Reason No. 1 (well, 2) to hit the restaurant’s bar area? The justly lauded, French-breaded wonder of thick pork and thinly sliced ham, topped with diced cornichons and melted Gruyere. Insider tip: You can’t get it in the dining room until late night, but the sandwich is available for takeout.

Chez Henri, 1 Shepard Street, Cambridge (617-354-8980 or chezhenri.com).

BBQ should be a noon-to-midnight endeavor. So sayeth Tiffani Faison, who piles brisket, pulled pork, and pulled chicken between two slices of griddled Texas toast. Not for the faint of heart or the first date.

Sweet Cheeks, 1381 Boylston Street, Kenmore Square (617-266-1300 or sweetcheeksq.com).

We’re definitely dog people, which is why we keep returning for Trina’s ever-rotating wiener offerings, from the Mediterranean (a hot dog with eggplant slices, tahini, and parsley in pita bread) to the So Co (griddled dog served over dirty gravy and herbed grits cakes).

Trina’s Starlite Lounge, 3 Beacon Street, Inman Square (617-576-0006 or trinastarlitelounge.com).

How to choose? Don’t. Just keep returning for home runs like the hot-sauced Atomic Meatloaf Meltdown and the Beef on Weck (roast beef au jus, extra-hot horseradish, sliced-to-order kimmelweck bun).

All Star Sandwich Bar, 1245 Cambridge Street, Inman Square (617-868-3065 or allstarsandwichbar.com).

Want to convince a New Yorker that our dining scene rocks? Stuff his uppity hole with one of the city’s better lobster dishes, an overflowing revelation of big-chunk meat and melted butter inside a lightly toasted brioche.

Neptune Oyster, 63 Salem Street, North End (617-742-3474 or neptuneoyster.com).

A grilled cheese just isn’t a grilled cheese without the tangy zip of mayo. That’s the secret to these gooey wonders, brushed on the outside with mayonnaise before hitting the grill on a made-to-order basis. Cementing our love: the ability to add bacon to any order.

Roxy’s Gourmet Grilled Cheese Food Truck (@roxysgrilledchz or roxysgrilledcheese.com).

Rising above the common falafel, the $5 wrap is an ambrosial mix of organic hummus, tomato and cucumber salad, thin pickles, a saucy tahini, and fresh-from-the-fryer fritters. There’s a reason the hoi polloi queue up like ants at noon.

Clover Food Lab Truck (@cloverhub or cloverfoodlab.com).

The kindergarten staple gets up-leveled. Creamy natural peanut butter and locally made preserves mix it up with fresh banana or apple on Fornax whole grain slices. Looking to regress a little further? The old-school kid’s version comes on white-as-Wonder bread.

City Feed and Supply, 672 Centre Street, Jamaica Plain (617-524-1700); 66a Boylston Street, Jamaica Plain (617-524-1657 or cityfeedandsupply.com).

Your daily Dunkin’ grease fest has gotten stale. Blunch’s fluffy, fresh-baked breakfast rolls encase herb-scrambled eggs and toppings both meaty (smoked bacon, Black Forest ham) and non- (artichoke hearts, roasted tomato, goat cheese). Add spicy sauce for an extra kick.

Blunch, 59 East Springfield Street, South End (617-247-8100 or eatblunch.com).

Combine your dueling loves of afternoon tea and dim sum into one afternoon of delicate deliciousness. Asana’s Asian-inspired finger sandwiches include lobster topped with foamed yuzu and tuna tartare on a wonton, all proffered on a tea tray.

Asana, Mandarin Oriental, 776 Boylston Street, Back Bay (617-535-8800 or mandarinoriental.com).

Sure, the city’s chichi restaurants overflow with one-off patties, but where else can you go for all gourmet burgers all the time? Ten Tables genius Krista Kranyak strikes again with grass-fed (duh) sirloin adorned with unusual toppings like fried oysters and pickled jalapenos.

Grass Fed, 605 Centre Street, Jamaica Plain (617-553-2278 or grassfedjp.com).