’s Porque Maria, Costa Mesa and Long Beach, CA
Customers have been begging chef Stephanie Morgan to add this sandwich to the lunch and dinner menu for years. Luckily, this vegan rendition of a Monte Cristo is now a permanent item on Seabirds’ rotating brunch menu. Thin slices of hot, home-smoked tofu are slathered with cashew gruyere cheese. The heat from the tofu gently wilts the peppery arugula as these ingredients are pressed between two toasted slices of sourdough bread, dusted with powdered sugar, and served with homemade strawberry jam.
2.
The Mayhem, Portland, OR and retail locations nationwide
The Mayhem makes the list for its accessibility. One wouldn’t think sandwiches travel well, but this vegan food cart devised a way to send its sandwiches to the people. This scorching hot handheld is filled with plant-based ham and bacon, Follow Your Heart American cheese, garlic, onions, jalapeños, mushrooms, blue cheese, and chipotle sauce. Pro tip: it’s best served warm, so pop it in a panini press once you get it home.