Los Angeles-based Take a Bao offers modern Chinese baos. The steamed buns are rolled flat and filled with ingredients such as free-range tamarind barbecue chicken, sweet soy organic tofu, or hoisin pork, and topped with produce from local farms. Vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free options are available. Starting from $45 for 10, the delivery minimum at the Studio City location is $150.
Photo: Meiko Takechi Arquillos
Add a Southern vibe to a lunch meeting with Chicken Fried Soul sandwiches, featuring jalapeño coleslaw and a bacon-wrapped and buttermilk-battered chicken breast stuffed between two maple-flavored waffles, from Soul Groove in San Francisco. Being the Bay Area, vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free versions of the signature sandwich, $7.50 each, are also available.
Photo: Jason Fordley
Philadelphia’s Plenty—which opened a second location in Rittenhouse Square last spring—specializes in globally influenced sandwiches concocted with house-made and hyper-local ingredients. The menu includes paninis and sandwiches inspired by places like Texas, Norway, Argentina, Spain, and Korea. A large sandwich platter costs $120, serves 10 to 14 people, and comes with pasta or potato salad.
Photo: Stefan Suchanec
Chicago caterer Entertaining Company can deliver its stacked sandwiches wrapped in paper branded with a company’s logo. The caterer’s Italian Deli Rama sandwich (pictured) is made with mortadella, Genoa salami, Buffalo mozzarella, basil pesto, roasted red peppers, artichokes, and handmade foccacia.
Photo: Mark Ballogg for BizBash
Chicago’s Duran European Sandwiches—the first American outpost of a Vienna-based chain—offers more than 30 styles of bite-size, open-face sandwiches, which start from $2.50 each. Catered orders require a minimum of 15 sandwiches, plus a $2.50 delivery charge.
Photo: Courtesy of Duran European Sandwiches
The Bombay Sandwich Company in New York can bring its healthy Indian sandwiches to meetings for a $300 minimum. Fragrant spices and vegan ingredients—such as quinoa, roasted eggplant, and sweet potato—are stuffed between two slices of bread spread with fruit chutney. The sandwiches are then toasted, sealed in a cast-iron press, and topped with carrot, cilantro, and crunchy chickpea flakes. The company’s made-to-order stations are popular for events; gluten-free platters of sandwich stuffings sans bread are available. Meals cost around $12 per person.
Photo: Shikha Jain
