere in the world.

Porchetta is a well seasoned slow-roasted pork lion, and at JP Graziano's, they slice it thin, stick it between two ciabatta slices, and top it with arugula and a lemon caper aioli. If you're looking for something little more traditional, the Mr. G, their Italian house sandwich, is also terrific. Honestly, though, who are we kidding? The whole menu is delicious.

J.P. Graziano's is located at 901 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60607

Irazu

Bucktown's Irazu serves up traditional Costa Rican fare. Their menu is far more extensive than sandwiches; however, we're getting a sandwich when we visit. And we're not the only ones.

The star here is the legendary steak Pepito sandwich. The Pepito is also topped with sauteed onions, cheese, black beans, and Irazu's Lizano sauce, served on French bread. This sandwich is well worth the calories anytime you can get your hands on it.

Irazu is located at 1865 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60647.

Ricobene's

Ricobene's signAdam and Madalyn

A place that would seemingly be on every list of best sandwiches in Chicago is Ricobene's. Sandwiched (see what we did there?) between I-55 and I-90, Ricobene's is world-famous for their breaded steak sandwich. Before 2021, this sandwich had long been on our food items to eat. We have no explanation for what took so long to stop in, but we were glad we did. Their famous breaded steak sandwich lives up to all the accolades.

The breaded steak sandwich is, you guessed it, a breaded steak sandwich. It is also topped with their red gravy. Despite that red gravy topping, the breading on the sandwich manages to stay crispy. Our only mistake was ordering the regular size and not the king size.

Ricobene's is located at 252 W 26th St, Chicago, IL 60616.

90 Mile Cuban Café

sign at 90 MileAdam and Madalyn

90 Mile Cuban Café has long been one of our favorite spots in the city to eat. Pretty much every item on their menu is delicious and loaded with flavor. Despite all those tasty options, we can never seem to dine at 90 Mile Cuban Café without eating a sandwich. Correction, we can never seem to treat at 90 Mile Cuban Café without eating THE sandwich, their Cubano. Roasted pork, ham, swiss, mustard, and pickles on pressed Cuban bread. Yum.

As two people who frequent South Florida to escape Chicago's winter, we've had our fair share of Maimi's best offerings in the Cuban sandwich department. 90 Mile Cuban Café's version would rank near the top of Cuban sandwiches in Miami, and it is without a doubt the king here in Chicago.

90 Mile Cuban Café is located at 2540 W Armitage Ave, Chicago, IL 60647.

J.T.'s Genuine Sandwich Shop

J.T.'s Thanksgiving sandwichAdam and Madalyn

The final sandwich spot on our list is J.T.'s Genuine Sandwich Shop. Located on Elston on the North Side, J.T.'s is all about delicious sandwiches. Their list of sandwiches runs the gamut from tenderloins to BLTs. We stopped in this fall for a little early Thanksgiving, as their turkey sandwich is topped with stuffing and cranberry sauce. An actual neighborhood sandwich shop, J.T.'s brings the flavor.

J.T.'s Geniune Sandwich Shop is located at 3970 N Elston Ave, Chicago, IL 60618

Didn't see your spot on the list? Let us know where we should go in 2022 in the comments below!