clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile
Hardy Wilson

17 Fundamental San Francisco Sandwich Spots

There’s sandwich genius on every San Francisco corner

View as Map

San Francisco is home to some of the best sandwiches in the world. That assertion shouldn’t surprise you: We’re ground zero for amazing bread. We’ve got a remarkable bounty of locally-cultivated produce, dairy, meat, and condiments. And our chefs are ballers, creative, playful perfectionists unafraid of genre mixing, challenging combinations, and envelopes pushed beyond all reason. There is genius to be found on every corner, and a delight to be found in every shop with a “sandwiches sold here” sign in the window.

No guide can list them all, and this map probably leaves off one of your favorites. We’ve made our peace with this — and hope you can too, and will think of these 17 fantastic San Francisco sandwich spots as a starting-off point for an adventure in sandwich exploration.

Health experts consider dining out to be a high-risk activity for the unvaccinated; it may pose a risk for the vaccinated, especially in areas with substantial COVID transmission.

Read More

Lucca's Delicatessen

Copy Link

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.

Little Red Window

Copy Link

As much as Red Window gets (much deserved) props for its pintxos, tapas, and cocktails, it is worth recognizing sister business Little Red Window for its selection of hot and cold sandwiches. Tuck into a hot pastrami sandwich or Reuben, or chomp down on the Jersey Joe made with a trio of roast beef, corned beef, and turkey, as well as Russian dressing and coleslaw.

Molinari Delicatessen

Copy Link

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, but one standout for its simplicity and excellence is the Renzo special, generously stuffed with prosciutto, coppa (hot or mild), fresh mozzarella, and sun-dried tomatoes.

One Market Restaurant/Mark 'n Mike's NY Style Deli

Copy Link

What started as a pop-up at One Market during the pandemic has instead become a different side of offerings from the restaurant team, and one that has continued on at the restaurant since its start in 2020. Alongside classic New York deli offerings, such as the matzo ball soup, there’s a nice array of sandwiches to dig into, such as the smoked brisket, or hot pastrami, all with a generous serving of meat, perfect for a lunchtime indulgence.

A sandwich piled high with pastrami from Mark ‘n Mike’s NY Style Deli
Pastrami sandwich
Hardy Wilson

The Sentinel

Copy Link

Former fine-dining chef turned sandwich and bar pro Dennis Leary reopened his SoMa sandwich destination the Sentinel, which means your end-of-week lunch can once again be a giant corned beef with Swiss, slaw, and Russian dressing on grilled focaccia. And if you’re not there on Friday, don’t fret, there are other excellent options ranging from deviled egg to lamb and eggplant. 

Reuben at the Sentinel The Sentinel

Saigon Sandwich

Copy Link

Saigon Sandwich has long been one of San Francisco's most excellent and affordable destinations, offering an unbeatable deal — $5 — on banh mi sandwiches stuffed with roast pork, chicken, and paté.

Arguello Market

Copy Link

Calling your turkey sandwich the "world's best" is quite a claim, but one thing's for sure: Arguello’s is one of the best in San Francisco. Thick slices of moist meat off of a freshly roasted turkey are topped with lettuce, onion, tomato, and pickles — and obviously, you're getting it on Dutch Crunch. Add pepper jack and avocado to finish it off and if you're feeling crazy, ask them to throw some cranberry sauce on there as well.

RT Rotisserie

Copy Link

Rich Table's quick-service spinoff does any number of things right, but diners can't go wrong with the 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.

Lucinda's Deli & More

Copy Link

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 during off hours.

The Roast Beef from Lucinda Deli
Patricia Chang

Say Cheese

Copy Link

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 and wine to take home for later.

A turkey sandwich on Dutch crunch from Say Cheese. Lauren Saria

Irving Subs

Copy Link

People have been known to cross various bridges to visit Irving Subs, an Inner 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.

Turner's Kitchen

Copy Link

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 options.

Palm City Wines

Copy Link

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 option 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.

Palm City’s Italian American hoagie
Patricia Chang

Chuck’s Takeaway

Copy Link

Chuck’s Takeaway is perhaps an unexpected move for Slanted Door chef Charles Phan, but a welcome one. Here, the popular chef serves up sandwiches on a baguette he spent months in the pandemic to perfect, such as his take on banh mi, loaded up with two types of pate and pork cha, along with a shallot mayo made in-house. If you’re looking for something different, there’s also Chuck’s egg salad sandwich, served on milk bread with a generous sprinkling of chives.

