Murphy's, Providence

In 1929, Joseph Murphy founded Murphy's Lunch. Every day, he'd make a new batch of corned beef, and every day he'd heap the meat onto bread and craft towering, monumental sandwiches. In addition to remodels and name changes, Murphy's has experienced some changes over the years, adding pickles in the '50s, extra space in the '60s and '70s, and mandatory shoulder-pad policies in the '80s (later rescinded). The eatery's biggest change, however, happened in the aughts, when chefs revamped the menu to incorporate locally sourced and seasonal ingredients into from-scratch dishes.

One quality has weathered all these changes: the friendly atmosphere. Though it's wide and spacious, Murphy's dining room can get packed with regulars, who crowd the counter and surround the tables for meatloaf grinders, pastrami burgers, Guinness chili, frosty brews, big brunches, and—of course—corned beef sandwiches.