If you’re only going to try one sandwich at Lucca's Deli, make it the Americano, with its house-roasted turkey, cranberry, mayo, iceberg lettuce, and black pepper on Acme focaccia, which makes it easy to bite into, but not too mushy. But, really, you can’t go wrong at this spot, which has been serving sandwich fans since 1929.

Pilgrims to this legendary North Beach Delicatessen (est. 1896) are greeted by a well-stocked deli counter overhung with the Molinari’s famous cured salami. once you were allowed to grab your own piece of bread from a bin, bring it up to the counter, and order your combination, but these days they do it all for you. Great choices include the North Beach special, Luciano Special, and the classic Italian Combo, but one standout for its simplicity and excellence is the Renzo special, generously stuffed prosciutto, coppa (hot or mild) fresh mozzarella, and sun-dried tomatoes.

Marina Subs has mastered the art of the submarine sandwich. The turkey is a guaranteed winner, but truthfully, you can't go wrong with any of the combinations, all of which are served on a toasted roll with mustard, mayo, lettuce, tomato, onion, and, last but definitely most important: the secret sauce. Add avocado and be sure to watch as Q, the owner, slices it. His technique is a thing of beauty.

Some point between when Adam Mesnick launched deli Board as a small catering operation in 2009 and now, the SoMa spot has become a San Francisco institution, with loyal fans who proclaim its offerings the best the city has to offer. With a regularly-rotating menu, no delivery, and walk-up orders only, that means that these days, only those who really, really love the abundant list of classics and more ambitious combos will be feasting on them these days. Somehow, we suspect that that’s how Mesnick likes it.

4505 knows its barbecue, as evidenced in the flavorful pulled pork sandwich topped with coleslaw (with a kick), sauce, and pickles on a buttery brioche bun with just the right texture to support the ingredients and ensure every bite is perfect.

Rich Table's quick-service spinoff does any number of things right, but diners can't go wrong with their succulent rotisserie chicken sandwich. It's served with mixed greens and herbs, pickled onions, and garlic aioli on a soft ciabatta roll to mop it all up. Salty: Yes. Napkins: Necessary.

This subterranean bodega on the border of Alamo Square offers some of the city’s best sandwiches, with an oft-changing menu of meat-stuffed monsters like a mortadella with a haunting hot pepper chili relish and a tissue-thin-sliced soppressata with artichoke cream cheese. Lines get long at peak times, so order pickup online or stop by at off hours for a socially-distanced experience.

Pretty much every sandwich at Cole Valley's Say Cheese is worth ordering, especially if you get it on Dutch crunch, but the Jamón Serrano with manchego, romesco sauce, and arugula is the perfect combination of Spanish ingredients, textures, and flavors. While you're there, get some cheese to take home for later.

People have been known to cross various bridges to visit Irving Subs, an Innse Sunset sandwich shop that’s been feeding folks since 2014. Everything is good, from the Beat L.A. (turkey, roast beef, cheddar) to the generous menu of vegetarian combinations. Their house-made garlicky mayo is not to be missed.

If Zuni Cafe’s Judy Rodgers had opened a sandwich shop, it might have looked a little like Turner’s Kitchen. Instead, Turner’s is the passion project of Ken Turner, a former Zuni chef and Rodgers acolyte. His low-key, high-quality shop opened in 2015 in the former Clare’s deli — after owner Clare Hulme taught him to make her “locally famous french dip sandwich.” All of Ken’s sandwiches deserve local fame, but even meat eaters go nuts for his vegan sandwich option (with avocado, hummus, tomato, cucumber, onions, pepperoncinis, roasted peppers, and oil and vinegar on a ciabatta roll).

Palm City, the Outer Sunset restaurant and wine shop, didn’t mean to become a sandwich destination, but diners (and influencers) went wild for their hoagies, which are made on special-ordered loaves from Pacifica’s Roselyn Bakery. Everybody loves the Italian-American, but the roasted veggie is also a necessity, with spicy sauce and parm crisps that keep you from minding that you’ve ruined your shirt, soaked through your napkin, and left hoagie-induced handprints everywhere in your vicinity.

The pierna enchilada (pulled pork) torta is the perennial favorite at this bright, family-run Mexican sandwich spot in the deep Mission. It comes with a mound of pulled pork topped with plenty of beans, avocado, and jalapenos and stuffed inside a crisp-soft torta roll. But all the sandwiches are good here — and huge, so no need to order the large unless you've got an espeically hefty appetite or a hellish hangover.

No one in West Portal wants Sub Center to make this list because the lines are already lengthy. But, like all good sub sandwiches, the wait is well worth it. The Atomic Submarine has three meats (hot pastrami, roasted turkey breast, and corned beef brisket), layered in with cheese, hot peppers, mustard, mayonnaise, onions, shredded lettuce, tomato, and, like any good sub shop, a secret sauce that ties it all together. You'll be tempted to get the super, but the center is usually enough.