Don’t think much of Australia’ s sandwiches? Think again.
While lunch options have come on leaps and bounds over the years – good riddance to instant noodles and soggy salad sambos – a really good sandwich still has a place in many of our hearts. Crusty, fresh bread and gourmet fillings can be more satisfying than the juiciest steak.
Something as simple as a well made wrap or an open sandwich overflowing with creamy salads and meats can leave us licking our lips and looking forward to lunch. So, where are the very best sandwiches in Australia? We’ve been on the hunt and tracked down the best of the best.
These are the drool-inducing sandwiches that will have you legging it from your desk as soon as the boss heads out the door – a sandwich well worth being late back to the office for…
This Bowen Hills favourite is beloved far and wide for its droolworthy jaffles: there’s a truffled mac n’ cheese, Chipotle pulled pork or classic Reuben. If toasties aren’t your thing (and honestly, they really, really should be) then you can opt for a classic sanga.
Project 41’s selection include a 14-hour smoked BBQ beef brisket sub or pastrami on rye. Easily some of the tastiest sandwiches in Brisbane.
Influenced by the low and slow cooking style made famous in America’s southern states, Old Faithful Bar & BBQ put an Australian twist on them.
Their lunchtime barbecue sandwiches make the most of all the incredible smoked meat. From beef brisket to steak with tasty cheese, onion jam, garlic aioli and rocket, as well as regular specials.
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Millers Espresso does damn good All Press coffee and a great range of sandwiches, including a daily ‘secret special’. Ingredients are sustainable and locally sourced with veg coming from a local community garden.
But shhh. It’s a secret.
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Choose from a wrap, roll or Turkish bread for your gourmet fillings at this takeaway sandwich joint. The delicious creations include a hot chip roll, fish cake with lettuce and mayo or a BLT.
But hey, you can’t go wrong with a classic egg and cheese.
You’ll love the made to order, fresh tasting goodness that is gently laid between two slices of artisan bread. Hold in the Wall Sandwich Factory turns a simple sambo into a colourful piece of art.
Can’t decide what to order? The Mediterranean with Falafel, Roasted Capsicum, Hummus, Olive Paste and Tabouli is a winner.
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How good does a 14 hour slow roasted beef, American cheese, pickles, mustard and ketchup sambo sound?! At Sandwich Chefs they’ve been doing their thing for over 30 years.
That means artisanal bread – the fresh, crusty, fluffy kind – and gourmet meats left to slow roast for 14 hours to juicy, crackly perfection.
Monster restaurant at Ovolo Nishi hotel does a luxury breakfast roll with house made bacon, pickled green tomato, Monster HP and fried egg ciabatta., but if you’re in a rush there’s also a handy pick-uo counter, Chop Chop.
Chop Chop has a selection of sambos and toasties to drool over, such as ham hock and gruyere toastie or a pork belly Banh Mi.
A lovely French-inspired cafe with sweet and savoury treats you won’t be able to resist.
If it’s on the menu, be sure to order the popular special Reuben Sandwich with Pastrami, sauerkraut, Russian dressing, taleggio and Swiss cheese, served with dill pickle and sweet potato crisp.
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Steak sandwich fans will be in heaven here. One bite of their steak sarnie with rib fillet, cos lettuce, sliced tomato, beetroot, grilled onion, melted cheese and bbq sauce on toasted thick cut bread will make you a lifetime fan.
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A Hobart classic cafe, this bright and cosy place on the corner of Salamanca Square serves up chunky open sandwiches piled high with grilled haloumi, avocado and all the good things to eat.
And yes, you can also throw some coins into the washing machines and get your laundry done.
Using local, ethical and organic produce, Bear & Bean make healthy sandwiches that are full of flavour. Daily specials such as this seeded roll with salami, roquette, tasty cheese, tomato & salsa verde will ensure you come back time and time again.
If you’re passing by for brekkie, their sourdough toast with a smear of Vegemite is also a good shout.
Waterfront dining doesn’t get much better than this award-winning West Australian hotel bar. Famous for their juicy steak sandwich, it’s a whopper feast of black Angus Scotch fillet, Swiss cheese, tropical chutney and Bayview yoghurt on wood fired Turkish bread.
