What would lunch breaks look like without a Reuben towering with corned beef and melted cheese, or a crispy, crowd-pleasing tuna melt? And can you imagine a world without that hotel classic, the club sandwich? Each American state has played a part in creating some of the best (and biggest) sandwiches in history, and here we count down to reveal the greatest of all.

Click or scroll through our gallery to discover the legendary sandwiches invented in every US state.

We've based our ranking on the enduring popularity of each menu item in its place of origin and beyond, and on the opinions of our well-travelled (and well-fed) team. The list is unavoidably subjective.

The very best sandwiches invented in every US state, ranked