The Best Sandwiches in Melbourne for an Instant Foodie Fix

One of the biggest culinary glow-ups of the last few years is without a doubt the humble sando and with no disrespect to the classics (Devon and tomato sauce we see you), we couldn’t be more here for it. A snack, a meal, and now even a dessert, we’re spoilt for choice when it comes to this ever so versatile dish. Whether you’re craving a bad and boujee lobster roll, a bagel, or a classic salad sandwich, here’s where you’ll find the best sandwiches in Melbourne.

La Manna & Sons Panini Bar 

Step within the unassuming facade of 670 Chapel and you'll discover a true hidden gem, ready and waiting with some of the best sandwiches in Melbourne.

Attached to everyone's favourite local family-owned green grocer and delicatessen, La Manna & Son's Panini Bar is perfect for your next post-shop bite. Browsing through the incredible array of produce, flowers and one of Melbourne's greatest olive oil selections can really build up an appetite, after all. 

Queue up to build your very own sando; you get to pick and choose from the freshest ingredients, which brings a fun little vibe to your lunch. It's a no brainer for stracciatella to be slathered on everything, the mortadella is a must, and we highly recommend their crispy chicken and avocado as a combo, toasted and served up with mayonnaise, thin slices of tomato, iceberg lettuce and red onion, pickles and provolone cheese. Delish!

670 Chapel Street, South Yarra 

Juju's 

The recent influx of focaccia shops refuses to slow down, and one of the best new spots to hit up is Juju's. Based in Thornbury (and soon to be in South Melbourne, too), this delicious spot has a great selection of sandwiches, no matter what time you stop in. Experience a burst of early morning goodness with their Morning Bite sando; all creamy avocado paired with fluffy eggs and alfalfa sprouts, nestled between the freshest and fluffiest of bread. 

Leaning more into the lunchtime space, their chicken schnitzel, mortadella, classic salad, and salami with nduja combos are all worth their weight in gold.

Every sando here is absolutely worth it; their huge and packed full of fresh ingredients. The cute fit-out of the shop is also worth popping in for. 

750 High Street, Thornbury

Zita's Focaccia

Nothing beats the warmth and comfort that comes along with an authentic Italian focaccia. And Zita's Focaccia in South Yarra is a new café offering not only delicious focaccias, but also the perfect range of Spritzes to go with it. You'll want to get in as early as possible in order to secure yourself a bite to eat, because Zita's Focaccia opens at 12.00pm and closes once they sell out.

Sitchu Tip: You've got to try their freshly toasted focaccia with octopus, 'nduja, fennel salad and stracciatella cheese - it's the warm you to your very soul kinda feel-good sandwich that will have you on cloud nine for the rest of the day.

16 Toorak Road, South Yarra

Stefanino Panino

The hype is real...and deservedly so at this Italian-influenced Collingwood Yard destination. The love for Stefanino Panino's array of tantalising focaccia sandos is real - and we for one are more than willing to pile on more praise. Just like you'll be piling on more layers of prosciutto, because these beauties are made-to-order.

You will need to get around their porchetta sandwich though. It's already touting icon status, with a devout legion of fans - and best served with an espresso, of course. 

Collingwood Yards, Unit 4/30 Perry Street, Collingwood 

FOC

Another focaccia spot, you say? Well, we say: try and get to all of them, because each and every one is dishing them out a little different. You'll love this new CBD spot, FOC. From the team behind Sloppy Joe's Deli, the focaccia here is beautifully chewy, equally crispy, and pillowy soft in between. 

We're forever partial to a mortadella sando, and the pickled green tomatoes in FOC's is a nice touch. The rare beef with pickled onions is a winner in both flavour and nostalgia, but the mushroom is the hero here. It somehow manages to be super juicy and almost meaty, with a lush creamy texture thanks to the aioli and cheese. Just thinking about it has us drooling! 

