10 of Sydney’s best sandwich shops

From breakfast sandos with silky, structural omelettes inspired by Japanese convenience stores, to textural salad sangas with crunchy green apple slices and kale puree, our appetite for sandwiches shows no signs of slowing down.
Here are 10 of Sydney’s best things between sliced bread to sink your teeth into.

Don Fred

Gigi Pizzeria alumnus Lorenzo Petrachi recently opened vegan paninoteca Don Fred on King Street, where he serves light and fluffy focaccia sandwiches. The plant-based fillings are simple and moreish, using inventive ingredients such as house-made roasted black olive meatballs (paired with piquant cheese, napolitana sauce and fresh basil). For a great deal, head over at lunchtime, when you can score half a focaccia with a side of hand-cut crisps (sprinkled with sea salt and rosemary) from just $10.

Must-try sandwich: Parmigiana focaccia with layers of crispy eggplant, napolitana sauce, (plant-based) parmesan sauce and basil, $16

28 King Street, Newtown, donfred.com.au

Frank’s Deli

The breakfast sandwich is the standout at this friendly, neighbourhood deli. It comes packed with fluffy scrambled eggs, American cheddar, house-made sauce and your choice of brisket, speck or miso-braised mushrooms. For lunch, try the Reuben with thick slices of LP’s brisket pastrami and house-made pickles, sandwiched between toasted rye and caraway sourdough — an appropriate choice given the ’70s Brooklyn aesthetic of the Waverley venue. Grab it to go or settle in on one of the rickety bentwood chairs with a coffee and a slice of Basque cheesecake, it’s a good little spot for people-watching.

Must-try sandwich: Frank’s Reuben with LP’s brisket pastrami, sauerkraut, cheddar, dill pickle and Frank’s Polish dressing, $18.50

279 Bronte Road, Waverley, franksdeli.com.au

Good Ways Deli

Old-school salad sangas (replete with the all-important grated beetroot) make a comeback at Good Ways Deli, alongside other nostalgia-inspired goodies such as Milo iced mochas and chocolate lamingtons. Chewy, slow-fermented sourdough bread is baked in-house every morning, creating a fresh foundation for simple favourites like the ham sandwich (featuring Maffra cloth-aged cheddar, onion jam, sprouts, hot mustard, pickles and mayo). Bonus: The Alexandria location is perfectly positioned for an easy picnic in nearby Alexandria Park.

Must-try sandwich: Salad sandwich with beetroot, carrot, sprouts, mushroom pate, tilsit cheese, broadleaf rocket and mayonnaise, $15

81 Buckland Street, Alexandria, and shop 1, 20 Cooper Street, Redfern, goodwaysdeli.com.au

Harvey’s Hot Sandwiches

Harvey’s sells thick, subway-style sandwiches in a ’70s-themed diner just steps away from the Parramatta train station, making it a tempting choice for commuters. The hot chicken is our pick, the Nashville-style bird fried in a spicy buttermilk batter and served with coleslaw and pickles. It’s big enough to share, particularly if you want to sample some sides. Pair it with a herby, salt and vinegar potato salad and a decadent creaming soda float, or order a custom-made ice-cream sandwich (vanilla and chocolate ice-cream made in-house).

Must-try sandwich: Nashville hot chicken with coleslaw, pickles and comeback sauce, $17

Shop 4.05, 12 Darcy Street, Parramatta;,harveyshotsandwiches.com

Kosta’s Takeaway

Yes, it is absolutely worth driving to the industrial area of Rockdale and braving the queue to try Kosta’s sandwiches. Chefs Benjamin Tekalis (ex-Beejays), Lachlan Copeland (ex-Hubert) and Cameron Harris (ex-Cornersmith) have developed a cult following with their big-as-your-head schnitzel sangas, classic(ish) fish sandwiches and crispy potato scallops (best ordered with spicy honey). Pair them with an extra frothy cappuccino for an afternoon pick-me-up or try one of their house-made juices (the carrot is surprisingly refreshing).

