Call me provincial, but I'm convinced that specialty sandwiches of a certain region or city are infinitely more delicious when eaten in the region or city that made them famous. Eating a Philly cheesesteak within blocks of the Liberty Bell or devouring Chicago's famous Italian beef while looking out on Lake Michigan? Pure magic. But eating those same sandwiches in Austin, LA or Phoenix? I'm sorry, but for me, something gets lost in migration.

Even if you're not from Chicago, you've probably had the Windy City's famous Italian beef, a hearty hero-style sandwich composed of thinly sliced roast beef, simmered for hours in jus and piled on a French or sub roll. It's sometimes topped with sauteed sweet peppers, sometimes dipped in jus — bread and all — but always smothered with giardiniera.