16 Beloved Minnesota Sandwiches That Are Tough To Find Now
Growing up in Minnesota, I remember my grandpa ordering a braunschweiger sandwich at the corner deli like it was the most normal thing in the world.
To me, it looked like mystery meat, but to him, it was pure nostalgia.
Minnesota’s sandwich history is packed with quirky, beloved creations that have quietly vanished from menus, leaving behind only memories and the occasional craving that can’t be satisfied.
1. Braunschweiger (Liverwurst) Sandwich
Old-school delis used to slap this spreadable liver sausage on rye bread with a thick smear of mustard and raw onions, creating a sandwich that was equal parts pungent and beloved.
Braunschweiger had a creamy, almost pate-like texture that split opinions faster than a political debate. Kids either loved it or gagged at the sight of it.
These days, you’d have better luck finding a unicorn than a deli that proudly displays braunschweiger on the menu, though a few old-timers still make it at home for nostalgia’s sake.
2. Beef Tongue Sandwich
Beef tongue sandwiches were a staple at Jewish delis and old-fashioned lunch counters across Minnesota, where thinly sliced, tender tongue was piled high between slices of rye.
The meat was surprisingly mild and buttery, nothing like the texture people feared. However, the mental hurdle of eating an actual tongue proved too much for younger generations.
Now, even the most authentic delis have dropped it from their offerings, making this once-common sandwich a rare culinary artifact from a bygone era.
3. Head Cheese Sandwich
Despite its name, head cheese contains zero cheese and is actually a jellied loaf made from the meat of a pig’s head, mixed with gelatin and spices.
Minnesota’s German and Scandinavian communities embraced this thrifty, flavorful creation, serving it cold on hearty bread with pickles and mustard.
The gelatinous texture and the knowledge of its ingredients eventually turned off modern diners.
Today, head cheese sandwiches are nearly extinct, surviving only in the most traditional butcher shops and grandma’s kitchens across the state.
4. Ring Bologna Sandwich
Ring bologna, a smoked sausage formed into a horseshoe shape, was a Minnesota lunchbox hero for decades.
Sliced thick and served cold or fried until the edges crisped up, it made for a satisfying sandwich that tasted like summer picnics and county fairs.
Gas stations and small-town delis used to keep it behind the counter, ready to slice on demand.
Nowadays, ring bologna has been overshadowed by fancier deli meats, and finding a proper ring bologna sandwich requires a road trip to rural Minnesota.
5. Peanut Butter & Pickle Sandwich
Yes, this was a real thing, and yes, people actually loved it. The combination of creamy peanut butter and tangy dill pickles created a sweet, salty, crunchy experience that sounds bizarre but somehow worked.
Depression-era Minnesotans swore by this budget-friendly combo, and it lingered in school lunchboxes well into the 1980s.
These days, suggesting a peanut butter and pickle sandwich gets you weird looks and maybe a wellness check.
The combo has faded into obscurity, remembered only by adventurous eaters and nostalgic grandparents.
6. Cream Cheese & Olive Sandwich
Ladies’ luncheons and church socials in Minnesota once featured dainty cream cheese and olive sandwiches, often cut into neat triangles with the crusts removed.
The salty green olives minced into smooth cream cheese created a surprisingly addictive spread that tasted fancy without much effort.
This sandwich was a staple at mid-century gatherings, served alongside fruit punch and Jell-O salads.
Today, it’s been replaced by avocado toast and artisan spreads, leaving cream cheese and olive sandwiches as a charming relic of a more refined era.
7. Bologna Salad Sandwich
Take bologna, chop it into tiny pieces, mix it with mayonnaise, pickles, and maybe some mustard, and you’ve got bologna salad.
This thrifty creation turned leftover lunch meat into a spreadable sandwich filling that Minnesota moms packed in countless lunchboxes.
It had the texture of tuna salad but with a distinctly processed meat flavor that kids either adored or avoided.
Bologna salad has mostly disappeared from modern kitchens, replaced by more sophisticated sandwich spreads that don’t remind us of our budget-conscious childhoods.
8. Chopped Chicken Liver Sandwich
Jewish delis in Minneapolis once served chopped chicken liver sandwiches that were rich, savory, and utterly unforgettable.
The liver was sautéed with onions, hard-boiled eggs, and schmaltz, then chopped into a coarse, flavorful spread that tasted like pure comfort.