423 Little Collins Street, Melbourne

Lil Lane

Freshly baked focaccia sandos crafted with authentic Italian flavours are drawing a crowd at this fun new spot for sandwiches in Melbourne. That's right: it's top-tier sandwich greatness at Lil Lane. Tucked down a lane in the CBD, these between two slices beauties are made better with the assortment of unique coffee creations being served alongside. Hello, tiramisu and pistachio and white chocolate iced lattes! 

With the focaccia bread (our favourite among them the one dotted with green olives) fresh out of the oven at 10.00am each morning, every sandwich and pizza focaccia slice is made-to-order with fresh and tasty Italian cheeses and flavours. 

The sandwich menu is short and sweet but distinctly exceptional. You'll love each and every one of the three regulars on rotation, from the lush mortadella with homemade pesto, stracciatella and pistachio; the fresh vego abundant in stracchino, zucchini and mushroom; and the La Veneta, with its tantalising blend of sopressa, stracciatella, mushroom sauce, rocket and a garlic confit.

Sitchu Tip: We also recommend throwing a cheeky little Aperol Spritz into the mix for good measure. It's a great way to pretend you're indulging in the good life on the streets of Florence. 

18 Corrs Lane, Melbourne CBD

Piccolo Panini Bar

Indulge in the latest carb craze sweeping through Melbourne at Piccolo Panini Bar. Focaccias, paninis, bagels – you name it, they've got it. As one of the city's newest café hotspots, Piccolo Panini Bar is swiftly winning hearts with its delicious offerings. Whether you're grabbing a quick lunch or seeking a weekend adventure, this spot promises a delightful culinary experience.

636 Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn

Spazio Paradiso

Spazio Paradiso is an Italian-style panini bar that's open from 10.30am until 2.30pm - or until sold out (which happens more often than not). Owners Jamie Georgopoulos and Meika Khong were inspired to create Spazio Paradiso due to their love for creating paninis at home using fresh ingredients from their favourite delis. Now, they craft these delicious sandwiches for the rest of Melbourne to enjoy, too - and they're some of the best in the business. 

709 Nicholson Street, Carlton North

Ruben's Deli

Don't sleep on the sandwiches being served out of Armadale's charming Ruben's Deli. 

Ruben’s brings the spirit of New York's vibrant delis to Melbourne with house-smoked, cured, and hand-sliced fish, signature Reuben sandwiches, bagels, and babkas. Complemented by seasonal salads, warm meats, desserts, and traditional deli staples, Ruben’s is your destination for a table filled with delicious food and drink.

Their signature Reuben is of course a must, but the array of seasonal sandwiches on offer here all stand out temptingly behind the counter. Throw in a still warm from the oven babka and you've got yourself the king of lunches. 

King's Arcade, 978 High Street, Armadale 

G. McBean Family Butcher

Gary’s Meats, a beloved fixture at Prahran Market, has undergone a recent transformation...and winningly enough, sandwiches are now on the menu! Now known as G. McBean Family Butcher, the shop relocated last year to a freshly renovated space within the market. Designed by Wendy Bergman from Bergman & Co, the new premises is an alluring blend of dark green textured tiles, glass-fronted dry-aging cabinets, and brass-trimmed marble, creating an inviting atmosphere.

With a larger footprint, G. McBean Family Butcher now offers an expanded range of ethically-sourced meats, including dry-aged, smoked, and cooked varieties, along with deli goods, wine, take-home meals, and a rotating selection of daily-made sandwiches and rolls from the rotisserie. The weekend porchetta roll sandwich is the stuff Italo-dreams are made of. And like many great sandwich shops in Melbourne right now, the Reuben here slaps. 

Stall 515/163 Commercial Road, South Yarra

Greta

Greta is a real hidden gem in the city, morning through night; a cafe meets wine bar that knows how to craft a truly exceptional deli plate and daily pasta special. For breakfast, their soft egg on focaccia with salted butter is a masterclass in simplicity. But come lunch, you're here for the beef cheek baguette. Layered in with mozzarella and pesto, it comes with a Napoli dipping sauce for maximum deliciousness. Paired with a cheeky glass of red, this has got to be one of our favourite sandwiches in Melbourne right now. 

