No matter what time of year, a hearty sandwich just hits the spot. Lucky for us, one of the best sandwich shops in the country is in Northern Virginia. Herndon’s Twisted Sweets & Savory landed on Yelp’s inaugural Top 100 Sandwich Shops list.
The Herndon sandwich spot, which is known for its Hungarian chimney sandwiches, ranked No. 80 on the list.
While the original version of chimney cake is a dessert, Twisted Sweets & Savory owner Julianna Szatmari decided to create a savory version. It was something she hadn’t seen back in Hungary. Now the sandwich shop has 12 different chimney sandwiches on its menu.
Here’s what our food critic suggested trying when she visited back in 2023:
“The headliner among [the sandwiches] is the Hungarian Chimney sandwich, which combines garlicky Hungarian salami with provolone cheese, fresh vegetables, and earthy paprika mayonnaise. Other savory bites include the Pizzaroni Chimney, with crisp beef pepperoni and a side of tomato sauce for dipping, and a Bagel Chimney sprinkled with everything seasoning and covered with cheese.”
A handful of sandwich shops just outside of our region also made the list. Virginia eateries include Happy Cafe in Virginia Beach (No. 32), Gertie’s in Vesuvius (No. 73), and Cafe X-press in Salem (No. 79). Ekiben in Baltimore (No. 35) and Full On Craft Eats & Drinks in Annapolis (No. 44) represent Maryland.
The sandwich shops on the list were selected and ranked by various factors, including total volume and ratings of reviews. According to Yelp, all businesses on the list have a passing health score as of May 9, 2025.
Twisted Sweets & Savory is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 626 Grant St., Ste. F, Herndon
Feature image by Christin Boggs Peyper
