5 Unique Po' Boys In New Orleans

In New Orleans, a city famous for its culinary flair, where rich sauces and complex spices elevate the food to levels far beyond ordinary, the sandwiches are predictably an upgrade as well. The po' boy, Louisiana's version of the sub or hoagie and also the state's most iconic sandwich, is an overstuffed sammy on French bread (the best-known loaves coming from Leidenheimer's bakery in New Orleans) typically dressed with pickles, tomato slices, mayonnaise, and shredded lettuce. I've been chowing down on po' boys since childhood, and while I'm drawn to the classics — fried shrimp, roast beef with gravy (an easy one to make at home), hot sausage, and fried oysters being some of the go-tos — New Orleans restaurants, unsurprisingly, offer more unusual variations that are not to be missed.

We're not talking about po' boys filled with French fries and gravy, soft shell crab, or surf-and-turf (fried shrimp and roast beef) — all of which can be found across the city — no, these selections are even more unique. We're talking about delicious mashups like the Cochon de Lait Cubano from Mahoney's, which combines traditional Cajun slow-roasted suckling pig and the classic Cuban sandwich, or Killer Poboys' jerk chicken number that melds Jamaican and New Orleans flavors in one spicy package. And these are just a few of the handheld beauties that show off the Crescent City's deep sandwich bona fides.

Nope, there's no tangy barbecue sauce in this mouthwatering po' boy variation. In New Orleans, BBQ shrimp is a dish made with fresh shrimp sautéed in lots of butter, garlic, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and spices (and often Crystal hot sauce). At Liuzza's by the Track, a stone's throw away from the New Orleans Fair Grounds and just off Esplanade Avenue, the kitchen takes this dish and turns it into an extraordinary sandwich.

While BBQ shrimp is typically served with head-on shrimp as an appetizer or even an entree, for the po' boy version, Liuzza's removes the heads, cores out a pistolette (a type of French bread roll), and pours all that buttery goodness inside. It's delicious, if a bit messy. I used to live right down the street and have eaten my weight in these po' boys (along with Liuzza's gumbo, some of the best in the city). It's a unique take on a New Orleans classic that may have you licking the plate after you've savored your last bite.

At Mahony's Po-Boys, you'll find an imaginative take on Louisiana favorites, like muffuletta egg rolls and mushroom boudin balls, alongside classic po' boys and interesting variations, like its cochon de lait Cubano po' boy. For the uninitiated, cochon de lait is a Cajun specialty of roasted whole suckling pig (and the name of the traditional celebratory event where the dish is served).

At Mahony's, chef Josh Williams uses this succulent shredded meat in combination with the typical ingredients of a Cubano sandwich (ham, Swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard) and layers it on classic Ledenheimer's po' boy bread. As if that wasn't enough, he adds roasted pineapple into the mix for a hint of smoky sweetness. It's a po' boy that bridges cultures and flavors for a uniquely mouthwatering twist. If you go, be sure to try the hand-battered onion rings that you can also get loaded with beef debris gravy and cheese for a truly decadent meal.

A short streetcar trip outside of the French Quarter, Parkway Bakery & Tavern in Mid-City is an institution that's been around for more than 100 years. It first opened in 1911 and has been a mainstay in New Orleans ever since, serving a wide variety of po' boys. It began serving po' boys back in 1929, the same year Bennie and Clovis Martin, who owned the Martin Brothers' French Market Restaurant, dreamt up the sandwich as a way to support striking streetcar workers, giving these "poor boys" free sandwiches in solidarity.

With all that history behind it, that doesn't mean Parkway isn't too set in its ways. For example, the restaurant serves a pretty unique po' boy named after the Godfather of Soul called the James Brown. This overstuffed sandwich includes slow-cooked barbecue beef, fried shrimp, pepper jack cheese, and a hot sauce-infused mayo. It's a spicy, tangy take on the classic surf-and-turf combination of roast beef and fried shrimp. Parkway may be steeped in history, but that doesn't stop it from getting a bit wild on occasion.

After launching in the back of the French Quarter neighborhood bar Erin Rose, Cam Boudreaux and his wife, April Bellow, expanded into a second location of their buzzy sandwich shop, Killer Poboys, on Dauphine Street, also in the historic neighborhood. Unlike some shops, all of Killer Poboys' sandwiches veer away from tradition, with offerings like a grilled gulf shrimp poboy garnished with Vietnamese pickled veggies and fresh herbs (rather than fried shrimp and traditional toppings like shredded lettuce and tomato slices). Similarly, Killer Poboys plays with the traditional roast beef po' boy by braising Louisiana Wagyu beef in black beer and topping it with pickled green beans and banana peppers.

One of its most unique po' boys may be the jerk chicken version with fried plantains, Jamaican slaw, and jerk sauce. It starts with confit chicken thighs, meaning the meat has been slow-cooked in fat for super tender, juicy chicken. Then there's the fiery, sweet-smoky-tangy jerk sauce that brings it all together for a Caribbean take on a New Orleans sandwich. It's just one of many deliciously uncommon po' boys there.   

The Vietnamese influence on New Orleans' food culture is significant, and that extends to the city's sandwich scene. Beginning around 1975, there was a large influx of Vietnamese refugees following the fall of Saigon, and many of these immigrants settled in the greater New Orleans area, especially in New Orleans East and across the Mississippi River on the West Bank. They brought the flavors of their homeland with them, including the báhn mì sandwich, which has many similarities to a po' boy. The Crescent City soon adopted the sandwiches, with locals calling them "Vietnamese po' boys." Banh Mi Boys offers a wide range of báhn mì sandwiches, including the Korean fried chicken-style tofu bánh mì.

It's a pan-Asian take on the sandwich that's vegetarian-friendly and packed with flavor. Prepared like Korean fried chicken, the bean curd develops a super thin and crispy crust, and is tossed in Korean Dakgangjeong sauce, which is sweet and spicy. It's served on Vietnamese-style French bread and loaded with typical bánh mì toppings such as fresh herbs, pickled vegetables, and jalapeños. It's another exceptional New Orleans sandwich that, like the others on this list, takes the po' boy to another level.