450 Flinders Lane, Melbourne CBD 

Rocco's Delicatessen

We love this humble spot in Yarraville, bursting with Italian goodness. No frills, big thrills abound at Rocco's Delicatessen, where you can line up for some of the best continental style rolls in town. It is a deli first and foremost, but local devotees know to ask for their made-to-order Rocco Roll, an Italian-inspired sub packed with your choice of antipasti, pesto, cheese and sliced-to-order cold cuts.

We're big fans of their special stracciatella version - it's big, fresh and oozing - and adding mortadella as your deli meat is recommended. 

122 Roberts Street, Yarraville

Hugo's Deli

Hugo's Deli is a Melbourne sandwich shop found on Swan Street in Richmond, serving up Reuben sandwiches, a seriously delicious shokupan fried chicken, great coffee and more. It's a hot contender in the best sandwiches in Melbourne department. 

The first weekend of every month is also one of the best times to descend upon Hugo's, when their flavour bomb FILET-O-HUGO is unleashed upon the public, to critical acclaim of course! Shokupan, alfalfa, chef papi tartare, and a polenta and spices coating are all wrapped around the succulent rockling; trust us, resistance is futile. 

119 Swan Street, Richmond

Rusty's Sandwich Parlour 

Get around Rusty's Cubano sandwich this weekend - no regrets, just saucy orange braised pork, Swiss cheese, pickles and Dijon worth making the journey for. The Cubano doesn't stand alone, however; from a vegan spin on the classic Reuben (hello, beetroot) to a spicy school prawn sandwich with avocado salsa, sour cream and pickled jalapenos, it's hard to put a foot wrong when selecting from the menu at this relaxed and friendly neighbourhood joint.

189 Nicholson Street, Brunswick East

Jimmy's Deli

The home of the famous 1/2 Kilo “New Yorker” pastrami sandwich filtering into your TikTok feeds, Jimmy's Deli in Yarraville is a must for some of the greatest and most souped up sandwiches in Melbourne. A tribute to NYC's famous Katz's Deli, you're going to need to build up a serious appetite for this one! Big on quality ingredients and also great value, a visit to Jimmy's is the new essential weekend plan. Great coffee, scrumptious spanakopita, and other delicious sandos including a meatball sub and the classic Jimmy's roll (in similar vein to a continental) also reign supreme. 

30 Anderson Street, Yarraville 

BAM Cornerstore

Discover the modern-day pantry you've been dreaming of at Bam Cornerstore. From bread and milk to gourmet sandwiches and lemon meringue tarts, this vibrant spot on a residential street has it all.

But you're here for the sandwiches, of which there are many delicious varieties to choose from. Dive into towering delights like the chicken club sandwich, boasting poached chicken, bacon butter, BAM aioli, and fresh butter on shokupan, with pickles and chicken pate dip on the side. Or indulge in the caprese toastie, sprinkled with sea salt and drizzled with sweet balsamic glaze. It's joyful in its simplicity. Their take on the classic Reuben also hits the spot. 

With a rotating menu by chef Rosey Payne, Bam Cornerstore promises a fresh take on the beloved sandwich trend that's bound to satisfy any craving.

23 Albion Street, Essendon

Sloppy Joe's Deli

Sloppy Joe's Deli is an American-style sandwich shop offering house-made donuts, cookies and specialty coffee alongside their mouthwatering array of sandos. Chew your way to happiness with their epic fried chicken burger, eponymous Sloppy Joe or gooey mushroom melt. A go-to destination for a quick energy boost or a leisurely brunch to kick start your day, these are some of the best sandwiches in Melbourne that will have you coming back for more. 

