Ike's Place

What started eight years ago out of a doorway has expanded to a dozen outlets around Northern California, as well as LA and Arizona, with a following that might make Taylor Swift jealous. More than 200 different sandwiches are offered on the menu (tip: Look online before you go—the wall menu doesn’t have room for nearly all the options), sporting names like Name of the Girl I’m Dating (hand-shredded chicken, honey mustard, avocado, pepperjack), Matt Cain (shredded turkey, roast beef, salami, Godfather Sauce, and provolone) and Favorite Sesame Street Character (cucumbers, lettuce, tomato, avocado, pesto, cream cheese). All sandwiches come with Ike’s garlicky Dirty Sauce, which is spread over house-baked rolls. The line is invariably long, but the wait is worth it.