VAMONDE New Orleans

There's nothing like a good sandwich. The crusty bread, the crunch of fresh ingredients, the salivating sauces. They all make up one of the best foods on the planet. So, when in NOLA...eat the best darn sandwiches around!

Best Sandwiches in New Orleans

Your nose won't know where to tell your mouth to start when you walk into the Dong Phuong bakery. The smell of bread will send you straight to heaven, while the Banh Mi (sandwiches) will bring you back to earth with a traditional Vietnamese flair.

The restaurant and bakery was first opened in 1981, by Vietnamese immigrants, De and Huong Tran. Huong learned his baking skills in Vietnam in his father’s bakery while De contributes his talents in the kitchen by recreating his favorite childhood dishes for customers.

If you grab Banh Mi from any place else in New Orleans, you’re likely eating bread from this bakery, and other restaurants in the area also use Dong Phuong as their bread suppliers. More importantly, though, this shop has helped to open up the world of Vietnamese cuisine in New Orleans. In fact, this international dining is now so popular in NOLA that they’ve even got organized fan clubs, largely thanks to Dong Phuong.

Dong Phuong has a wide range of delicious sandwiches with traditional Asian and local flavors from French cold cuts, to Vietnamese Ham, Chinese meatball, Chinese roasted pork, Vietnamese grilled pork, BBQ chicken, Rotisserie chicken, Chinese sausage, and more. The amazing bread from the bakery combined with the incredible filling ingredients will leave you satisfied.

The bakery has received praise from multiple publications and has ranked among New York Times’ best Banh Mi in the country on more than one occasion. Eating the Banh Mi here has been referred to by professional reviewers as “one of the signal pleasures of the American South.”

After you dine at this incredible bakery, you'll want to grab some bread and baked goods to go after you dine. Try the Danish twists, egg tarts, or steamed banana cake with coconut saw, or grab some praline bread and coconut rolls.

Dong Phuong

Cravings for BBQ can be satisfied here at The Joint

You'll find all the fixings for a down-home good meal here at the Joint. And when you drop in, you'll see and smell why it's so popular among locals and visitors alike.

The Joint opened in 2004 on Poland Avenue in the Historic Bywater District east of downtown New Orleans, LA. Since that time it has developed a national reputation for some of the best barbecue around. It’s been in the top 10 BBQ lists in publications from Bon Appétit to Zagat. In July 2008, The Joint was featured in Guy Fieri’s Food Network program “Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives.” In 2012, The Joint moved to its current location at 701 Mazant Street.

The Joint offers all the traditional mains and side you need for a classic—and utterly delicious—BBQ lunch or dinner.

When it comes to sandwiches, you’ll find that this place rocks. The pulled pork is to die for, the beef brisket is phenomenal, and the sausage sandwiches are the best you’ll have anywhere. And, if you’re lucky, the burnt brisket ends sandwich will be available when you come in.

Sides include traditional fares like coleslaw, mac 'n' cheese, baked beans, potato salad, and green salad, and add the perfect balance to your day.
Grab a Plate— like the 2-meat combo with sides—and slap together a sandwich. Or order a stack of ribs and top it all off with a delicious slice of pie.

If the weather's nice, be sure to grab one of the limited seats out back on the patio.

The Joint

For a true taste of New Orleans, Casamento's is the place.

The exterior of this hole-in-the-wall may not immediately convince you to come in, but the aromas of fried oysters, fried calamari, and gumbo will. And this place has been around a while, so you can count on the deliciousness of true Louisiana cuisine to hold true. 

This seafood joint was started in 1919 by Joe Casamento, a hard-working immigrant from Italy. As you walk inside, you’ll notice tiles from floor to ceiling. There’s a reason for that: it’s easier to keep clean. Casamento was very conscious of keeping the restaurant immaculate, and he knew tiling everywhere would do the trick. He actually had to get tiles from four different companies to have enough to cover the surfaces.

