GYRO at SPIRO’S PASADENA PRODUCE & DELI
The gyro from Spiro’s hits all the high notes a sandwich of this kind should — that vaguely identifiable beef/lamb/salt mixture, the sweet bitterness of Greek yogurt and lemon juice and English cucumber in the tzatziki, and the tomato bleeding into it all with a bed of onions on top. 6801 Gulfport Blvd. S. #1, South Pasadena, 727-384-0750, spirospasadena.com. —Cathy Salustri
HOT CORNED BEEF at THE LUCKY DILL
Palm Harbor’s Lucky Dill dishes the tastiest hot corned beef around. The place steams 12 ounces (that’s 3/4 pound) of corned beef, and then stacks it between two slices of soft, chewy rye bread. It’s so large that most people can eat only half in one sitting. Good luck. 33180 U.S. 19, Palm Harbor, 727-789-5574, luckydilldeli.com. —Jennifer Ring
HOT PASTRAMI SANDWICH at TAMPA BAY BREWING COMPANY
Widely considered the best pastrami sandwich in Tampa Bay — by me, at least — TBBC’s version is one helluva delight. The kitchen tosses a considerable amount of shaved pastrami on rye bread with Swiss, caramelized onions, Russian dressing and the signature Moosekiller mustard, making for a delicious mouth-welcomer. The sandwich itself is big enough to be a meal on its own, but that doesn’t stop the brewpub from offering a side. I typically go with onion straws, which aren’t as addicting as fries, so the temptation to eat until you hate yourself is less of an issue. Centro Ybor, 1600 E. Ninth Ave., Tampa, 813-247-1422, tampabaybrewingcompany.com. —Joey Neill
LECHÓN at BODEGA ON CENTRAL
We’ve sung the praises of Bodega’s Cuban before, but for pure sandwich nirvana nothing compares with the deep-down deliciousness of the lechón. Richly flavored roast pork in a moan-worthy garlic mojo, pressed between slices of warm, crusty Cuban bread, it just might make you break your Cuban habit. 1120 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, 727-623-0942, bodegaoncentral.com. —David Warner
MUFFULETTA at SUNDAY’S DELICATESSEN
I’m not exaggerating when I say Sunday’s muffuletta stands up to the one sold to the French Quarter masses at NOLA’s Central Grocery. In fact, this one just might have the edge. Perhaps the best compliment I can give the wallet-friendly sandwich — spotlighting Genoa salami, ham, Swiss, olive dressing, lettuce, tomato and onion on made-in-house focaccia bread — is that, as soon as I finished my first one, I couldn’t wait to return for another. 1930 E. Seventh Ave. #C, Tampa, 813-304-2041, sundaysdelicatessen.com. —Chris Fasick
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