Spread thick on rye bread with a slice of raw onion, it was a sandwich that demanded respect and strong coffee.
As delis closed and tastes shifted toward less adventurous fare, chopped chicken liver sandwiches became nearly impossible to find outside of specialty shops.
9. McDonald’s Cheddar Melt
McDonald’s briefly flirted with sophistication in the late 1980s by introducing the Cheddar Melt, a burger served on a rye bun with tangy cheddar cheese sauce and grilled onions.
It was an attempt to appeal to adult tastes, and for a moment, it worked. The rye bun alone set it apart from the usual sesame seed standard.
However, the Cheddar Melt vanished from menus almost as quickly as it appeared, leaving behind a generation of Minnesotans who still remember its unique, slightly upscale flavor.
10. McDonald’s McDLT
Keeping the hot side hot and the cool side cool was the genius behind the McDLT, a burger that came in a two-sided styrofoam container that separated the warm beef patty from the cold lettuce and tomato.
It was peak 1980s innovation, complete with a catchy jingle and excessive packaging. Environmental concerns eventually destroyed the McDLT, as the bulky container became a symbol of waste.
Minnesotans who remember assembling their own burger at the table still feel a twinge of nostalgia for this short-lived marvel.
11. McDonald’s McLean Deluxe
When the low-fat craze hit in the early 1990s, McDonald’s responded with the McLean Deluxe, a burger made with 91% lean beef bulked up with seaweed extract to keep it moist.
It was supposed to be the healthier choice, but it tasted like cardboard with ketchup. Minnesotans gave it a try, but the dry, flavorless patty couldn’t compete with the juicy Big Mac.
The McLean Deluxe quietly disappeared from menus, proving that sometimes, fat-free just means flavor-free.
12. Burger King Yumbo (Hot Ham & Cheese)
Long before Burger King focused exclusively on burgers, they offered the Yumbo, a hot ham and cheese sandwich that tasted like a warm hug from your grandma.
Served on a long bun with melted cheese and a hint of mustard, it was simple, satisfying, and strangely comforting.
The Yumbo debuted in the 1970s and enjoyed a brief comeback in 2014, but it never regained its original popularity. Today, finding a Yumbo in Minnesota is tougher than finding a parking spot at the State Fair.
13. Burger King Whaler (Fish Sandwich)
Before the Big Fish, there was the Whaler, Burger King’s original fish sandwich that competed with McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish for Friday fish fry supremacy.
The Whaler featured a breaded fish patty, tartar sauce, and lettuce on a sesame seed bun, delivering simple, satisfying flavors.
It was a staple for Catholic Minnesotans observing meatless Fridays. The Whaler eventually got rebranded and reformulated so many times that the original version is now just a distant memory, lost to endless menu changes and marketing makeovers.
14. Hardee’s Big Twin
Hardee’s Big Twin was their answer to the Big Mac, featuring two beef patties, lettuce, cheese, pickles, and a special sauce on a sesame seed bun.
It was cheaper than McDonald’s version and just as satisfying, making it a favorite among budget-conscious Minnesotans.
The Big Twin had a loyal following, but as Hardee’s shifted focus to bigger, bolder burgers like the Thickburger, the Big Twin quietly vanished.
Today, it’s remembered fondly by those who appreciated its no-frills, wallet-friendly approach to double-decker burgers.
15. Hardee’s Roast Beef Sandwich
Hardee’s once served a straightforward roast beef sandwich that rivaled Arby’s, featuring thinly sliced roast beef piled on a soft bun with a savory sauce.
It was simple, meaty, and hit the spot when you wanted something other than a burger.
For years, it was a menu mainstay at Minnesota locations, offering a reliable alternative to the usual fast food fare.
Eventually, Hardee’s dropped the roast beef sandwich to streamline their menu, leaving fans with nowhere to turn except the drive-thru at Arby’s.
16. Subway Seafood & Crab (Seafood Sensation)
Subway’s Seafood & Crab sandwich, later rebranded as Seafood Sensation, featured a creamy mixture of imitation crab and mayo that tasted surprisingly decent despite its questionable origins.
It was a polarizing menu item that people either loved or avoided like a health code violation. For a while, it was a regular option at Minnesota Subway locations, offering a fishy alternative to turkey and ham.
Eventually, most locations quietly dropped it due to low demand and high skepticism, making it a rare find today.