In the East Village, Zanzibar Café serves a few important purposes. It's an early morning fuel station for espresso-based drinks on the sidewalk patio, a midday lunch spot, and the bakery case has assuaged many late afternoon/early evening sugar cravings. There are over a dozen options for sandwiches, ranging from curried chicken salad to Mediterranean vegetable, but I struck gold with the turkey and avocado croissant ($9.95). More

Cali Baguette Express is more sub shop than typical bahn mi joint, offering 16 banh mi options—everything from Cajun shrimp to turkey pesto, rotisserie chicken, and even tuna. The usual suspects, like pork loaf with pate, are also available, but I always go for the BBQ pork banh mi ($3). And yes, just $3. More

If your favorite element of a sandwich is the cheese, it makes sense to get one from a place whose primary focus is cheese. In San Diego, that's Venissimo, a cheese boutique where you can get a fresh-pressed "Veninni", with Bread and Cie bread and any cheese in the display case for $6. For an extra buck, you can add some charcuterie like sopressata salami or prosciutto. A piece of fruit (apple, pear, or grapes), comes complimentary. More

Traveling all over this great nation of ours to taquerias, taco trucks, carnicerias, and anywhere else serving up a serious taco, we narrowed down the national list to 64 contenders divided by region: West, South, Midwest, and East. After much discussion, quite a few intense roadtrips, and a little indigestion, we arrived at our favorites. Up first: the West coast division, from the deep-fried fish tacos of the Southern California coast to the taco trucks in the Bay Area, and all the way up to Washington state. More

In San Diego, burritos are still the most popular Mexican import but tortas are gaining a foothold. The new torta shop downtown, Bolillo Tortas, offers 17 different varieties ranging from ham and cheese to ahogada (a carnitas torta drenched in chile de arbol sauce). More

Short rib's fatty flavor profile makes it especially tasty with cheese. Saltbox's short rib grilled cheese sandwich ($11) is a solid argument in favor of the union of these two ingredients. The griddled sandwich on thinly sliced whole-grain bread is stuffed with creamy manchego cheese and juicy short rib finished in a New Orleans-style sauce piquant made with olive oil, tomatoes, and peppers. More

Temecula is primarily known as a destination for wine tasting but it's also home to an excellent farmers' market that matches, if not rivals, the best markets in San Diego (which, trust me, is saying something). Besides ready-to-eat food like crepes, gyros, and sambussas, there's also an extensive selection of fresh fruit and produce, most of it at very reasonable prices. Some stellar deals include the stone fruit for for $2 a pound, mini baskets of summer squash for $2, and three pints of fresh-picked strawberries for $4. More

Seb's Panini, a sandwich vendor that sets up shop at the Little Italy Mercato on Saturdays, and the Hillcrest Farmers' Market on Sundays, offers several takes on the classic Italian sandwich. More

Con Pane's "Almost Grilled Cheese" ($4.35 for a half; $6.75 for the whole) relies on three basic ingredients: triple cream French brie, crumbled gorgonzola, and rosemary olive oil bread. Instead of being pan-fried in butter as with many grilled cheese sandwiches, it's oven-roasted, which warms the cheeses and delicately toasts the bread. Fresh roma tomatoes are an optional extra, but let's be honest—they're a must because they take the edge off the cheese and add a much needed note of sweetness. More

Urban Solace's gooey grilled four cheese sandwich is stuffed with mozzarella, white cheddar, fontina, and cambozola, and is served with creamy tomato soup and fries. More