French Dip Sandwich Near You

What is a French Dip Sandwich Made of?

A french dip sandwich, also known as a beef dip, is a hot sandwich consisting of thinly-sliced roast beef on a french roll, usually a baguette. French dip sandwiches are extremely popular all around the US and can often be ordered at restaurants that serve all-American dishes.

If you’re interested in learning more about this delicious sandwich, we recommend you stick around! If you’re here only so you can order your very own sandwich, skip to the bottom of this page!

Who Created the French Dip Sandwich?

Aside from the bread, there really isn’t anything French about a french dip sandwich! In fact, history tells us that this dish was invented in the US. Just like many other popular dishes, the beef dip sandwich has a history that’s a little confusing. In short, two different restaurants claim to have been the inventor back in the early 20th century.

The first restaurant is Philippe the Original. Located in Los Angeles, the restaurant claims that owner Philippe Mathieu invented the sandwich after dropping a french roll in a pan back in 1918. Even though Philippe wanted to throw the bread away, a customer said they’d eat it. After trying it, they realized the sandwich is pretty good and after a bit of experimenting, they added it to the menu.

The other restaurant that claims ownership of the french dip sandwich is Cole’s. This restaurant is also from LA, but they claim they invented the french dip sandwich recipe 10 years earlier. According to Cole’s, the sandwich was invented after a customer with sore gums requested a softer roll. To accommodate, the chef dipped the bread in meat sauce and invented the now iconic sandwich.

If you ask us, both of these stories are equally plausible, so we can’t make up our minds. No matter who really invented this delicacy, we’re just grateful they did!

What Cut of Meat is French Dip?

According to many foodies, rib eye is the best cut to make a french dip. However, others favor chuck roast. Both of these meat cuts are extremely flavorsome and when added to a french dip, they make for an excellent sandwich.

If you have a preference regarding your meat, you can always ask your chef about the kind of meat they use. More often than not, they’ll be able to accommodate you if they have the cut you like in stock!

Aside from the beef, a french dip recipe also includes bread, melted cheese, and a dip sauce. You can also often find this sandwich served with a side of fries, green beans, pickles, assorted veggies, and more.

As for the dipping sauce, you also have a few options. Given that this sandwich is served au jus by default, you’ll almost always receive a sauce on the side. Some people prefer classics like tomato sauce or worcestershire sauce while others go for a more traditional beef broth or beef consomme.

The cheese in a beef dip sandwich is usually provolone cheese which gets melted while the sandwich is in the roasting pan.

Are French Dip Sandwiches Healthy?

Although not the healthiest option out there, french dip sandwiches aren’t inherently unhealthy. In fact, they’re pretty great in terms of nutritional value. Given that these sandwiches don’t contain anything deep-fried or fat-heavy, they’re a great lunch or dinner option!

A classic french dip recipe can have around 600 calories with 63g protein, 23g fat, and 38g carbs. Not bad for a full meal!

The calorie count can vary depending on the sides you choose and your sauce of choice. Still, you won’t be looking at a drastic difference. All in all, a french dip sandwich is an excellent choice and should always be enjoyed guilt-free!

Where Can I Find French Dip Sandwich Near Me?

It’s finally time to give you some restaurant recommendations!

We’ll only cover a few cities on our short list, so if you don’t find your city immediately, don’t worry! On our website, you can search by both dish and city, so we’re sure you’ll be able to find a delicious french dip sandwich near you!

To everyone in Chicago, we’d like to recommend Iron Horse Ale House.

If you’re in Houston, Grazia Italian Kitchen is definitely a spot you need to try!