Salt Hank Tells Us Where to Find the Best Sandwiches in San Francisco
The TikTok-famous sandwich-man-about-town tells us why baguettes beat buns and settles the “is a hot dog a sandwich” debate once and for all.
A slice of salami changed life forever for Henry Laporte, the sandwich man better known on social media as Salt Hank. One bite at six years old and next thing he was pushing “salami grams” over candygrams on Valentine’s Day, contracting nitrates poisoning after eating a Christmas log in one sitting, and grilling his way to social media stardom – one loaded sando at a time. His debut, sorta self-titled cookbook, Salt Hank, features a tribute to the cold cut and a full chapter on the 16 best sandwiches he’s ever made, along with recipes on everything from Huevos Divorciados to Prime Rib Roast. To scratch his daily salami itch, Laporte is right where he needs to be: on a houseboat in Sausalito, due north of the Golden Gate strait. Turns out, according to a quick Google search, San Francisco is widely recognized as the salami capital of the United States. “That may be, subconsciously, why I live here,” he says. When he’s not mastering his signature sandwich formula – meat, sauce and crunch – here’s where you will find him.
Henry’s 5 Spots in San Francisco
Photos: Lucca Delicatessen
Photos: Lucca Delicatessen
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Lucca Delicatessen —
They make one of my favourite Italian sandwiches of all time, and Italian sandwiches are kind of my North Star when it comes to sandwiches.
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Blue Barn —
Blue Barn makes the best fried chicken sandwich I’ve ever had in my life. I think it’s the slaw, Buffalo sauce and the baguette. I’m a big fan of a baguette over a bun for a fried chicken sandwich.
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Balboa Cafe —
The cheeseburger here is served on a baguette, which makes it more of a sandwich than a hot dog or taco could ever be (neither, for the record, is a sandwich). It’s one of my top three sandwich spots. I never stray from them.
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North Beach —
It’s kind of our Little Italy and my favourite neighbourhood by far. There’s one main intersection packed with phenomenal bars and restaurants: Grant Avenue and Green Street. It’s the most fun, lively and energetic area in the city.
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Portofino Seafood —
If you want to stray away from sandwiches, this is my favourite Italian restaurant in the city. Order the oysters Rockefeller, shrimp scampi and baked crab and tell my boy, Frank, that Hank sent you.
