When it comes to legendary American lunches, the sloppy Joe ranks among time-honored classics like grilled cheese and PB&J. But before becoming a cafeteria mainstay, the humble sandwich actually rose to popularity in the years following The Great Depression and into World War II. While the concept is relatively simple, the true origin of the sloppy Joe is about as messy as the sandwich itself. One of the most popular—and widely believed—tales actually traces the roots of this American favorite to the shores of Havana, Cuba. According to lunchtime lore, a bar owner named José García started serving his handheld adaptation of the traditional ropa vieja dish in the 1930s to satiate his hungry (and often inebriated) patrons. Not particularly known for his tidy establishment, people began calling him “sloppy Joe,” a nickname that apparently stuck, both to José and his culinary creation. And supposedly it was Ernest Hemingway who bridged the gap between the sandwich’s conception in Cuba and its rise to household fame in the United States. Hemingway allegedly frequented the Havana hot spot and enjoyed the snack so much, he implored his favorite bar in Key West adopt the name (and according to some accounts, the recipe as well). Today, Sloppy Joe’s remains a Floridian staple, selling more than 60,000 of the namesake sandwich each year.