2/190 Queen Street, Melbourne 

423 Little Collins Street, Melbourne 

Morning Market

This is one of our go to spots for a delicious salad sandwich. Nowhere does it better than Morning Market, a light-filled, Euro-style cafe and grocer offering weekly sandwich specials that always hit the spot. Alongside their always available and always incredible salad sandwich (there's just something about that ranch dressing and Baker Bleu seeded spelt) sits an equally impressive chicken one, bursting with poached chicken, walnut, granny smith apple, pickled celery, watercress, cos and a jalapeño mayonnaise, all on white sourdough. These are truly some of the best sandwiches in Melbourne for an instant foodie fix. 

59 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy 

579 High Street, Prahran

Ray's

Stop by Ray's, a chic little sandwich joint along Glenferrie Road, for NYC and Italian-inspired sandwiches and expertly brewed coffee. If you're not swooning over their super fresh chicken, lettuce, avocado and walnut sandwich, or lush mortadella and stracciatella, simple but flavour-packed three cheese and greens, or Roman-style porchetta, artichoke and apple slaw sandwiches, you will be for the striking terrazzo bench that holds pride of place within. Their coffee also hits different, making it one of the best spots to kickstart your day. 

Shop 2/731 Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn

Tucker's Sandwiches 

Werribee is joining in on the sandwich craze with the arrival of Tucker's Sandwiches. For when you need to hit the spot but don’t feel like snacking on an entire culinary encyclopedia, Tucker’s is the place. They're dealing in simple fare done well. Shakes. Coffee. Crazy good sandwiches. From moreish sausage and egg breakfast muffins, beef dips and toasted Turkish rolls with roast porchetta with swiss cheese, pickles and chipotle mayo, to panko-crumbed fried fish with lettuce, house pickles and katsu curry mayo and smoked salmon bagels, the options are seemingly endless and magically delicious. 

92 Watton Street, Werribee 

Nonna’s House

Italian heritage and nostalgic family memories collide at this modest, '70s style brown-brick home and garage, now transformed into an Italian sub shop and cafe that’s already proved hugely popular with the neighbourhood.

Look for the side gate with the bright red 550 - that’s how you’ll enter, before stepping up to the garage window and ordering the sandwich of your choice. There’s of course a meatball sub - four saucy orbs of meaty goodness (that’s a 60-year-old family recipe) lined up in crisp sub roll served with a heavy snowfall of parmesan. You might also be lucky enough to order up a chicken or eggplant parmigiana number, or the pesto-mushroom roll; there’s even loaded fries topped with creamy carbonara or Bolognese sauce. You can just tell it's all made with love and authenticity.

550 Nicholson Street, Fitzroy North

Pretty Boy Floyd's 

Moonee Pond's abuzz with fantastic bagel and banh mi joints these days, so it's proved only fitting that a new sandwich spot would quickly join the ranks. It's a doozy, too. Named after the Depression-era gangster, Pretty Boy Floyd's has taken its cues from American east coast bodegas to present a tasty take on US deli culture...and boy, does that mean good things for our lunch scene. They're serving up one epic Katz's Deli-inspired Reuben, a delicious chopped cheese sub, and a moreish Italian beef that's become mega-famous due to it's feature role in The Bear's debut season. You also can't go wrong with their classic BLT. Run, don't walk. 

767 Mt Alexander Road, Moonee Ponds

Drom Bakery

For all your sandwich and dough-filled dreams, you best head to Drom Bakery. The talented bakers here marry innovation with time-tested techniques and classic flavours to bring you some of the most dazzling pastries imaginable, alongside artisan bread and mouthwatering sandwiches. Plan a venture out to Bayswater and prepare to leave with bags full - of egg salad sandwiches, poached chicken bagels with aioli, celery, apple, herbs, walnuts and lettuce, salted caramel and yuzu meringue half moons, tiramisu and crème brulee croissants, and spinach and feta sourdough. 

1/19 Scoresby Road, Bayswater 

OlMate's

Taking a chomp out of Melbourne's sandwich scene is the new friend about town, OlMate's. The artisanship of these fresh and tasty sandwiches goes hand in hand with there location, in the city's iconic Arts District. Menu highlights include the soulful Roast Beef Sanga, with mint, coriander chutney and provolone cheese, and a rogan josh dipper, and their Japanese spin on the tuna melt, The Big Tuna. Served with nori aioli, provolone, and cucumber relish on a Tuscan flatbread, it's a true boost of umami.

