It was just last August when we highlighted 16 amazing sandwiches scattered throughout the rich Bay Area food scene.
Readers got so fired up, they submitted their favorites and we showcased 16 more sandwiches not to miss.
But with the change in seasons comes another opportunity to dive into the delicious world of sandwiches. Take them with you on hikes, midday picnics in the park, road trips or just a lazy night in. Many of these sandwiches are big enough to have one half for dinner and leftovers for lunch the next day.
Here are 10 of our favorites:
Torino Panino at Littlest Little Italy, San Jose
The Chicago Way — an Italian beef topped with giardiniera — is the top specialty sandwich at Torino Panini inside the Littlest Little Italy in San Jose. (Bay Area News Group)Two years ago, a group of entrepreneurs brought together several Italian concepts — pizza, salumi, panini, wine, gelato — under one roof in the Little Italy San Jose district and gave it a clever name, the Littlest Little Italy.
Jason Alarid, owner of the historic Henry’s Hi Life across the street, took on the panini component, developing a lineup that includes a chicken parmesan number (the Parma Johnny), sausage and peppers (The Romance) and a riff on chicken cacciatore (the Lincoln Park).
The sandwich: Italian beef, a Chicago specialty, is a rarity in these parts. Credit Alarid for going all over the Windy City in the name of research to inspire the recipe for his version, an awesome creation called the Chicago Way ($16.95). His Torino team roasts top-round beef, slices it thinly for tenderness, finishes it in au jus, then piles the meat on a house-baked roll. A vibrant, housemade giardiniera — vegetables lightly pickled Italian-style — is scattered over the top. Then the whole thing gets doused again, or you can ask for juice on the side for dunking.
What do Chicagoans think? A hockey fan who was out here to watch the Sharks take on the Blackhawks in March proclaimed that Alarid had nailed the sandwich, according to Littlest Little Italy GM Josh Weeks. But the fan insisted that the booth’s spicy version of giardiniera is the only way to go, (Their mild version is zippy enough for this Cal-Italian, thank you very much.)
Details: Torino Panino serves from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday (with the Littlest Little Italy open till 9). 320 W. St. John St., San Jose; littlestlittleitaly.com/
Saul’s Restaurant & Delicatessen, Berkeley
The pita sabich served with amba and tahini sauces at Saul’s Restaurant & Delicatessen in Berkeley, Calif., on Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)For nearly 40 years Saul’s has been a stalwart in North Berkeley, comforting the belly and soul with Jewish grub like liver and onions and pastrami on rye. Though it’s transitioning to new owners – chef Jesus “Chuy” Mendoza and Sam Tobis, former owner of Oakland’s Grand Bakery – the deliciously nostalgic vibes remain the same. As the restaurant avows on its website: “There is no situation which cannot be eased by a bowl of chicken soup with matzo balls.”
The sandwich: If you’re looking for a meatless sandwich that’ll leave you utterly satisfied, have a go at Saul’s pita sabich ($13.50). It starts with housemade pita that’s not paper-thin but puffy and doughy. The chefs stuff it with discs of fried eggplant and hard-boiled eggs. Onto that goes a potato latke and tabbouleh with fresh parsley and dill, and you dunk it in two sauces – creamy tahini and amba, a tangy-sweet concoction with fenugreek and pickled mango.
Even folks who don’t enjoy starch-on-starch meals will delight in the balance of textures and flavors. The soft egg contrasts nicely with the crispy latke, and the richness of the eggplant is zipped up with all the herbs and acidity. Order it with some of Saul’s beloved matzo soup, you got yourself a perfect lunch.
Details: Open 8 a.m.-9 p.m. daily at 1475 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley; 510-848-3354, saulsdeli.com
Lucia’s Craft Sandwich, Martinez and Crockett
The applewood-smoked ham sandwich at Lucia's in Martinez has apricot jam, ricotta cheese, hazelnuts, onions, aioli and greens. (Bay Area News Group)Diving into a bite of a Lucia’s sandwich, it’s easy to get lost in thought. Like this one: how does an affordable sandwich shop so artfully walk the line between casual and sophisticated? The balanced menu is as creative as it is simple. If you crave familiarity, they have that. If you’re looking to let loose, you can do that, too. There are eight kinds of grilled cheese ($7 to $12), with flavor combinations like prosciutto and fig; grilled pear and gorgonzola; kimchi, bacon and cheese; and grilled black truffle, mushrooms, spinach and cheese.
The sandwich: When apricot jam is on a sandwich, it’s an easy choice. Yes, yes and yes to the applewood-smoked ham sandwich ($15), with the sweetness of the apricot jam playing off the salty meat, accompanied by creamy ricotta and a delicate hazelnut spread in just the right amounts. The fresh, chewy bread from Acme Bakery is brushed with olive oil. This sandwich is so decadent it feels almost like dessert.
Details: Open daily, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 6682 Alhambra Ave. in Martinez, and Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and until 4 p.m. on the weekends at 611 2nd Ave. in Crockett; luciascraftsandwich.com.