Casamento's uses their own "pan bread" instead of the traditional French bread of most other New Orleans seafood joints, giving them a unique twist on the local fare. They've been celebrated in multiple publications as the "best in New Orleans."

Order a bowl of Gumbo and oysters on the half-shell for your appetizer, but make sure you leave room for one of the many incredible seafood sandwiches in store for your taste buds.

Choose from the oyster loaf, shrimp loaf, trout loaf, soft shell crab loaf, or meatloaf sandwiches for a deep-fried, Southern treat. Or go with a platter of fried seafood and a slice of cheesecake. Whatever you order, you can't go wrong here.

Be aware that Casemento's takes a summer break each year from May to September, so plan your visit accordingly.

Casamento's

Where cheese is no object, the sandwiches win the day.

If you're a cheese lover, you're going to love St. James Cheese Company. The menu consists of a wide range of delicious fare—think salads, European style meals, and mac 'n' cheese—and some of the best sandwiches in the whole city.

The St. James Cheese Company was started by Richard and Danielle Sutton who both first fell in love with cheese separately as kids. Then they both fell in love with the divinity of cheese on European vacations with their families. In their adult years, they moved to London where they found the 200-year-old cheese shop, Paxton and Whitfield, in the St. James neighborhood. In 2006, the couple returned to the U.S. and relocated to New Orleans—where they met in college—and started this amazing cheese shop.

There are two locations to visit for the St. James Cheese Company, and the menus are slightly different from one location to the next.

At the Uptown location, you'll find a selection of cheese and charcuterie boards along with the Ploughman's Lunch, an English style lunch with cheese, pate, salad, and bread; the Cheesemonger's mac 'n cheese; several salads, and, of course, our focus: the sandwiches.

At the Warehouse District location (641 Tchoupitoulas), you'll find additional options—like the Princess Peach Salad and the Lomo Bocadillo—along with the choices available at the Uptown location.

Some delicious layers of bread, meat, cheese, and veggies you'll find here include:
The Hooks Cheddar
Brie & Ham Baguette
Il Mostro
Smokey Blue
Gruyere

Each sandwich blends the tangy wonder of gourmet cheese with the goodness of meats, greens, carefully selected breads, and more to create the most amazing sandwiches you've had this year.

After you eat, you'll want to stop into the cheese shop for some gifts—like smoked meats, gift collections, and dining/cooking accessories—and a whole lot of cheese. You'll see familiar choices like bleu cheeses and cabots, but you'll find some unusual and delicious options as well, including Challerhocker, Coupole, and Idiazabal, to name a few.

Cover image courtesy of St. James Cheese Company

St. James Cheese Company

Quirky and delicious sandwiches lie ahead at Turkey and the Wolf

Turkey and the Wolf offers visitors a quirky, fun atmosphere and promises some of the best sandwiches you'll eat in the city of New Orleans. They also promise to use honest ingredients grown and sold locally whenever it makes sense—which is most of the time—and they make the food in house.

The atmosphere is super casual and cozy, with a genuine sense of fun floating around in the air. You can tell the staff enjoys working there and that the customers who come regularly kind of think of this place as a second home.

You'll find the sandwiches delicious and quirky like the rest of the place.

From the Sweet Potato Sandwich with whipped feta, red onion, and Morita Romesco, to the Fried Bologna loaded with potato chips, shredded lettuce, and American cheese, you'll find something everybody loves. They also offer some sandwiches that aren’t regulars on the menu, like the Heirloom Tomato Sandwich packed with tomatoes, sunflower seeds, and more amazing goodness. Be sure to check out their specials any time you visit—you just might find the best thing you’ve ever eaten.

Other awesome choices include their Tacos Inauthenticos, featuring hog's headcheese, jalapenos and Valentina, the spicy Cabbage Salad with chili vinaigrette, sunflower seeds and pig ear cracklin, and the Fried Pot Pie made with chicken.

If you want some fun gifts to bring home - or a memorial of your vacation to NOLA - you can grab some offbeat merchandise like t-shirts, Turkey and the Wolf socks, and patches.

