From the Camel Rider to Salmon BLT, 10 great sandwiches to try in Jacksonville
Where would we be without sandwiches? Darned hungry around lunchtime, that's where.
But, exactly what qualifies as a sandwich? Does it have to have two pieces of bread? (No, that would exclude subs and pitas.) Does it have to have bread at all? (Probably, but biscuits or waffles might qualify.) How about hot dogs or tacos? (No, those are hot dogs and tacos, not sandwiches.)
By any definition, there are some really good sandwiches to be found around Jacksonville. We sample sampled tons of them, and here are 10 of our favorites.
The Camel Rider
Found at various restaurants around Jacksonville
Mick Jagger gets it. During a 2019 Rolling Stones concert in the stadium where the Jaguars play, he joked onstage about washing down a couple of camel riders with a cherry lime-ade. How Jacksonville can you get? The camel rider, a pita sack stuffed with sliced deli meat (usually ham, salami and bologna) with a little lettuce, tomato and cheese and a touch of dressing, is a great one-handed sandwich, at least at the start. There are vegetarian versions, but if you stray too far from the simple ingredients, it’s not a camel rider anymore. You can find riders on the menu at dozens of lunch places around town, including The Sheik (where the sandwich probably got its name), the Goal Post, Southern Grill and Noura’s. Pinegrove Deli has a “camel ryder” on its menu, and the Desert Rider downtown offers a “desert rider.”
The California Melt
Happy Grilled Cheese, 219 N. Hogan St. and 9965 San Jose Blvd., thehappygrilledchees.wixsite.com
A grilled cheese sandwich is about as simple as it gets, right? Bread and cheese and that’s about it. Not at Happy Grilled Cheese, where there are dozens of “melts” on the menu. The California Melt is a popular favorite, with three kinds of melted cheese, turkey, bacon, tomato and avocado.
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The Cuban
Havana Jax Café, 2578 Atlantic Blvd., havanajax.com
“So good, so good,” the waiter, dressed in a shirt and tie, says as you order the Cuban sandwich at Havana Jax. He’s not wrong. No salami in this sandwich, but piles of ham and roasted pork, topped with Swiss cheese, mustard and pickles, just the way a (Miami-style) Cuban sandwich is supposed to be, with just the right blend of sweet and savory on pressed Cuban bread. You can order a whole Cuban, a half Cuban and soup, or a Midnight, which has the same ingredients but is served on sweet egg bread.
The Squawking Goat
Maple Street Biscuit Company, locations in San Marco, Murray Hill, Point Meadows, Julington Creek, Jacksonville Beach and Fleming Island, maplestreetbiscuits.com
Does fried chicken, a goat-cheese medallion and pepper jelly between two biscuit halves qualify as a sandwich? The Food Network thinks so, singling out these “buttery, maple-laced beauties” in an episode of “Coast to Coast Indulgences.”
The Monster Burger
Blue Boy Sandwich Shop, 6514 Norwood Ave., blueboysandwiches.com
If a biscuit can be a sandwich, why not a burger? The Monster Burger is not for the timid — it's listed on the menu as a “very big sandwich that can feed a family of 4.” It’s two pounds of Angus beef, mayo, pickles, lettuce, tomato and onions.
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The Reuben Classic
European Street Café in Riverside, San Marco and Jacksonville Beach, europeanstreet.com
E Street has all sorts of sandwiches on its menu, including a healthy selection of vegetarian options. They know how to do the classics properly, like the Reuben with corned beef piled high and topped with Swiss cheese, sauerkraut and Thousand Island dressing. You can also order variations with pastrami, turkey, tempeh or vegetarian sausage.
The Jack Del Rio
Angie’s Subs, Jacksonville Beach, facebook.com/angiessubs
There are a lot of good sub shops in the Jacksonville area (Firehouse Subs got its start here, after all). But Beaches folks are adamant that Angie’s Subs is the best. The Jack Del Rio, named for the former Jaguars coach, has turkey, roast beef, bacon, mushrooms, honey barbecue Fritos, provolone and spicy ranch sauce.
The French Dip
The French Pantry, thefrenchpantryfl.com
The French Pantry, off Powers Avenue near Wolfson High School, is a little hard to find, but it's worth the search. Their French dip is a traditional roast beef and provolone on a hoagie bun, with a side of au jus for dipping.
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Salmon BLT
Mossfire Grill, mossfire.com
Sure, it’s got bacon, lettuce and tomato. But add grilled salmon and sun-dried tomato pesto and stack it between two slices of Texas toast, and you’ve got something special.
The Fried Shrimp Po'Boy
Singleton's Seafood Shack, Atlantic Beach
If you want a great shrimp sandwich, it makes sense to go where the shrimp are, Singleton's is right near the Mayport docks, so the shrimp is fresh every day.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Best sandwiches in Jacksonville: Camel Rider, Cuban, Fried Shrimp