Le Vietnam specialises in Bánh Mì, that beautiful Vietnamese creation of crusty French bread, spicy pickles, carrots and fresh herbs with a swoosh of pate and pork.
As well as the classic recipe mentioned above, Le Vietnam also push the boat out with their specials. Coca-Cola fried chicken banh mi anyone?
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TOASTA began as a favourite among the Melbourne food truck scene before expanding with this great corner cafe. You can have your toasty cooked in butter or – wait for it – duck fat for extra flavour. The menu is brilliantly cheesy but there’s also lots of vegan options.
P.S. Want to make one of these at home? You can actually but the TOASTA press in the cafe to grill all your own sandwiches to your heart’s content.
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As well as being a gourmet food grocer, Trader Jack’s also has a lovely little cafe in store where you can pick up freshly baked goods and hefty sandwiches. Crunchy bread with Italian salamis, cheeses and local salads make up the menu.
Grab one of their beautiful grazing platters to take-away while you’re here.
Cheese-fiends will love this food truck serving tasty American style gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches. Yes, these bad boys aren’t good for you, but when it’s this delicious, who cares? Get the Cheese On Cheese On Cheese, with provolone, vintage cheddar and provolone picante.
Follow their social media to keep an eye out for where the truck will be roaming around each day.
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Beast & Bread is a great cafe serving up locally roasted coffee, handmade sweets and their infamous grilled cheese. Dripping with gruyere, parmesan and filled with house pickles, it comes with a bbq dipping sauce.
There’s also other tempting sandwiches to order, including a tender spiced chook (chicken) or slow cooked pork shoulder.
The Bar Louise at this scenic hotel has one of the best views in the area, and one of the best club sandwiches in all of Australia. A fluffy brioche bun is stuffed with smoked chicken, bacon, tomato, cos and aioli for maximum flavour.
When an artisan bakery also makes its own sandwiches, you know they’re going to be utterly delicious. The key to a good sambo starts with the bread so you’re in safe hands here. Think sourdoughs, ciabattas, rye breads, ficelles and bagels.
From a simply perfect milk bun ham slider to a crunchy Banh Mi, this is a must-visit in Hobart.
This neighbourhood cafe located in Sydney’s Inner West has all the good things you could ever want in a sandwich; homemade Meatballs with Parmesan Custard, Passata, Basil, Melted Mozzarella or Falafel and Green Tahini.
And since Australia’s love of the chicken parma knows no bounds, Saga have put an even tastier spin on it with their eggplant parm special.
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Fighting back against the bad rep of fast food, Hector’s Deli creates fast food with care and without compromise. All their ingredients are ethically sourced and of the highest quality.
Case in point? This beauty pictured below with cold smoked trout, cream cheese, red onion and trout roe on a poppy seed bagel.
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This unique takeaway shop is from the team behind Pizza e Mozzarella Bar, who came up with the bright idea of using the restaurant’s wood burning ovens in the mornings to make smokey pork and chicken for sangos to-go.
There’s nearly always a queue, but food this good is worth the wait.
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Cairns’ only true sandwich bar, Slap and Pickle is absolutely killing it with their creative menu of outstanding sandwiches. Their club sandwich is filled with buttermilk fried chicken, there’s an irresistible prawn cocktail sandwich with bacon and avocado and regular specials.
Keep an eye out for their spaghetti bolognese one with parmesan and baby rocket.
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A lovely neighbourhood spot, Sherwood Cafe is a enviro-friendly and low waste, so you can feel extra good about chowing down on these delicious dishes.
Their Danger Mouse Toastie with Leg ham, House Onion Jam & Cheddar is a classic winner, but the specials are some of the best. This Pork and Veal Meatball smothered in rich napoletana sauce with rocket and basil on a fresh crusty baguette is to-die-for.
Lox Stock & Barrel is a cosy deli-diner located in one of the last remaining old pockets of Sydney’s Bondi Beach. It’s super old school with all the food Jewish in origin, yet they also take inspiration from local and seasonal produce.
Go for the smoked turkey breast with cranberry mustard, melted Swiss cheese, cucumber, rocket and pickled onion on toasted challah. Simply perfect.