Cover image courtesy of Turkey and the Wolf. 


(Cover image courtesy of Turkey and the Wolf.)

Turkey and the Wolf

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Plan a family getaway the kids won't soon forget!

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Explore some of the locations of the Chicago blues scene of the 1960s with this VAMONDE adventure, based on the Chicago History Museum exhibition, "AMPLIFIED: Chicago Blues."

Chicago History Museum

Explore some of the locations of the Chicago blues scene of the 1960s with this VAMONDE adventure, based on the Chicago History Museum exhibition, "AMPLIFIED: Chicago Blues." Southern black migrants brought the blues to Chicago, where the music helped them forge connections and transform an unfamiliar, often inhospitable city into a new home. The music was also transformed—electrified and amplified to compete with urban noise. The photography of Raeburn Flerlage captures the streets, clubs, homes, and studios where a community of musicians defined the Chicago blues sound.

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From a 20th century resurgence that rivaled the Harlem Renaissance, to spectacular displays of Victorian Era architecture, this South Side neighborhood is responsible for tremendous cultural and social advances that are not to be missed.

The heart and soul of Chicago lies in its 77 vibrant neighborhoods, and going beyond the loop (Chicago’s downtown business district) will give you a much needed escape from the hustle and bustle of the skyscraper district. As part of the Beyond the Loop video series, The Second City and Goose Island Beer Company have teamed up with Choose Chicago to explore the local hotspots in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood. Discover why Bronzeville is more than just an artsy pocket on the South Side.

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"How can I possibly be expected to handle school on a day like this?" We've all been there, even if we're not Ferris Bueller. After your mornings stretch, you look outside at the shining sun, soft breeze, and then wonder, "How can anyone expect me to handle work on a day like this?" So take the day off! While you're at it, follow in Ferris Bueller's footsteps too as Choose Chicago takes you through the film locations that made Ferris Bueller's Day Off such a wonderful adventure (but make sure Ed Rooney isn't on your tail).

It’s Ferris Bueller's Day Off! Take a day to explore the city, but don't get caught by the incredulous Principal Rooney! Kick it like a couple of wise-cracking high school kids at The Art Institute of Chicago and peer down from over 100 stories in the air with the Skydeck at Willis Tower. (Cover photo from @thiswashollywood via Instagram)

Ferris Bueller's Day Off

Chicago’s legendary Second City comedy troupe and Goose Island Beer Company have teamed up with Choose Chicago to create the quintessential Old Town experience. Join us as we explore the historic neighborhood and discover its many claims to fame.

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Quintessential Old Town

The Second City and Goose Island Beer Company team up with Choose Chicago to how you why even 120 years after the Columbian Exposition, Hyde Park is still a profound point of historical and social importance in Chicago.

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Craving a getaway, but short on vacation time or extra travel funds? Why not consider embarking on a culinary adventure? Chicago is a great city to experience the world through food! There are over 100 different neighborhoods in the city, each with its own unique flavors and traditions to share. Chicago has always celebrated a diverse array of people, cultures, and cuisines. Therefore, it's not surprising that Chicago consistently ranks high in top foodie destinations in the United States. For those of us that can’t book a plane ticket to satisfy our travel “craving,” taking a culinary adventure is truly the next best thing. Chicago offers a great opportunity to be carried away to a dreamy, distant place–if only through our palates alone.

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Haley Guidry

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Lakeview Chamber of Commerce

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Cover photo courtesy of Jessica Cabe

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Start on Chicago's South Side and travel back in time as you explore visit the homes of some of the most influential LGBTQ+ people in the city's vibrant history. Make your way through Washington Park and Woodlawn moving north towards Rogers Park.

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The Magnificent Mile's Hidden Gems

Chicago is a city built of neighborhoods and cultures and Chinatown is the prime example. Just south of Chicago's Loop, Chinatown is bustling with people, traditional cuisine, and of course culture.

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Chicago's Chinatown

This adventure, based on the Chicago History Museum exhibition, "Remembering Dr. King: 1929–1968," invites you to explore some of the locations Dr. King frequented in Chicago.

