Street
po-boy
What does po-boy mean?
The submarine sandwich of New Orleans: roast beef and gravy, fried shrimp, oyster, catfish or hot sausage piled on a foot of Leidenheimer French bread with that paper-thin shatter crust and pillowy crumb. Order it dressed unless you know what you're doing.
"We hit Parkway for a roast beef po-boy and ate it on the neutral ground."
Origin
Coined in 1929 by brothers Bennie and Clovis Martin, former streetcar conductors, who fed striking transit workers free sandwiches and called them 'poor boys.' The name slurred into 'po-boy' and stuck.
Frequently asked questions
What is a po-boy?
A po-boy is New Orleans' signature sandwich, served on crackly Leidenheimer French bread. It's a noun.
How do you use po-boy in a sentence?
"I grabbed a shrimp po-boy dressed with lettuce, tomato and mayo for lunch."
What does 'dressed' mean when ordering a po-boy?
Ordering a po-boy 'dressed' means having it topped with lettuce, tomato, pickles and mayonnaise — a New Orleans standard.
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