Bob’s Country Corner, Menlo Park
Nadia Wehab, owner of Bob's Country Corner, holds a “Grilled Chicken Breast + Bacon & BBQ Sauce” sandwich at the store in Menlo Park. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)Bob’s Country Corner, a deli and market situated in a century-old building on Alameda de las Pulgas in Menlo Park, serves up extra-large sandwiches extra quickly – with a serious side of community. You’ll find not just standard snack fare but plenty of imported wines and candies, and a wide array of customers too.
The quirky shop draws in – and welcomes – gardeners and service workers, high-level tech executives, kids looking for after-school snacks, and everyone in between, says owner Issa Wehab, who grew up in the store his parents, Bob and Nadia Wehab, ran from the 1990s until Bob died in 2017.
“I like to describe this as a community center that happens to sell things,” Issa Wehab says. For instance, the shop proudly displays a growing collection of signed college pennants from local students who have moved away for college.
The sandwich: But you’re there for a sandwich. Follow the sweet scent of the garlic-herb tri-tip and home-cooked turkey ($13.49/sandwich) made in-house to the back of the shop, where you’ll find a buzzing deli counter behind which staff expertly spread, slice and stack together Jenga towers of meat, cheese, veggies and dressings betwixt fluffy bread rolls (Dutch Crunch is the obvious choice, but feel free to follow your heart here). And for vegetarians, its veggies, cheese and avocado sandwich ($7.99) is a hearty meal or two that offers among the best bite-to-buck ratios around.
Details: Open 7:30 a.m.-7 p.m. weekdays, 8:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday at 3207 Alameda de las Pulgas, Menlo Park; bobscountrycorner.com.
Billy Roy’s Burger Co., Fremont
Butcher’s Cut sandwich with ribeye steak, fried onions, pepper jack cheese, barbecue sauce, and a roasted jalapeño on top at Billy Roy’s Burger Co. on March 26, 2025, in Fremont, Calif. (Dai Sugano/Bay Area News Group)Billy Roy’s is a down-homey restaurant whose large parking lot – formerly a car dealership – fills up fast with people wanting mondo-sized burgers. The inside has a space for everyone, from a bar for sportos to a partially enclosed patio for birthday parties to a coffee/dessert shop with milkshakes and cheesecake.
It’s the latest endeavor from Toula and Bill Sinodino, who also run Dino’s Family Restaurant and Skillet’z Cafe in Fremont (plus a couple of places in Oakdale).
Billy Roy’s is first and foremost a burger place, with offerings like The Cattle Smash (three patties with American cheese) and El Diablo (Angus and pepper jack crowned with a whole jalapeno). There are also grilled-chicken sandwiches, hearty salads and sides like garlic fries, mac-and-cheese and linguica baked beans. Oh, and those milkshakes, whose rotating flavors include matcha and Oreo.
The sandwich: It seems like they did indeed put the whole butcher in The Butcher’s Cut sandwich ($22). Dad jokes aside, it’s a mouthful: a 6-ounce ribeye, grilled to temp and sliced, with pepper-jack cheese, haystack onions and an A1 Sauce aioli on brioche. The steak is flavorful and tender, and the sauce lends a nice barbecue sweetness – all in all, it’s a decadent way to switch up your boring burger routine.
Details: Open 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday-Saturday at 3909 Thornton Ave., Fremont; billyroysburgerco.com
Habana Express, Pleasant Hill
The Cubano sandwich served at Habana Express in Pleasant Hill, (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)Last June, Aylin Alvarez Torres opened a fast-casual restaurant serving authentic Cuban sandwiches, bowls and pastries in Pleasant Hill. She had moved with her family from Cuba in 2019, with a first stop in Miami, where she worked at a Cuban bakery.
Here, the authentic Cuban and Miami vibes are felt everywhere, from the friendly service, to the delicious flavors, to the colorful, decorative flair inside the restaurant. And the aroma of guava cheese pastries ($3) offers a good reminder not to skip dessert. Service is fast and friendly.
The sandwich: Everything looked good, but we chose the classic Cubano ($14), featuring tender and juicy roasted pork that covers the bottom layer of the crispy, house-made, Cuban bread. The pork is topped with ham, pickles, mayo, mustard and creamy, melted Swiss cheese that’s oozing all over the bread. And yet the sandwich retains its form, showing no signs of getting soggy during our visit. One sandwich is big enough for a meal, but good luck finishing it. Thankfully, they have some charming to-go boxes for the leftovers.
Details: Open 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. daily at 1966 Contra Costa Blvd. in Pleasant Hill; www.habanaexpressca.com
Little Lucca, Burlingame and South San Francisco
Peninsula sandwich shop Little Lucca serves up mega, hearty sandwiches with abundant toppings slathered in their signature garlic sauce at locations in South San Francisco and Burlingame. (Kate Bradshaw/Bay Area News Group)“Who says size doesn’t matter?” is the irreverent slogan emblazoned on staff T-shirts at this Peninsula institution, and it’s a message that captures the ethos of this sandwich shop, which started in South San Francisco in 1980 before expanding to Burlingame.
Their extra-large sandwiches can easily feed two, but customers are unlikely to want to share these forearm-length sandos, each stacked to near-spilling with meat, cheese, veggies and more.
