Melbourne's sandwich obsession is here to stay

Melbourne's sandwich obsession will live on past lockdown, with businesses moving from pop-up to permanency.

In Bentleigh East, Time & Place's takeaway trade has been so successful that the owners are opening Saul's Sandwiches (315 Neerim Road, Carnegie) this week, permit pending. Co-owner Leor Haimes found a vacant shop about a month ago while scrolling on his phone in bed. He signed the lease the following week and the build was finished two weeks later. Along with a three-meat hoagie and a pastrami and horseradish roll, Saul's will sell Clark St Coffee, take-home meals, loaves and pastries from Noisette and Ned's Bake Cafe, plus multi-layered Napoleon cake (whole or by the slab) from Cakes of Fantasy, run by co-owner Elliot Koren's parents, who usually cater for the Russian community.

At the start of October Mile End Bagels opened a second outlet wedged between Woolworths and Bunnings at 1 Wilkinson Street, Brunswick. Fitzroy's favourite bagel shop originally planned to open a second cafe in the CBD, but switched to the takeaway-only Brunswick store, encouraging online orders from mile-end.com.au with a dedicated pick-up window.

The city doesn't miss out, though. City Wine Shop (159 Spring Street, Melbourne) may henceforth become known as Schnitty Wine Shop, stuffing rolls with schnitzels Friday to Sunday from 11am until they sell out. Choose from pork neck or chicken schnitzel with signature coleslaw and a hit of chilli. Potato crisps come on the side and you can take away cocktails, beers or even a bottle. They plan to continue sandwich service when City Wine Shop reopens.

Japanese sandos are sticking around, too. In Collingwood, Papirica owner Yutaka "Matsu" Matsuda started iso-baking shokupan (Japanese milk bread) and launched Matsu Deli, selling tonkatsu (crumbed pork), nasu (eggplant) and tamago (egg) sandos every weekend from Papirica (22 Smith Street, Collingwood). He's baking extra shokupan to cater for customers beyond his former five-kilometre radius, but pre-orders via social media are recommended. The sandos will be on the reopening menu.

Quentin Berthonneau of Shokupan is teaming up with Romuald Oudeyer (Romu) on Sando Pop-up, bringing three variations on the Japanese sanger to the Alphington Farmers' Market every Sunday from November 1. Pre-order chicken karaage with native Australian togarashi, Yarra Valley trout and miso tartare or wanpaku (layered vegetables, egg and cheese) via romu.com.au and collect from 2 Wingrove Street, Alphington.

Even Clamms Seafood is using bread as a vessel. Its new Moreton Bay bug roll pack ($115) contains 400 grams of buttery bug meat cooked sous vide, four Martin's Famous Potato Rolls, a tube of gin mayo and a tin of Yarra Valley caviar. Add a bottle of Pommery champagne for $72. Order online for pickup or delivery at clamms.com.au.

And Epocha, directly across the road from Carlton Gardens at 49 Rathdowne Street, is putting on a Saturday sizzle every weekend. It could be a steak sandwich or a chicken souvlaki. "It could be anything, but definitely meat and bread," says owner Angie Giannakodakis. Pre-order at epocha.com.au.