20 Kavanagh Street, Southbank 

Greenwich Deli

A new and pint-sized sandwich shop has arrived in Newport's backstreets, and it's set to steal your heart (and all your money) with its regular rotation of seven mouth-wateringly good sandwiches. Think stacked pastrami Reubens, a fried eggplant, olive tapenade, pesto and spicy vodka sauce sub, and an eggs benny style (pairing braised beef with a hot butter mayo, pickled onion, shredded lettuce and fermented chilli) on brioche bun. The occasional daily special is the chicken and avocado melt with sweet chilli mayo - and it's a must-try!

70 Hall Street, Newport

Hi Fi Sandwiches

Collingwood's cosmopolitan Smith Street is brimming with buzzing bars, eateries, and cafes, and one of the coolest spots to hit the street comes from the team at Terror Twilight. Hi Fi Sandwiches is serving up the most spectacular, drool-worthy mushroom melt and an outstanding mortadella sandwich alongside a dry aged rib-eye Reuben, and honey fried chicken burger with dill pickles, ranch and American cheddar, bagels, curly fries, milkshakes, coffee and other decadent bites. Come for the vintage vinyl, and stay for the sandwiches. 

316 Smith Street, Collingwood

Fuumi Fuumi

Welcome to Fuumi Fuumi, your friendly neighbourhood Japanese bakery. It specialises in shokupan, and is crafting up some of the best sandwiches in Melbourne because of it. Their tamago (egg salad) sandwich is a thing of beauty, plus their pork katsu sando and newly minted chashu ramen sando are packed with both flavour and tasty slaw. Delish!

113 Rosslyn Street, West Melbourne 

6c Daly Street, South Yarra 

263 Lorimer Street, Port Melbourne

Warkop

Warkop is a true hidden gem in Richmond, with a wide range of delicious sandwiches for you to try. Their signature sandwich, the Gado Gado is vegetarian, and made from tofu, tempeh, bean sprout, lettuce and peanut sauce on a Turkish roll. Another Indonesian staple, beef rendang, has become pastrami rendang on light rye, and the chicken taiiwang, a juicy chicken sandwich on sourdough, is the result of the chicken being marinated in tomatoes, shallots, garlic, shrimp paste and sand ginger, then slow-cooked and grilled. The juice is reduced and added to the mayo. Drooling!

12 Risley Street, Richmond 

13 Little Collins Street, Melbourne 

Jollygood Sandwiches 

All sandwiches at Jollygood come served on Dench Baker's soft ciabatta. You'll want to try out the whole menu, although we can't recommend the chicken sanga with citrus-herb mayo, lettuce and cucumber highly enough! There's also a super fresh and tasty cheese salad with farmhouse cheddar, beetroot and carrot pickle, citrus mayo, alfalfa and butter lettuce. If you're after something with a little more heft, you need to go the classic French dip. Layers of prime roast beef, Swiss cheese, house mustard, with a tub of gravy for dipping. 

375 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy 

Stan's Deli

A stylish white and green painted cafe, inspired by the old-world delis and diners of NYC, Stan's is our go-to for the perfect breakfast fix. Go for bagels with whipped ricotta, lemon and dill; stay for the pork-and-fennel-sausage muffins with curried egg and cheese. There's also a scrumptious mortadella sandwich piled high with artichoke, olives and provolone, and a saucy eggplant-parma number. A snug, straightforward sandwich hub you'd love to have in your neighbourhood. 

248b Glenferrie Road, Malvern 

Rocco's Bologna Discoteca 

A sandwich speakeasy meets old world trattoria, Rocco's is like a  fancy Italian McDonald's, serving up classic hits with a cool and buzzy approach. Sandwich wise, you're here for the saucy and super popular meatball sub, the vitello tonnato sandwich with crispy veal tongue, or the fried bologna and mozzarella sandwich, served with pickles and olives. 

