Pete’s Roast Beef – The 2024 Beef Champion
When it comes to Boston’s finest roast beef sandwiches, Pete’s Roast Beef stands as the clear winner, earning the title of “2024 beef champion” according to customer reviews. The secret to their success lies in their perfectly executed fundamentals. Customers rave about the “great roast beef, super rare, awesome tangy bbq sauce, perfect crispy bun” that makes every bite exceptional.
The quality here doesn’t stop at the sandwich itself. Reviewers highlight that the “onion rings sliced thin so super crunchy and a perfect amount of batter to onion ring” while praising the “great service” and noting that “food came out quickly”. Despite being a smaller establishment with limited seating, Pete’s has mastered the takeout game that defines modern roast beef culture.
Kelly’s Roast Beef – The Original North Shore Legend
Kelly’s Roast Beef opened in 1951 and still operates the same walk-up-window location on the beach in Revere, along with a few others in the area. This legendary spot has earned its reputation through decades of consistent quality and innovation in the roast beef sandwich game. Their famous “Surf and Turf” combines two Kelly’s specialties: a lobster roll and a roast beef sandwich, with the thinly sliced roast beef piled on a seeded roll that’s grilled and crusty, making it perfect to sop up any condiments.
What sets Kelly’s apart is their role in establishing the North Shore roast beef culture. The “North Shore style beef sandwich features roast beef that is cooked nicely rare” with the “3-Way” presentation being the default – rare beef with mayonnaise, American cheese, and barbecue sauce. However, Kelly’s uses a sesame seed bun rather than the larger Kaiser roll that some consider the gold standard.
Al’s Italian Beef – Chicago’s Sandwich Pioneer
Al’s claims to have invented the Italian beef sandwich in 1938 at a little stand in the Little Italy neighborhood as a way to stretch expensive meat into a filling meal, and the recipe hasn’t changed at all since then. This Chicago institution proves that sometimes the original really is the best. Their giardiniera has more red peppers in it than most, making the color distinct from other spots.
Customer feedback consistently places Al’s at the top of Chicago’s competitive Italian beef scene. When visiting Boston, their “State Street” sandwich is described as a “huge hit” with “super thin slices of rare roast beef stacked high on a soft roll” with “a touch of mayo and a slice of sharp cheddar that just nails it” – it’s “straightforward, but every bite is spot on”.
Philippe The Original – Los Angeles French Dip Masters
There are two L.A. eateries that claim to have invented the French dip sandwich: Cole’s and Philippe, but at least one food critic has chosen Philippe as the better version – it’s a simple thing with roasted beef on French bread, dipped, double-dipped, or “wet,” depending on how much delicious beef au jus you’d like soaking the roll. This legendary establishment has turned simplicity into an art form.
What makes Philippe special isn’t complexity but rather their mastery of execution. The hot mustard is considered “more of a requirement to cut through all that rich au jus” while “neon pink pickled eggs and potato salad are classic sides”. The experience here transports diners back to old-school Los Angeles dining culture.
Nick’s Famous Roast Beef – North Shore Consistency
Nick’s on Essex Street in Beverly remains one of the best old-school roast beef shops, known for making a roast beef sandwich that consistently ranks among the top on the North Shore – anybody passing through the area should be sure to check this place out. This establishment has built its reputation on unwavering quality and traditional preparation methods.
Most North Shore roast beef shops are someone’s name, either followed by the word “famous” (Nick’s), or sometimes roast beef isn’t the only food in their name – they may also sell seafood, pizza, subs, or a combination of the three. Nick’s represents the traditional approach that customers trust and return to year after year.
Parkway Bakery & Tavern – New Orleans Po’boy Perfection
When people think of po’boy sandwiches, they usually think of fried oysters or shrimp, but roast beef po’boys are just as common and delicious – Parkway has been serving po’boys in NOLA since the 1920s, and it’s got one of the best hot roast beef versions in town with beef cooked so long that it’s shredded and soaked in gravy, making it incredibly tender and packed with flavor.
Customer reviews consistently praise Parkway’s approach to the roast beef po’boy. Visitors describe it as having the “best sandwich in New Orleans” and note “this was the best roast beef sandwich we both had ever had”. The slow-cooking method creates a texture and flavor profile that’s distinctly different from other regional roast beef styles.