Several plates of sandwiches. Photos by Patricia Chang

Rhea's Deli & Market

Copy Link

Perfect for grabbing and going when you're spending the afternoon in Dolores Park, Rhea's menu is filled with wonders, despite the Korean Steak sandwich leaving the menu in recent years. Peruse the menu taped to the deli counter to find your perfect sandwich for Dolores Park, although it’s worth shouting out the Freak, with pastrami and kimchi. Perhaps most importantly, they're generous with the meat if you’re looking for something hearty.

La Torta Gorda

Copy Link

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.

Submarine Center

Copy Link

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 has three meats (hot pastrami, roasted turkey breast, and corned beef brisket), layered with cheese, hot peppers, mustard, mayonnaise, onions, shredded lettuce, tomato, and a secret sauce that ties it all together. You'll be tempted to get the super, but the center is usually enough.

Loading comments...

Lucca's Delicatessen

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.

Little Red Window

As much as Red Window gets (much deserved) props for its pintxos, tapas, and cocktails, it is worth recognizing sister business Little Red Window for its selection of hot and cold sandwiches. Tuck into a hot pastrami sandwich or Reuben, or chomp down on the Jersey Joe made with a trio of roast beef, corned beef, and turkey, as well as Russian dressing and coleslaw.

Molinari Delicatessen

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, but one standout for its simplicity and excellence is the Renzo special, generously stuffed with prosciutto, coppa (hot or mild), fresh mozzarella, and sun-dried tomatoes.

One Market Restaurant/Mark 'n Mike's NY Style Deli

What started as a pop-up at One Market during the pandemic has instead become a different side of offerings from the restaurant team, and one that has continued on at the restaurant since its start in 2020. Alongside classic New York deli offerings, such as the matzo ball soup, there’s a nice array of sandwiches to dig into, such as the smoked brisket, or hot pastrami, all with a generous serving of meat, perfect for a lunchtime indulgence.

A sandwich piled high with pastrami from Mark ‘n Mike’s NY Style Deli
Pastrami sandwich
Hardy Wilson

The Sentinel

Former fine-dining chef turned sandwich and bar pro Dennis Leary reopened his SoMa sandwich destination the Sentinel, which means your end-of-week lunch can once again be a giant corned beef with Swiss, slaw, and Russian dressing on grilled focaccia. And if you’re not there on Friday, don’t fret, there are other excellent options ranging from deviled egg to lamb and eggplant. 

Reuben at the Sentinel The Sentinel

Saigon Sandwich

Saigon Sandwich has long been one of San Francisco's most excellent and affordable destinations, offering an unbeatable deal — $5 — on banh mi sandwiches stuffed with roast pork, chicken, and paté.

Arguello Market

Calling your turkey sandwich the "world's best" is quite a claim, but one thing's for sure: Arguello’s is one of the best in San Francisco. Thick slices of moist meat off of a freshly roasted turkey are topped with lettuce, onion, tomato, and pickles — and obviously, you're getting it on Dutch Crunch. Add pepper jack and avocado to finish it off and if you're feeling crazy, ask them to throw some cranberry sauce on there as well.

RT Rotisserie

Rich Table's quick-service spinoff does any number of things right, but diners can't go wrong with the 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.

Lucinda's Deli & More

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 during off hours.

The Roast Beef from Lucinda Deli
Patricia Chang

Say Cheese

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 and wine to take home for later.

A turkey sandwich on Dutch crunch from Say Cheese. Lauren Saria

Irving Subs

People have been known to cross various bridges to visit Irving Subs, an Inner 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.

Turner's Kitchen

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 options.

Palm City Wines

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 option 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.

Palm City’s Italian American hoagie
Patricia Chang

Chuck’s Takeaway

Chuck’s Takeaway is perhaps an unexpected move for Slanted Door chef Charles Phan, but a welcome one. Here, the popular chef serves up sandwiches on a baguette he spent months in the pandemic to perfect, such as his take on banh mi, loaded up with two types of pate and pork cha, along with a shallot mayo made in-house. If you’re looking for something different, there’s also Chuck’s egg salad sandwich, served on milk bread with a generous sprinkling of chives.

Several plates of sandwiches. Photos by Patricia Chang

Rhea's Deli & Market

Perfect for grabbing and going when you're spending the afternoon in Dolores Park, Rhea's menu is filled with wonders, despite the Korean Steak sandwich leaving the menu in recent years. Peruse the menu taped to the deli counter to find your perfect sandwich for Dolores Park, although it’s worth shouting out the Freak, with pastrami and kimchi. Perhaps most importantly, they're generous with the meat if you’re looking for something hearty.

Related Maps

La Torta Gorda

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.

Submarine Center

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 has three meats (hot pastrami, roasted turkey breast, and corned beef brisket), layered with cheese, hot peppers, mustard, mayonnaise, onions, shredded lettuce, tomato, and a secret sauce that ties it all together. You'll be tempted to get the super, but the center is usually enough.

Related Maps