A Baptist minister and champion of nonviolent activism, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the most influential figures of the civil rights movement. He spent considerable time in Chicago protesting racial discrimination, particularly in housing and education.
This VAMONDE adventure is based on the Chicago History Museum exhibition, "Remembering Dr. King: 1929-1968," and invites you to explore in person some of the locations King frequented in the city and to consider how Dr. King’s work remains relevant today, 50 years after his assassination.

Martin Luther King Jr. in Chicago

Join Julia Bachrach, former Chicago Park District historian, on a journey through Humboldt Park to learn more about the role the 150-year-old park served as key experimental grounds for Jens Jensen's Prairie style of landscape architecture.

Julia Bachrach

Established 150 years ago, Humboldt Park can be thought of as a living landmark with layers of history that reflect contributions by important landscape designers, architects, and artists. The most noteworthy, Danish immigrant Jens Jensen (1860 – 1951), revered the indigenous scenery of the Midwest and created the Prairie style of landscape architecture. Humboldt Park provided important grounds for his process of experimentation. Jensen went on to design estates for prominent businessmen such as Julius Rosenwald, Harold Florsheim, and Henry Ford. Join Julia Bachrach, former Chicago Park District historian and author of "The City in a Garden: A History of Chicago’s Parks," on a journey to learn more about how Humboldt Park served as Jens Jensen’s Experimental Grounds.

Humboldt Park: Jens Jensen’s Experimental Grounds

The Art Institute of Chicago is no stranger to "best museums” list, but beyond Michigan Avenue there are many amazing galleries displaying works from heavy hitters like Keith Haring and Hebru Brantley. Get inspired by these galleries and their collections

Chicago Scene

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American Writers Museum

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Photojournalist Paul Natkin captures his love for music through the lens of his camera and has worked with the biggest names in music during his 40-year career. Paul speaks with blues experts to help you explore Chicago’s blues scene past and present.

Paul Natkin

Photojournalist Paul Natkin captures his love for music through the lens of his camera and has worked with the biggest names in music during his 40-year career. In this adventure,  Paul goes beyond the Chicago Blues Festival to speak with blues experts to help you explore Chicago’s blues scene past and present.

Beyond the Blues

The Gathering Spaces are a series of artist-designed community areas along the Burnham Wildlife Corridor, a 100-acre ribbon of urban wilderness spanning Lake Shore Drive. Travel along the corridor to discover how the artists linked nature and culture.

Chicago Park District

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Lakefront Gathering Spaces

Broadway in Chicago

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Chicago Historic Theatre District

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Jason Brammer

Portals, Pyramids, & Octopods: The Art of Jason Brammer

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Holiday Jones Hostel

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Wicker Park's Best Kept Secrets

The story of public housing is the story of America. Explore the untold stories of people who created community across racial and economic divides and confronted social injustice.

National Public Housing Museum

​The story of public housing is the story of America. This tour, curated by the National Public Housing Museum, introduces you to the heart of Chicago’s Near West Side with its vibrant communities, diverse cultures, and history of activism and resistance. Explore fascinating sites where public housing residents built community across racial and economic divides, restaurants and bakeries that continue to create delectable food from various cultures and learn about overlooked and invisible stories about where people studied, organized, and confronted social injustice. We recognize this land as being indigenous, and we follow the lead of the first peoples who, despite massive genocidal violence, have never relinquished the struggle for land, water, culture, their people.

This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.

The Near West Side and The Jane Addams Homes: Chicago's Ellis Island

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City of Writers

Choose Chicago® is the official destination marketing organization for Chicago, Illinois. When you’re in Chicago, you’re home. With the countless experiences there are to have here, you're absolutely welcome to do any and all of them.

Best Sandwiches in New Orleans

Dong Phuong

Dong Phuong

The Joint

The Joint

Casamento's

Casamento's

St. James Cheese Company

St. James Cheese Company

Turkey and the Wolf

Turkey and the Wolf

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