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You’ll find this charming cafe in the Darwin Botanic Gardens in the heritage-listed Wesleyan Church, where you can get a comforting bacon and free range egg toasted sandwich for breakfast of gourmet sambos on the lawn for High Tea.
Everything is made fresh daily and the garden scenery makes it taste extra good.
This slick coffee shop is the place to go for all things tasty to eat on top of freshly baked sourdough toasts. There’s a great bacon sarnie, but it’s those topped toasties you need in your life.
Our top pick? Portobello mushys on sourdough toast, topped with a garlic, parsley and tarragon butter, poached egg and shaved pecorino cheese. Dee-lish.
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Lucia’s Pizza Bar was the very first pizza bar in Adelaide and today the family continue on using their traditional Italian recipes from their space in the Central Market.
As well as rich tomato pastas and breakfast toasties, they do salad sandwiches bursting with only the best Italian ingredients, like creamy Ricotta cheese and salumi. There’s a daily special sandwich that’s also droolworthy.
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Who are we supposed to choose between mushroom with spinach, gouda and mushroom ketchup; roast chicken with salami, avocado, chilli and gem lettuce or beef minute steak with comte, onion, rocket and horseradish cream?
Bread in Common has a bakery on site where the incredible bread comes from for the sandwiches, baked fresh that morning in hand-built ovens named Hansel & Gretel.
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Caveat: these are not technically sandwiches but we’re saying for arguments sake that they are. Dough wrapped around a filling? It’s a sandwich, okay.
Chu the Phat draws on flavours from the hawker stalls of Hong Kong, Korea and Taiwan for its street food menu and these steamed duck buns are as good – if not better – than any you’ll find in Asia.
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A homey little cafe that serves up vibrant and tasty food, The Little Larder is an ideal pit stop for a bite to eat. Plus, they’ve just moved into a new space so you won’t be stuck for a seat.
They do a great Reuben, with rye bread filled with wagyu corned beef, sauerkraut, pickles, Swiss cheese and a creamy Russian dressing, but this chicken baguette with cider slaw & sambal mayo is mega popular for a reason.
This African restaurant is best known for their Tea Sandwich: crispy chicken skin and chilli-spiked mayonnaise between super soft white bread.
It comes with a side of hot chicken drippings from the restaurant’s signature peri peri chicken for dipping. One of the legendary Australia sandwiches.
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This vintage Ford food truck appears at events all over Victoria, serving their fantastic jaffas to hungry crowds – be sure to keep an eye on where they’ll be next so that you too can taste these toasties.
The Bearded Jaffle have gone all out with the Parma Jaffle: Doritos-crumbed popcorn chicken, housemade Napoli, lots and lots of cheese and crispy ham.
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Congress, a cafe-wine bar in a Collingwood apartment block, made headlines for its addictive snack that turned pig heads cool. Seriously. This sleek spot is home to Melbourne’s hippest dish.
The pig’s head sanga is a delicious bite of panko-crusted pig head terrine with a green mustard mayo, sandwiched between fluffy white bread. A burst of goodness.
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You won’t be able to get enough of the sandwiches in here; particularly the French sandwich with saucisson, guyere and cornichons that tastes like Paris in a roll.
Just the type of tastiness you would expect from this artisanal cheese shop tucked away in Brisbane’s CBD. The sandwich shop is the extension of The Cheese Pleaser, a family-run catering and cheese business.
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A sandwich gem in the heart of Surfers Paradise, serving up simple, tasty and affordable baguettes, The Sandwich Bros is defo one to put on your must-try list.
Crackling porchetta rolls, beef brisket grilled cheese, tonkatsu pork sandwiches… The list of deliciousness available here in sandwich form is never ending.
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Grab a wholesome veggie wrap from Epilogue Lounge for a sandwich that’s as tasty as a grilled cheese without all that artery-clogging. Filled with halloumi, avo, spinach, mushrooms and house salsa, this proves that wraps still have a special place in our hearts – and stomachs.
You’ll feel like you’re smack bang in NYC at this New York deli – they even show the Mets games on the television and make all of the pastrami, corned beef, sauerkraut and Russian dressing in-house.
The huge pastrami on rye is a showcase in premium ingredients.
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Words cannot describe the sheer homage to fromage that this grilled cheese cafe does daily.
