Lardo

"It’s hard to imagine a sandwich shop in Portland more well-known and celebrated than Lardo. What started as a food truck ended up with three locations in greater Portland and Las Vegas, and today it still brings in the long lines for its meaty, over-the-top sandwiches. Its flagship is the Korean pork shoulder, topped with kimchi, cilantro, and a generous portion of chile mayo on fluffy ciabatta. It’s audacious, especially if paired with some pork-and-pepper-covered dirty fries, and sums up what Lardo is all about. However, for those looking for something new, each month the restaurant partners with a different chef for its “Chefwich,” which raises money for a cause of the guest chef’s choosing. You can usually spot the latest Chefwich on Instagram." - Alex Frane, Janey Wong

"It’s hard to imagine a sandwich shop in Portland more well-known and celebrated than Lardo. What started as a food truck ended up with three locations in greater Portland and Las Vegas, and today it still brings in the long lines for its meaty, over-the-top sandwiches. Its flagship is the Korean pork shoulder, topped with kimchi, cilantro, and a generous portion of chile mayo on fluffy ciabatta. It’s audacious, especially if paired with some pork-and-pepper-covered dirty fries, and sums up what Lardo is all about. However, for those looking for something new, each month the restaurant partners with a different chef for its “Chefwich,” which raises money for a cause of the guest chef’s choosing. You can usually spot the latest Chefwich on Instagram." - Alex Frane, Janey Wong

"For the better part of ten years, Rick Gencarelli’s Lardo has been churning out massive sandwiches — first out of a food cart, and now at two counter service locations on each side of the river. Once known for serving cold leftovers-style fried chicken, this Nashville Hot chicken sandwich is taken a step closer to Hattie B’s, both spots serving out of the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas. Topped with savory bacon, tangy pickles, Duke’s mayonnaise, and drizzled with hot honey, this spicy, crispy crust goes well with a plate of dirty fries." - Nick Woo

"Portland’s pre-eminent sandwich constructor offers more than a dozen multi-napkin sandwiches at their two locations, (in the inner SE Hawthorne area and the Portland West location downtown). Find a tap list of at least a dozen beers, featuring mostly Northwest beers; about half are IPAs but also some light and dark styles, to balance those hearty sandwiches. The Portland East location offers a big covered patio and more draft taps, but the Portland West location also connects to sister pasta restaurant Grassa and brother craft beer bar Beer O’Clock, which boasts another 30 taps." - Pechluck Laskey

"Lardo is a downtown spot that serves excellent sandwiches and has a constantly rotating selection of regional and local beers. Their pork meatball banh mi is the most popular thing on the menu, but we’re also big fans of the griddled mortadella and the Pho’rench Dip, along with their Dirty Fries. If you have any room left and need something sweet afterward, grab a donut at Blue Star down the street. photo credit: Alan Weiner" - Penelope Bass