It's Beach Sandwich season
20+ expert-approved L.A. sandos to seek out (beyond Bay Cities).
June Gloom is almost in the rearview, which is excellent news for the beachhounds among us. I take my beach-going seriously—I am a beach-all-day person, ideally on the road by 9 a.m. to stake my claim and enjoy a few hours of relative quietude before the hordes descend. I’m partial to secluded beaches with a dash of epic nature, like La Piedra in Malibu (my always and forever go-to), RAT (Right After Torrance) in the South Bay, or Crystal Cove State Park in Newport.
All serious beach people know the importance of a proper Beach Sandwich. Structural integrity is key: ingredients must be carefully layered to avoid soggage, wet fillings like raw tomatoes or pickles should be applied judiciously, and crusty breads (i.e., ciabatta, baguette, focaccia) make for the sturdiest base. Obviously, Beach Sandwiches should be able to withstand a few hours between procurement and consumption, which is where a small insulated cooler/lunchbox comes in handy. That said, even with a cooler, certain fillings give me the ick: tuna or other mayo-heavy salads, for example (although plenty of you seem to disagree), or anything with an abundance of soft cheese (mozzarella, burrata, etc.).
I have my go-tos (more on them in a minute), but as beach season kicks into high gear, I sought inspiration. So I polled friends and notable L.A. food folks for their Beach Sandwich and corresponding beach of choice. For the purposes of this survey, I expanded the definition of Beach Sandwiches to include other handheld, carb-wrapped eats, such as burritos, wraps, and—sure!—onigiri. While I have always considered acquiring the Beach Sandwich part of the beachgoing experience, ideally performed near the beach itself, plenty of respondents are happy transporting their sandwiches across town.
I’m publishing the highlights of this extremely unscientific survey below, and the full results in a painstakingly compiled Beach Sando Map that you should bookmark for future trips (link below), but I’d also love to hear from you—what other Beach Sandwiches are worth seeking out? Take it to the comments!