Need a little ordering inspo? The Buon ‘rapper’ Tito comes with coppa prosciutto, casalingo salami, mortadella, roasted eggplant, red onion, tomato puree, provolone dolcea and Italian herbs. Yum.
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Once you’ve feasted on the great Reubens here (there’s a steak and brisket version, too), go wild with their Flying Fig Cheeseburger: latke potato cakes smothered in cheese and topped with a doughy bun.
Not only do they make all of their own pastrami, bacon, lox, bagels and pickles themselves, they even make their own soft drinks. A superbly authentic Jewish deli.
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It might look old school at first, but this modern deli is way ahead of its time. Combining a bar, delicatessen and bistro, you’ll find delicious cheeses and charcuterie as well as a range of tinned delicacies; anchovies from the Bay of Biscay, clams and cockles from Galicia, sardines from France.
Only tasty things to eat are available here but be sure to try the French Dip: black Angus sirloin, appenzeller cheese, onion, fresh baguette and jus for soakage.
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Core Espresso is a small space yet it manages to execute incredible food and coffee on on a daily basis. Small, yet mighty, some might say. Their feel-good menu is centred around wholesome produce and grains, so expect great breads.
Even their simple bacon and egg roll is done to perfection.
Mr Crackles was founded by two professional chefs with a passion for crispy skinned succulent meats, and oh-boy are we glad they came up with this place.
The pork belly takes three days to prepare, developing a super crispy and flavoursome crackling. You can’t go wrong the Crackles Classic of crisped-skinned slow roast, five spiced pork belly, served with Vietnamese salad in a roll.
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Big Dog’s Deli is a bar dedicated to sandwiches that ferments, pickles, cures and smokes most of their ingredients in house. Each of their sangas are filling heavy, made to order and complete with a pickle.
A generous 200g veal schnitzel with mustard aioli, sauerkraut, pickled onion and herby slaw on ciabatta? We’re never leaving.
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Using only the freshest ingredients, Melt Brothers offers a variety of mouth-watering cheesy melts all served on a fresh artisan sourdoughs, including gluten free and vegan options.
Whether you want a cheesy, garlicky, bacony pile up or a Vegemite toastie, all your grilled cheese dreams will come true here.
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If you’re looking for the best club sandwich in Australia then hightail it to the beautiful Langham hotel. It’s constantly winning awards and you’ll understand why once you’ve tried it.
A vision of six white-toast triangles skewered in a row, with leg ham cut from the bone, house-smoked chicken, two layers of curried egg, lettuce leaves and cucumber.
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DannyBoys is a food store and catering company that makes the sort of sandwiches you wish you had in your lunchbox every single day. All of their bread is made and baked in-store throughout the day and the fillings are seriously good.
They do healthy wraps and sandwiches but it’s the flatgrills you’ll be tempted most by. Slow Cooked Organic Beef Brisket and Double Monterey Jack Cheese? You can’t say no.
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Surry Hill’s tastiest sandwich joint, Sando does Japanese-inspired food and drinks, that change with the seasons. From prawn katsu sandwiches to meaty rolls, this is a hot spot.
Get the slow cooked juicy brisket, brined in sansho pepper is served with mozzarella & Japanese chimichurri on a warm ciabatta. We’re drooling already.
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Wild Card Alert – this sweet sandwich bao is too good not to include.
Brother Hen has created an incredibly pretty (and out-of-this-world delicious) cinnamon sugar-dusted fried bao filled with Golden Gaytime and Nutella with honeycomb pieces. The toffee and vanilla ice-cream goes perfectly with the soft, sweet bao.
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Levant Eatery is a quirky spot that makes authentic Eastern-Mediterranean street food, with the name referring to the Levant region near the the countries of Cyprus, Egypt, Israel, Jordan.
Traditional fillings such as falafel, halloumi and grilled meats are stuffed into floury Xich fillings, hot dogs, ‘burgs’ and breakfast bagels. While the menu also has other delights, it’s those sarnies that you should go for.
Truffle mac ‘n’ cheese toasties and a crispy battered fish roll are just two highlights. But honestly? From the chickpea smash to the Cubano, every single sandwich here is pure perfection.