The vibe is decidedly old-school – its website now lets customers order by fax machine! – but don’t let that deter you. These folks put the craft in handcrafted sandwiches, and nowhere is that more obvious than in their signature sauces: garlic sauce and hot sauce, both revered in online fora.
“It’s worth having that garlic breath all day,” says one Reddit user touting the destination. We agree.
The sandwich: A smoked turkey and provolone sandwich, topped with avocado, garlic sauce and the other fixings on Dutch crunch ($17.70) is a tasty take on a beloved classic. Each bite reveals layers of crispy-on-the-outside and pillowy inside bread. Sink deeper and you’ll reach thick deli cuts of turkey layered with tomato, garlic sauce, avocado and lettuce. The flavors blend seamlessly every blissful bite.
Details: Open 9 a.m.-4 p.m. daily at 1809 El Camino Real, Burlingame and 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. weekends at 724 El Camino Real, South San Francisco; littlelucca.com.
The Stand, Santa Clara
The Short Rib Grilled Cheese at The Stand in Santa Clara combines beer-braised beef, cheese, onions and bacon tomato jam on parmesan sourdough. (Photo courtesy of The Stand)Innovative burgers, sandwiches, salads and sides are the specialty at this Lawrence Expressway restaurant, the only NorCal outpost of a popular SoCal chain founded and run by the Wishengrad family.
Among the combinations are the French Onion Soup Burger, the Havarti Shroom Burger, the Big Blue — all made with The Stand’s custom chuck-brisket blend of beef (or chicken, ground turkey or a veggie patty). This is also sauce heaven. You can add any one of 19 condiments — from banana peppers to tahini sauce to jalapeño-scallion aioli — to your burger or sandwich for free.
As for sides, Red Ginger Green Beans and Meyer Lemon Broccolini join the popular onion rings and array of fries.
Order at the counter and grab a table indoors, on the patio or seats at the long horseshoe bar. Your order will be delivered to you.
The sandwich: Although we originally came here to try a burger, we took a fast detour once we read the menu board. Short Rib Grilled Cheese! We’ve never looked back. If you’re a short rib fanatic, you understand. The beef is braised in chipotle-spiked beer until tender, then grilled on double parmesan-crusted sourdough and topped with bacon tomato jam, hickory sauce, onion strings and triple cheddar. The decadent sandwich ($13.50) is rich enough to share or save a half. Or temper it with one of those fresh veggie sides.
Details: Open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 11 p.m. Friday-Saturday. 785 Lawrence Expressway, Santa Clara; www.thestand.com/location/santa-clara/
OK’s Deli, Oakland
The sisig bolillo sandwich from OK's Deli in Oakland. (John Metcalfe/Bay Area News Group)This tiny operation in the Temescal District is known for its intense flavors and creative interpretations of sandwich classics. The chefs make everything in-house, from Asian-inspired sauces to buns in varieties like sesame-crusted or milk bread. And when OK’s Deli (pronounced “Oak’s”) cooks up something so labor-intensive it’s only served Saturday-Monday, you know it’s going to be stellar.
The sandwich: The semi-traditional version of Filipino sisig is based on slow-cooked pig’s head that takes three days to prepare ($17). It’s served on its own special roll, a torpedo-shaped bolillo with a wonderfully chewy and air-bubbled crust. If the bread wasn’t so good, you’d be happy dumping the sandwich’s contents onto a big bowl of rice and devouring it that way.
The sisig sando is a true meat bomb: tender, luscious bits of pork with pork fat spiked with onion, made even more umami-rich with soy sauce and mayonnaise and a runny over-easy egg tucked into the bottom. Yet it’s also well-balanced, with fiery explosions of tiny Thai chilis and fresh lime juice to cut through the unctuousness. A tip: Order yours early to pick up for lunch later in the day, as they sell out fast.
Details: Open 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Thursday-Monday at 3932 Telegraph Ave., Oakland; oksdeli.com
Parma Delicatessen, Concord
The Italian mix sandwich at Parma Delicatessen in Concord includes provolone, prosciutto, ham, salami, mortadella, mustard, mayo, lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles and pepperoncini. (Bay Area News Group)Everything about this place feels like family. A newspaper is beckoning on a table. The ballgame is on. And the folks behind the counter are so friendly that a stranger began introducing each member of their family while giving their order. And when someone couldn’t decide between the meatball or the meatloaf sandwich for lunch, your friendly neighborhood sandwich maker offered this suggestion: a meatloaf sandwich with two meatballs inside. Sold!
The sandwich: We opted to stay on the menu for the Italian mix ($17), the most-popular choice and arguably the most accurate test for any classic Italian deli. Parma aced the test. A sturdy sub roll is coated with mustard and mayo then layered with a thick piece of provolone cheese and a giant stack of prosciutto, ham, salami and mortadella. We got ours with the works, which also included lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles and pepperoncini. And while the towering size of the sandwich might take you aback at first, the salty flavor combination in each bite is what you’ll remember. Enjoy a half-sandwich in the deli, then take the leftovers with you for lunch tomorrow.
Details: Open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at 3521 Clayton Road in Concord; parmadeliconcord.com.
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