The ancient Jews is said to have wrapped meat from the Paschal lamb and bitter herbs between two pieces of old-fashioned soft matzah, flat, unleavened bread, during Passover in the manner of a modern sandwich wrap made with flatbread. Flat breads of only slightly varying kinds have long been used to scoop or wrap small amounts of food en route from platter to mouth throughout Western Asia and Northern Africa. From Morocco to Ethiopia to India, bread is baked in flat rounds, contrasting with the European loaf tradition.

The first written usage of the English word appeared in Edward Gibbon’s journal, in longhand, referring to "bits of cold meat" as a "Sandwich". It was named after John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich, an 18th-century English aristocrat, although he was neither the inventor nor sustainer of the food. It is said that he ordered his valet to bring him meat tucked between two pieces of bread, and because Montagu also happened to be the Fourth Earl of Sandwich, others began to order "the same as Sandwich!" It is said that Lord Sandwich was fond of this form of food because it allowed him to continue playing cards, while eating without getting his cards greasy from eating meat with his bare hands.

A Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich

Alternative name(s) PB & J

Place of origin United States

Serving temperature Chilled, room temperature, or heated

Main ingredient(s) Peanut butter, jelly, bread

Variations Multiple

Club Sandwich

Alternative name(s) Clubhouse Sandwich

Place of origin United States

Type Mayonnaise sandwich

Main ingredient(s) Bread, turkey, bacon, lettuce, tomato

Sloppy Joe

Alternative name(s) Wimpies, yip yips, slush burgers, barbecues, hot tamales, taverns

Place of origin United States

Course Main

Serving temperature Hot

Main ingredient(s) Ground beef, onions, sweetened tomato sauce or ketchup, seasoning, hamburger bun

Sloppy Joe meat being prepared

Reuben on rye from Katz’s Delicatessen

Place of origin Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.

Creator(s) Reuben Kulakofsky

Course Main course

Main ingredient(s) Corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and either Russian dressing, Thousand Island dressing or Dijon mustard if served on the west coast, and rye bread.

Monte Cristo Sandwich

Place of origin United States

Type Sandwich

Main ingredient(s) Bread, ham, cheese, (Emmental or Gruyere – a type of cheese), egg batter

Cheese Sandwich

Alternative name(s) Grilled cheese sandwich, cheese toast, toasted cheese, cheese toastie

Serving temperature Cold or hot

Mainingredient(s) Cheese, bread

Variations Multiple

BLT Sandwich on toast

Alternative name(s) Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato

Serving temperature Hot or Cold

Main ingredient(s) Bacon, lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise, bread

Variations Club Sandwich

Muffuletta Sandwich

Origin United States

Region New Orleans, Louisiana

Creator(s) Central Grocery 1906

Course Main courses

Main ingredients one muffuletta loaf, marinated olive salad layers of capicola, salami, mortadella, emmertaler, provolone

Dagwood Bumstead holding a Dagwood sandwich in a hand screw clamp

Type Sandwich

Main ingredient(s) Bread, meats, cheeses, condiments

Shrimp po' boy

Origin

Alternative name(s) po-boy, po boy, poor boy

Place of origin United States

Region or state Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi

Main ingredient(s) Multiple

Variations Multiple

French Dip Sandwich

Alternative name(s) Beef Dip

Place of origin United States

Creator(s) Multiple claims

Course Main

Serving temperature Hot

Main ingredient(s) Baguette (a type of bread), roast beef, au jus (beef juice)

Variations With cheese

Cheese Steak with Provolone Cheese

Alternative name(s) Philadelphia cheesesteak, Philly cheesesteak

Place of origin United States

Region or state Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Creator(s) Pat & Harry Olivieri

Course Main course

Serving temperature Hot

Main ingredient(s) Sliced steak, cheese, bread

Variations Multiple

A Submarine Sandwich

Alternative name(s) Multiple

Place of origin United States

Region or state Northeast

Main ingredient(s) Multiple

Variations Multiple

A Hamburger

Place of origin Germany, United States

Course Main Course

Serving temperature Hot

Main ingredient(s) Ground beef, bread