Most Iconic Sandwich in Every State

South Dakota is famous for two things: Mount Rushmore and pheasants. During World War II, soldiers passing through the state were handed free pheasant salad sandwiches at a canteen in Aberdeen. The salad was a mixture of pheasant, carrots, onions, celery, relish, hardboiled eggs, and mayonnaise.

Debuted at Prince’s Hot Chicken in Nashville, the hot chicken sandwich is a hot-and-spicy delight. The chicken is breaded and fried, but what makes it special is the sweet and hot sauce that coats the meat. Today, Nashville holds city-wide competitions for the best hot chicken sandwich.

Jewish immigrants to Texas began selling smoked brisket at delis in the early 1900s. From there, BBQ brisket has become a Lone Star State tradition. Toppings may vary, but the real star of the sandwich is the slow-smoked slab of beef either sliced or chopped and put on a roll and lathered in hot sauce.

Call the pastrami burger the ultimate fusion food – thin strips of pastrami cover a cheeseburger on a sesame seed bun. Toppings include sliced tomatoes, lettuce, onions, and Thousand Island-like dressing. Although the pastrami burger has origins in California, Utahans have taken it as their own.

In the 1990s, Jason Maroney, a cook and waiter at Sweetwater’s in Burlington, reportedly created the Vermonter. Although the sandwich has many variations, its original form is made with roast turkey, cheddar, and apples on cranberry bread.