18 of Our Favorite Locally Made Sandwiches

Italian Sub at Angelo's Pizza - (13715 Madison Ave, angelosonline.com) - Angelo's Pizza sells more than just the pie. This multiple award-winning pizza shop also shop offers several sandwiches and subs, our favorite being the all encompassing Italian Sub. You can't go wrong with the Italian Sub, just choose everything and be on your way. If you plan to stay, don't worry. Watch your sports and grab a beer while you're here too.

Arepa at Barroco Grill (12906 Madison Ave., Lakewood, barrocogrill.com) - The good folks at this Colombian-themed eatery didn't invent the arepa sandwich, but they did introduce many a grateful Clevelander to the genre. The thick corn flour tortillas smell amazing, and when griddled and split, make an ideal chassis for any combination of Latin-inspired ingredients. We're partial to the chorizo and cheese with onions. El Arepazo y Pupuseria in Fairview Park makes a similar dish, with fragrant arepas sliced and stuffed with chorizo, onions, green peppers and little bits of cheese.

Banh Mi at Superior Pho (3030 Superior Ave., superiorpho.com) - Vietnamese cooks manage to pack more flavor, texture and satisfaction into a crusty French-style baguette than any other culture on earth. The love child of French and Vietnamese cuisines, this addictive sandwich's charm lies in the contrast of ingredients, like creamy chicken liver pate and mayonnaise set against the crunch of pickled veggies, the satisfying meatiness of thin-sliced roast pork against the summery shine of fresh cilantro and the kick in the teeth from jalapeños. Excellent versions are also served at Bac in Tremont (bactremont.com), Pho Thang downtown (phothangcafe.com) and On the Rise Bakery (ontheriseartisanbreads.com).

Bravocado Sandwich at Beet Jar (1432 West 29th St., beetjar.com) - You don't have to be a practicing vegan or vegetarian to opt for a meat-free lunch. Heck, you might even feel better afterwards. The good news is that Cleveland is chock-full of delicious sandwiches that shun the beef, options which are available both at conventional eateries and those well-known for catering to vegetarians. Since opening, the Beet Jar has been adored for its take on the popular avocado toast concept. Though it starts with avocado and toast, it expands to include toasty coconut, red onion, greens and creamy cashew spread, which all combine to form a meat-free fiesta. When it comes to other vegetarian-friendly sandwiches, we also love the Grilled Eggplant with bocconcini and pesto mayo at La Bodega (labodega-tremont.com) in Tremont, the On the Road at Root Cafe (theroot-cafe.com) in Lakewood, made with beets, goat cheese, caramelized onions and spinach, and Market at the Fig's (theflyingfig.com) Mediterranean-inspired Vegan, ciabatta bread loaded with grilled eggplant, roasted red pepper, hummus and pickled vedge.

Breakfast Banh Mi at Jack Flaps (3900 Lorain Ave., jack-flaps.com) - Every joint in town that serves breakfast and/or brunch has some edition of the breakfast sandwich, and pretty much all of them feature some combination of pork, egg and cheese. Sure, the bread or bun changes, and maybe the garnishes and sauce, but when your three main ingredients stay put, there's only so much possible deviation. That's why we can't stay away from the Breakfast Banh Mi at Jack Flaps, tricked out with Vietnamese-spiced sausage, lightly fermented kimchi, everything bagel cream cheese and a fried egg. Fire Food & Drink (firefoodanddrink.com) shakes things up by tucking local fried eggs, bacon, lettuce and tomato into smoky Indian flatbread. Breakfast sandwiches served on a fluffy croissant, as is the case with XYZ Tavern's (xyzthetavern.com) BLT & A, are always appreciated. This is a bacon, lettuce and tomato sando with a fried egg and avocado. Bonbon Bakery (bonboncleveland.com) has been winning the breakfast sandwich category thanks to the housemade English muffin that supports maple syrup-scented sausage, over-easy egg and cheddar cheese.

Corned Beef at Slyman's Restaurant (3106 St. Clair Ave., slymans.com) - What's left to say about this sandwich that hasn't already been said? When it comes to sliced-meat deli sandwiches in Cleveland, corned beef immediately comes to mind. And when it comes to suppliers of said beef, Slyman's owns the field. The model of the category, these jaw-busting towers of plush, rosy-red beef are ridiculously savory and satisfying, destroying our cravings for the beasts for a solid month. Culinary tourists travel far and wide to visit this bustling midtown deli for a taste of one of the best CB on ryes in the country. We also wouldn't turn our noses up at the versions sold at Danny's Deli (dannysdeli.net), Superior Restaurant (9108 Superior Ave.) and Tal's Bakery & Deli in Parma (talsbeverageanddeli.com).

Cubano at Caribe Bake Shop (2906 Fulton Rd.) - The Cubano — or Cuban — is the Latin version of the Italian panini, a crusty, lusty pressed sandwich that oozes melted cheese around its waist. Sure, it's meaty and savory thanks to sliced roast pork, ham and, if you're lucky, crispy pork skin. But it's also bright and tangy thanks to the schmear of yellow mustard and sliced dill pickles. At Caribe, deep in the Clark-Fulton neighborhood, you'll find one of the best versions around, thin as a cheap seat cushion in the fourth quarter and dense as a celestial black hole. In Valley View, hit up the Oak Barrel (theoakbarrel.com) for a ridiculously good version, while in Berea, head to the Latin-run Campus Grille (thecampusgrille.com).

Philly Cheesesteak from Original Steaks & Hoagies (10735 Ravenna Rd., Twinsburg, steaksandhoagies.com) - In Philadelphia, "steak shops" are as common as Flyers fans, where on practically every corner shaved ribeye is cooked up on a coal-black griddle and piled into foot-long hoagie buns with — or wit-out ­— sauteed onions and Cheez Whiz. Provolone also is acceptable. The best versions, like those served at Original Steaks & Hoagies, are built upon soft but sturdy buns from Philly-based Amoroso Bakery, and the beef is chopped into bits on the griddle, leaving the meat surprisingly light and airy. Options are slim when it comes to real-deal cheesesteaks around here, but we also like Eddies Famous Cheesesteaks in Akron (eddiescheesesteaks.com).

Falafel at Cafe Falafel (3843 Riveredge Rd., mycafefalafel.com) - Cafe Falafel's falafel will ruin you for other versions. Generous amounts of minced parsley and cilantro in the batter keep the patties light, moist and airy while last-minute deep frying in peanut oil provides the perfect crunch. The falafel is rolled in a thin lavash-style pita with tahini sauce, pickled turnips, pickles and fresh herbs, creating one of the most satisfying vegetarian sandwiches in town. Praiseworthy versions of this Middle Eastern classic also can be found at Maha's Falafil (mahasfalafil.com) at West Side Market, Frank's Falafel House in Detroit Shoreway, and numerous Aladdin's Eatery (aladdinseatery.com) locations around town.

Fat Italian at Fat Heads (24581 Lorain Rd., North Olmsted, fatheadscleveland.com) - There are sandwiches, minimalist and beautiful with spare ingredients, because those few choices should be the focus of your gastronomy. And then there are sandwiches, whole meals and layers stuffed between two slices of bread or buns, the carbs simply the easiest and most effective way to hold all of the goodness together. Behold, if you're talking about the second philosophy, the sandwiches at Fat Heads. And, specifically, behold the Fat Italian. Yes, they're called headwiches — as big as your head, natch — for a reason. The Fat Italian holds ham, salami, capicola, pepperoni, crumbled hot sausage, provolone cheese, banana peppers, hard-boiled egg, lettuce, tomato, red onion and mayo. It's a mouthful in every sense of the word.