Before all these newfangled sandwich places came into town, there was Antone’s, which started slinging po’boys in 1962. Grab a taste of nostalgia with classics like the Original with ham, salami, provolone, Chow Chow, mayonnaise, and dill pickle; a simple tuna salad and pickle sandwich; the New Orleans–inspired muffuletta; or go for updated creations like the Dr. Hotez Banh Mi with beef, pickled veggies, fresh jalapeño, and garlic sambal aioli.

This Houston staple deserves all the recognition it gets. Although the Barnaby’s entrée menu is large and in charge, diners shouldn’t overlook its various cold and hot sandwiches. The egg salad sandwich is made to order with chopped egg lightly tossed in mayo, two strips of bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, and onion on whole wheat bread. We also love the chicken tinga torta, made with pulled chicken stewed in tomato and Mexican spiced broth.

BB’s is more of a dine-in café than a sandwich shop, but the messy po’boys at this homegrown favorite are deserving of a stop unto themselves. The notable Midnight Masterpiece is fully dressed and piled high with roast beef debris (and you can, in fact, get it at midnight, as many locations are open into the wee hours of the night). The Bedtime in the Bayou, a fried Gulf shrimp po’boy, also ushers in those sweet dreams.

Part upscale steakhouse, part butcher shop, this Washington Avenue standby is full of New York charm. So, it’s no surprise they make a mean hero. Pop in for signature sammies like the B&B Italian Special, stacked with shaved ham, salami, capicola, mortadella, provolone, roasted red peppers, and balsamic on a crusty Italian roll; or the Delancey, a sandwich featuring deli-style hot pastrami and mustard on rye.

The large portions at this classic Jewish delicatessen could put you to sleep. Consider sharing one of the Texas-size triple-deckers like the Fiddler on the Roof of Your Mouth: It’s packed with corned beef and pastrami made in-house, coleslaw, and Russian dressing. That way, you can tack on extras from matzo ball soup to kreplach and spinach knish.

You’ll have to drive to the outer western edge of Asiatown, but we’re pretty adamant this is the best banh mi in Houston, hands down. Khang has all the classic variations, and the prices can’t be beat, either.

The Crunchy Chicken at this local favorite has a dedicated following, as does the Truffled Egg Salad sando. With Local Foods’ four locations across Houston, it shouldn’t be hard to get your hands on one. The Crunchy Chicken gets its crunch from a nut-and-seed crumble and crushed homemade chips, and an extra “it” factor from shavings of roast chicken, zippy house pickles, and an oh-so-tasty pretzel bun.

While a charcuterie board and other snacks might be delicious to enjoy with a glass of wine or cocktail, some days only a good ol’ sandwich satisfies a craving. Montrose Cheese and Wine offers a sandwich of the day to-go for $12, and for an extra charge, diners can add Torres potato chips, a choice of a pastry, and a Rambler sparkling water, making it the perfect box lunch for a busy day.

A neighborhood staple since the late ’90s, Paulie’s combines a mom-and-pop attitude with seriously good Italian food. Despite the love shown to its housemade pastas, the hoagies and panini are not to be overlooked. Go for classic Italians, shrimp BLTs, and crispy panini stuffed with the likes of salami, mozzarella, and spinach. And for your sweet tooth: decorated shortbread cookies.

Skywalk up to the counter and say howdy to the Darth Vader and Yoda portraits at this cheerfully geeky deli and café. Here, you’ll find specialty sammies, from bone-in ham and egg salad on ciabatta to a killer reuben with beer-infused sauerkraut and house Russian.

This mini local chain’s banh mi are made fresh with locally sourced and housemade ingredients. Protein options include grilled pork, pork belly, chopped rib eye, crispy tofu, grilled chicken, and smoked salmon. All sandwiches come with jalapeños, cucumbers, pickled carrots, cilantro, soy sauce, and garlic aioli.

Saigon Hustle is the perfect place to go for lunch. Choose your protein—honey-glazed lemongrass salmon, tofu, chargrilled barbecue pork, rib eye, and more—to get stuffed inside a crispy baguette along with pickled carrots and daikon, fresh cilantro, cucumber, jalapeños, chicken liver pâté, and a Vietnamese buttery mayo.

We love this joint by 2012 MasterChef winner and local restaurateur Christine Hà of Blind Goat (and formerly of Xin Chào). You can grab these sandos to-go or visit the handy drive-through. On the menu: a decadent triple grilled cheese, a nostalgic tuna crunch, an addictive Sichuan hot chicken sandwich, and much more.

Back in the day, Midtown used to be known as Little Saigon thanks to the Vietnamese community and mom-and-pops in the area. Today, while many restaurants have moved to Asiatown, this decades-old restaurant stands as a reminder of the neighborhood’s past, and a tasty one at that. In addition to its popular pho and bánh xèo (Vietnamese crepe), hit this institution to score tried-and-true banh mi stacked with lemongrass chicken, pork meatballs, Vietnamese cold cuts, and fried egg.

See that big “I <3 Tortas” sign? Open the door beneath it to enter torta heaven. There are countless varieties of the Mexican sandwich at Las Tortas Perronas, each done justice thanks to buttery, toasty bread with a generous number of fixins stuffed inside—think steak Milanesa, egg, and Oaxacan cheese; or jamón, chuleta (smoked pork chop), and pineapple. Get the napkins ready.

Winnie’s, too, caters to the various cultures and people that call our city home. The hip restaurant’s staple sandwiches include a shrimp po’boy, a jerk chicken po’boy, and the Graham’s crispy flounder sandwich made with fried flounder, ginger scallion oil, a ’70s-style Asian slaw, peanut dressing, and mayonnaise, among other options. Wash it down with one of the excellent cocktails. The restaurant also offers sandwich trays and large orders for those in need of sammies for an event or office party.