[Photograph: Kathy YL Chan] You come to Valley Shepherd Creamery for the excellent cheese and a sandwich. There's only one sandwich on the menu, fairly priced at $5.50 for a clean cut affair. The bread is made by Grandaisy... More

This wasn't the best Pepe Rosso sandwich I've had (my favorite is the grilled chicken, roasted pepper, and pesto), but the grilled zucchini was an unexpected swap-out for a combination that usually includes pear or apple. More

It's a classic croque monsieur ($9.50) you'll find at Le Gamin, an irresistibly charming French café in Prospect Heights. Thick-sliced white country bread and a thick layer of ham, melted Swiss and a ladle of pleasantly light, nutmeg-laced béchamel. More

Now that a Pret location has opened a mere 3 blocks from SE HQ (thanks for accommodating me, Pret!), I've had what they're now calling "Pret's Famous Ham & Cheese" a handful of times and it's just about as good as I remember. More

Extra-thin slices of bread, crustless, are heavily buttered. In go layers of ham and cheese (jamon y queso, in this joint). A drizzle of truffle oil and then a trip through the panini press. Eat while hot—while the cheese is still all gooey and the butter, the sheer abundance of butter melted into every pore of the panino, seems absolutely necessary. More