Must-try sandwich: Schnitty sandwich with panko-crumbed chicken, parsley, lemon, pickle mayonnaise, iceberg lettuce, eschalot and cheese on an olive oil bun, $22

412 West Botany Street, Rockdale, kostastakeaway.com

Lenny Briskets

Getting your hands on Lenny Briskets’ New York deli sandwiches got a little easier in February, when the food truck opened its first brick-and-mortar shop in Darlinghurst. The sandwich slingers earned a cult following during COVID lockdowns for their densely packed, carnivorous classics such as the pastrami on rye and the Reuben. Meat quality and quantity comes first for co-owner and New York transplant Leonard Grunbaum, who learned the tricks of the trade from his father, a deli owner from Yonkers.

Must-try sandwich: The New Amsterdam with barbecue brisket, American cheese, fire-roasted peppers and Russian dressing, $30

Shop 3, 274-290 Victoria Street, Darlinghurst, lennybriskets.com.au

Mama’s Boy

The team behind Surry Hills’ favourite Shwarmama have returned with Mama’s Boy, an old-school sandwich shop with a fine-dining chef slinging hot chicken and gravy sangas. Co-owners Mat Lindsay (ex-Ester, Poly), Russell Beard and Jin Ng (both ex-Paramount Coffee Project) have swapped laffa bread for A.P sourdough and Martin’s potato rolls with 10 menu options under $20. Breakfast is a highlight, with options such as the konbini-style egg omelette and cheese sanga and rye toastie, packed with LP’s Quality Meats chorizo, gruyere cheese and onion.

Must-try sandwich: The egg and cheese with omelette, gruyere, zhug, white onion, barbecue sauce, aioli and mustard, $10

Shop 2, 106-112 Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills, mamasboysurryhills.square.site

Sandoitchi

Thick slices of white shokupan bread make for a pillowy soft Japanese-style sandwich at Darlinghurst cafe Sandoitchi. The lemongrass-brined, buttermilk-fried chicken sando is a perennial favourite, while the new addition po’ boy oyster katsu (made with Sydney rock or pacific oysters) packs a punch with locally made Fermental as Anything hot sauce. Don’t skimp on dessert: the strawberry sando features yuzu-soaked strawberries encased in light, whipped cream, cut to precision for a sweet end to your lunch break.

Must-try sandwich: Buttermilk fried chicken sando with sriracha mayonnaise, pickled cucumber and Sandoitchi seasoning, $15

Shop 3, 113-115 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst, sandoitchi.com.au

Small’s Deli

This European-inspired neighbourhood deli uses Iggy’s country loaves and locally sourced produce to create its selection of gourmet sandwiches. Dear Sainte Eloise alumnus and co-owner Ben Shemesh elevates his sanga with surprising elements, such as the crunchy, sour granny smith apple slices in the bestselling, vegan Al Green (Good Food Guide editor Callan Boys’ favourite), or the finocchiona (fennel and garlic salami) paired with eggplant, walnut paste, creamed pecorino cheese and rocket in Florence and the Aubergine. Pick up one of the house-made sodas while you’re there; the peach and thyme flavour is delish.

Must-try sandwich: Al Green with kale puree, avocado, iceberg lettuce, granny smith apple, alfalfa, pepitas and vegan green goddess sauce on ciabatta, $15.50

166 Victoria Street, Potts Point, smallsdeli.com.au

Cut Lunch Deli

The wide-ranging menu at Randwick’s Cut Lunch Deliis divided into three sections: Brekkie, Toasties and Sandos. Morning visitors can wrap their mouths around avocado-filled toast or a focaccia-encased bacon, egg and cheese number, chock-filled and oozing a spicy mayonnaise. Late-risers have the choice of all-day toasties and five sandwich combinations. The ham and pickle toastie is nigh-on perfect. Fresh off the press, or a day later from the fridge, its sharp, tangy pickled zucchini and onion stays magical between layers of ham and Jarlsberg cheese on multigrain bread.

Must-try sandwich: Korean fried mushroom with kimchi slaw and pickled radish, $18

220 Clovelly Road, Randwick, cutlunchdeli.com.au