Best sandwich in Manhattan?

[captainlou]

I'm coming to town for a long weekend and am looking for a couple great sandwich places. I know this is a huge question for this city, so it might help guide you to think about "classic" NYC spots (my friend has never been there, and I haven't been in 10 years).

It could be a deli, or something more unique, but quintessential New York is what we're looking for. Any suggestions?

[Huck]

There are slim pickings in Midtown so if you find yourself there I would suggest Xie Xie over on Ninth Ave around 45th St..... it is quintessential NYC perhaps only in the sense that it is a real chef (Angelo from the current "Top Chef") adapting asian flavors for a really good high end sandwich. I particularly like the Vietnamese beef, also the "1000 year old egg" ice cream sandwich, or something like that, is also excellent.

[craft21]

This is an extremely loaded question but I will throw out Alidoro on Sullivan as a front runner for best sandwich in NYC. I will also second the Cuban at Cafe Habana.

-----
Cafe Habana
229 Elizabeth St, New York, NY 10012

Alidoro
105 Sullivan St, New York, NY 10012

[iFat]

During lunch hours, the sandwiches at Torrisi Italian Specialties are incredible. The chicken parm and fresh cut turkey are both out of this world.

www.immaculateinfatuation.com

-----
Torrisi Italian Specialties
250 Mulberry St, New York, NY 10012

[daffyduck]

for quintessential NY ill echo everyone else's responses with katz and russ & daughters or barney greengrass (sturgeon is my favorite thing there)
for something unique i like the cubano christo at carteles in the east village. its a cuban sandwich dipped in egg batter and deep fried.

[Chuck Lawrence]

Katz's - pastrami on rye
Saigon Bakery - banh mi
Minetta Tavern - Black Label Burger
Pearl Oyster Bar - lobster roll
Cafe Habana - cuban sandwich
Tipsy Parson - BLT
Vanessa's Dumplings - duck scallion pancake
Barney Greengrass/Zabar's Cafe/Russ and Daughters (take out only) - nova, cream cheese on a bagel

-----
Cafe Habana
229 Elizabeth St, New York, NY 10012

Minetta Tavern
113 MacDougal St, New York, NY 10012

Tipsy Parson
156 Ninth Avenue, New York, NY 10011

[RGR]

I don't think you can get too much more quintessentially NYC than Katz's, open continuously on the corner of Houston & Ludlow since 1887. *The* thing to have is a pastrami on rye + a Dr. Brown's Cream Soda.

Katz's photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/11863391...

[steakrules85]

Agreed. Katz pastrami is a must. The brisket isn't too shabby either. I have to admit I haven't tried many sandwiches in NYC as I'd like, but I also enjoy Defonte's roast beef with fried eggplant and mozzarella.

[kathryn]

It is indeed a huge question. The quintessential sandwich could be a bagel with smoked salmon, pastrami on rye, perhaps one of the creations from Defonte's, a banh mi, a more nouveau creation, the pork or lamb burger from Xian Famous Foods.

It really depends if you want European, American, Asian or pork, beef, chicken, turkey, vegetables, something else?

Have you seen these threads?

Don't leave NY without eating these foods
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/610739

please help me eat during a month in new york
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/716238?#5710053

sgordon's top 5 sandwiches:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/721266#5788328

really good sandwich
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/702736

East Village Sandwich Shop?
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/711275

Sandwiches in Manhattan
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/514725

Or these links?

101 Best Sandwiches in NYC
http://newyork.grubstreet.com/2010/05/the_101_best_sandwiches_in_new.html

If you find the slideshow version of that NY Mag list too tedious, try these:
http://nickminichino.tumblr.com/post/657654945/grub-streets-101-best-sandwiches-in-new-york
http://blog.mattlehrer.com/post/658030049/i-created-a-map-out-of-grub-streets-list-of-the

A sandwich a day from Serious Eats
http://newyork.seriouseats.com/tags/A...

-----
Xi'an Famous Foods
88 E Broadway, New York, NY 10002