15 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy

Road Diner

If you appreciate the journey as much as the destination, then you’ll love Road Diner, the perfect pull-over destination for a coffee and some seriously tasty sandwiches. Found on Glenferrie Road, it’s inspired by the roadside origins of the traditional American diner. The mortadella, the meatball sub, homestyle fried chicken and Reuben sandwich are all highlights; also be sure not to miss out on their delicious and comforting American pancakes with maple butter and other awesome seasonal additions.

817 Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn

Lebajo Milkbar

Could this be Melbourne's cutest sandwich? The newest edition to North Melbourne's budding Japanese-inspired cafe scene, Lebajo Milkbar is seriously upping the sando game. ?Our favourite? ?With whipped cream, perfectly placed fruit, and soft, fluffy milk bread (shokupan), their fruit sando is as tasty as it is beautiful - if that's even possible. If the Mona Lisa was a sandwich, this would be it. 

8-14 Howard Street, North Melbourne

Hector’s Deli

It's a situation of if you know, you know at Hector’s Deli. Fresh, simple and oh so beautiful, this humble milk bar turned neighbourhood sandwich shop is breathing new life into classic flavours. A staple of the Richmond sando scene since 2017, they have now opened a second location in South Melbourne with a historic Victorian frontage and more space to get creative with weekly specials and an extended menu.

A must try is the rare roast beef combo, but the true Aussie classic dialled up to 11 (the tarragon butter is too good), is Hector’s chicken schnitzel. Served with house-made pickle mayo and lots of lettuce, it's an absolute knockout. Punchy flavours, juicy chicken, and a steamed potato bun – need we say more?

Sitchu Tip: Always remember to add cheese and their magical hectic sauce. 

1/94 Buckingham Street, Richmond

253 Coventry Street, South Melbourne 

Nico’s Melbourne

Nico’s prized paninis spend more time in the hands of Melbourne’s sandwich obsessed than their own phones do. Hyperbole? Maybe, but these sandwiches really do hit the spot. You can score yourself one of these loaded bad boys from three locations. First-timers should look no further than their famously good chicken schnitzel and equally as epic vegan alternative, an egg salad, the eggplant parm if it's available, or the Cubano with smoked pork belly.

Healeys Lane, Melbourne CBD

1 Piera Street, Brunswick East

100 Kerr Street, Fitzroy

Seoul Bong Toast

You haven’t had toast like this before. Imported straight from the streets of Seoul, this hangover-cure eatery on Little Lonsdale takes the trusty snack to new heights. Think thick-cut slices of the fluffiest white bread imaginable, grilled and topped with a pillowy beaten egg patty plus layers of meat, cheese, cabbage, and sauce. Go simple with ham and cheese or dive into the sweet and spicy combination of bulgogi, onions, and jalapeno.

551 Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne

Saul’s Sandwiches

In just a few years, five Saul’s locations have popped up in Melbourne, from Carnegie to Hawthorn, Bentleigh East to Balaclava, even the CBD - and they’ve been making waves ever since. On the menu, there are saucy tuna melts, vegan sausage and hash muffins, a seductive smoked pastrami number and the popular Hoagie style - packed with mortadella, ham, salami and provolone. Looking for a veggie option? The eggplant cutlet with broccoli rabe, red peppers and fresh mozzarella is uber-delish!

Various locations across Melbourne

Supernormal

If Supernormal’s lobster roll is ever taken off the menu, you can expect a revolt. Soft, buttery brioche buns hug cool chunks of sweet lobster meat, married with the perfectly balanced sauce of Kewpie mayo, lemon juice, white wine vinegar and mustard. It all eventuates in two or three bites of pure luxury, just enough to leave you wanting more.

180 Flinders Lane, Melbourne

Made your way through the best sandwiches in Melbourne and looking for more delicious fare? These are the restaurants doing delicious dumplings and pick up a delicious post-sandwich treat at our favourite cake shops.