Defonte’s – Brooklyn’s Italian-American Heritage
New York City has some of the best Italian sub shops in the country, and Defonte’s was started by an Italian immigrant almost a century ago, making it about as old-school as you can get – their hot roast beef sandwich is stuffed full of shaved rare roast beef, fresh melty mozzarella cheese slices, and the shop’s specialty: fried eggplant slices, creating a unique combination worth seeking out.
What sets Defonte’s apart is their willingness to blend traditional Italian-American techniques with roast beef preparation. The addition of fried eggplant might sound unusual, but customers consistently describe it as a game-changing element that elevates the entire sandwich experience.
Schwabl’s – Buffalo’s Historic Beef on Weck
Buffalo, New York, is famous for its chicken wings, but Schwabl’s thought Buffalo could stand to be the home of yet another gastronomic giant, bringing us the beef on weck sandwich made with medium-rare beef that is crispy on the edges and paired with a caraway seed bun, potato salad, pickled beets, coleslaw, and horseradish.
This isn’t a new invention – the restaurant has been operating continuously since 1837, during which time it has pretty much always served this amazing beef sandwich along with some typical German fare, opening for lunch and staying open until late with indoor seating available (no reservations necessary), though it’s another sandwich joint where grab-and-go is preferable.
Bill & Bob’s – The BBQ Sauce Innovators
While they don’t claim the invention status of the entire sandwich like Kelly’s does, Bill & Bob’s is a beef OG for another reason: this store is the reason most roast beef sandwiches are served with a generous serving of James River BBQ sauce, and some relatives and former employees have also gone on to open their own roast beef shops, cementing the influence Bill & Bob’s has had on Greek-owned roast beef sandwich restaurants.
Bill and Bob’s was the first roast beef shop to slather sandwiches with sweet and tangy James River BBQ Sauce – today used on almost every roast beef sandwich in the North Shore, creating the iconic “three-way” recipe: roasted beef on a toasted bun with mayo, cheese, and the signature barbecue sauce.
Jersey Mike’s – Chain Excellence in Roast Beef
Recent taste tests have sampled roast beef sandwiches from five popular chains, ranging from all-around deli authorities like Jersey Mike’s and Potbelly to the roast beef specialists at Arby’s. Among chain restaurants, Jersey Mike’s consistently receives high marks from customers for their approach to roast beef sandwiches.
Customer reviews frequently compare other options to Jersey Mike’s, with one reviewer noting “My preference is Jersey Mike’s but these are great for the price” while praising a competitor’s “roast beef sub has great flavor” and expressing loyalty by saying “My next fave choice is the supreme super sub, then the Italian”. This indicates Jersey Mike’s has set the standard that other establishments aim to match.
Londi’s – North Shore Family Tradition
The store’s namesake, Ted Londi, opened a new restaurant in Peabody after reader surveys ran, but nine fans of the Londi’s name showed up to give the North Andover shop recognition, specifically loving the buttered rolls and the three-way sandwich with customers stating “Hands down the best North Shore-style roast beef” where “the roast beef melts in your mouth, and somehow their buttered and grilled roll never falls apart”.
Londi’s in Peabody combines generous portions with fantastic-tasting food, and as one of the early roast beef shops, it has been selling beef for several decades and it shows – their roast beef sandwich remains in many people’s hearts as their favorite in the area.
The Modern Butcher – Contemporary Excellence
Even under the most optimal conditions, neither Kelly’s nor Hot Box sandwiches would live up to the best North Shore style roast beef sandwich from The Modern Butcher’s 3-way. This newer establishment has managed to perfect the traditional North Shore approach while bringing modern techniques to the preparation.
The Modern Butcher represents the evolution of roast beef sandwich culture, where traditional recipes meet contemporary execution standards. Many roast beef shops have begun to innovate with new methods such as sous vide, which seals the beef in plastic then immerses it in warm water to cook over hours, allowing the beef to be the perfect temperature on the inside so it can quickly be warmed before serving.
Katz’s Delicatessen – New York Deli Excellence
At Katz’s, it’s not just about the pastrami – their roast beef sandwich is ridiculously tasty, and grabbing one with mustard on rye will show you why this spot is a New York legend with that classic deli vibe in every bite, as Katz’s has been perfecting their sandwiches since 1888, making each bite a piece of history.
This legendary establishment brings over a century of expertise to their roast beef preparation. The historical significance combined with unwavering quality standards has created a sandwich that represents the pinnacle of New York deli culture.
