After reading this NYT (gift link) piece
I found myself mildly pondering what a list for the southland might look like. Some 10 or 15 years ago, just thinking about Pasadena, I’d suggest Europane’s Egg Salad, The Sandwich at Roma Deli, and maybe the cheesesteak at Fredo’s on Lake.
But now?
Easiest is langers pastrami
It has its fans and its detractors, but The Godmother at Bay Cities Deli…
Also, the tuna at Bub & Grandma’s…
This is a good thread to just state that ciabata is the worst sandwich bread. I don’t know why there’s so much of it in California.
The French Dip at Philippe (or, depending on which camp you are in, Cole’s).
Banh mi from Ba Le.
Langers pastrami is #1 in LA. LA is not really a sandwich town/sandwich culture imo.
I have a strong dislike when places completely biscet the roll. Please stop doing that. It’s a sin in my book. I see ALOT of places doing this.
Is a fish taco a sandwich?
That’s the philosophic question of the century! Requires a separate post to really do the question justice. 
For me:
#19 at Langers (like it or not, it’s an LA icon… I love it)
Rocky Balboa at Cortina’s in OC (not sure it’s definitive, but it’s delicious)
Black Pastrami Reuben at Brent’s
Raised on the westside, this will always be my answer.
Loved the godmother used to eat it once a week when I was working more in west side
Eater’s list of 19 best sandwiches for comparison
The NYC list had a lot of duplicates like 4 BEC variants, 7 different Italian heroes, a bunch of bagel lox type things, etc…
My list would be
pastrami on rye at Langer’s
Bay Cities Godmother
French Dip at Phillipe’s
bahn mi from somewhere
wrap from Borjstar
spicy chicken sandwich extra pickles from Chik Fil A
Howlin Rays sando
Why chil fil a? Not even a local chain.
I know. I really like the Chik Fil A sandwich.
NY Times listed Shake Shack.
Yeah, but Shake Shack is indeed local to NY which is likely why. I would swap the CFA for something like a Double Double Proteins Style. LOL!
I’m not sure if these sandwiches “define” LA, but I think these sandwiches are very good and representative of the LA dining scene:
One thing that’s odd is that the “California Sandwich” is, to me, definitive of a certain kind of LA / Southern California cuisine. But I can’t think of anywhere in LA that has an “iconic” California Sandwich.
Dang can’t believe I’ve slept on this place
For OC banh mi I might vote for THH or Pickle Banh Mi Co, with a preference for the first. Could be its own thread, really.
Other OC sandwiches:
Very local to just HB: Jan’s
Broader OC, but mostly from downtown HB all the way to CDM: The Ahi Steak Sandwich from TK.
I could not agree more.