Famous for it’s incredible food culture, it’s pretty easy to put together a list of the best sandwiches in Melbourne!
Resident writer Amii Freeman is on a search to find the best sandwiches in the world, follow her journey on instagram @greatinbread. She wrote our Best Sandwiches In Sydney guide last year and is now back to amaze us with her delicious list from Melbourne’s sandwich scene!
Why are sandwich delis so popular in Melbourne?
Melbourne’s sandwich scene is huge, from European style delis to fine dining chefs turned sandwich makers, they have it all. The city is well known for being a hot spot for foodies and you could spend every night for a year trying a new restaurant and not even scratch the surface. But since the pandemic made Melbourne into the most lockdown city in the world, chefs had to rethink how to deliver their cuisine in takeaway form.
Enter, the mother of all foods, the sandwich. Chefs can literally create any delicious dish, place it between sliced bread and call it a successful sandwich. So now, Melbourne is arguably home to some of the best sandwich shops in Australia and you absolutely must visit our list of best sandwiches in Melbourne!
What makes a great sandwich?
The awesome thing about sandwiches is, they do not have to be a decadent over the top affair to blow your socks off. You can have a classic humble sandwich such as roast chicken or a tuna melt and it can make your day 100% better.
For me personally and most sandwich lovers, the top element of a great sandwich is a quality bread such as fluffy white bread, it can really make or break a sandwich experience.
Now anything is great in bread, but the next factor to elevate your sandwich game is the sauce or dressing! From bacon jam to house made pickle mayo, you want to put thought into this if you are aiming for anything above sub-par!
The best thing about sandwiches is, you can be super creative and most cultures will have their take on a sandwich. But to me, if you nail the bread and sauce, the filling can be experimented and changed around to your hearts content. Ready to roll? Let’s get to the best sandwiches in Melbourne!
Best Sandwiches in Melbourne Map!
To make it super easy for you, we’ve put together a sandwiches in Melbourne map so you can logistically work your way around these awesome Melbourne sandwich deli’s in no time!
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1. Stan’s Deli
If you love delicious sandwiches then Stan’s Deli in Melbourne is an absolute must visit, they nail everything from the bread to the inventive fillings. I would recommend the pork and fennel sausage egg muffin, the pickles were melt in your mouth! Also the MLT, crispy mortadella and jalapeño jam had me trying to recreate this genius sandwich at home for weeks.
Stan’s deli is inspired by the old school New York style sandwiches and brings a touch of the humble American diner experience to Melbourne.
2. Nico’s Sandwich Shop
Serving American and Italian style sandwiches, Nico’s Sandwich Shop now has multiple sandwich spots in Melbourne to visit on your lunch hour. Their tuna melt is outstanding and their menu has delicious highlights such as buffalo mozzarella with their original salad creme and a cuban pork belly sandwich with swiss cheese. Yes please to all!
3. Applehead Deli
Applehead Deli is a retro style sandwich shop from husband and wife duo was inspired by New York Jewish style delis. Their rueben is delicious with homemade pastrami and sauerkraut and they even have more classic American style deli sandwiches such as a meatball roll and steak and cheese.
You can’t miss this beautiful deli as they even have their own vintage red car parked outside advertising ‘hot sandwiches’.
4. Kelso’s Sandwich Shoppe
Advertising themselves as the ‘home of the sandwich’, Kelso’s Sandwich Shoppe is sub-lime. Offering everything from delicious vegan sandwiches to cheesy melts and burgers. We went for the famous ‘chop cheese’ filled with diced beef, American cheese, caramelised onion, iceberg lettuce and jalepeños on a baguette.
Also highly recommend their chicken sandwich named the paradise and served with pineapple, yum!
5. Hector’s Deli
The owners of Hector’s Deli switched their fine dining experience to open a humble sandwich shop in Richmond and arguably serves the best sandwiches in Melbourne.
They set out to elevate the classic sandwiches such as the tuna melt, roast beef and dill pickles, mushroom melt and chicken schnitzel. Their roast eggplant cutlet with kale pesto and chilli paste is a stand out, you must visit this sandwich shop.
6. Saul’s Sandwiches
Serving American style deli sandwiches, Saul’s Sandwiches is a retro diner experience that nails the classic sandwich. Their menu boasts mouth watering sandwiches such as porchetta panini, grilled eggplant and smoked pastrami.
Enter into your cheese dreams here as most sandwiches come with incredible cheeses like pecorino, manchego and mozzarella. Let’s not loaf around, we all know a cheese can make any day better.
7. Matteo’s Delicatessen
If you love European style sandwiches then Matteo’s Delicatessen Italian deli and cheese shop is for you! I personally think delicatessen’s always make the best sandwich shops as everything they sell could taste great between two slices of bread.
If you love cold cuts then their ciabatta roll with a choice of two deli meats will not disappoint or their ‘real Italian’ of basil, pesto, mozzarella and tomato is a classic that perfects all elements of a great sandwich.
For those of you with a sweet tooth, you can finish with an Italian Cannoli and thank Londoner in Sydney for the top recommendations!
8. Sloppy Joes
Let’s break down the elements of a Sloppy Joes sandwich; ground beef, ‘sloppy’ sauce (a tomato and Worcestershire based sauce) American cheese, pickles and a soft bun. It’s a messy experience well worth getting your hands dirty for and Sloppy Joes Deli in Melbourne has perfected the recipe.
They also serve inventive sangas such as a Korean beef bulgogi, Texan slow cooked pork belly and a truffle mushroom melt made with double cream brie, let me say that again..double creamed brie!
9. Rusty’s Sandwich Parlour
This place is all about refining every element of a sandwich and i’m here for it! From beer braised turkey to orange pork belly cubano, Rusty’s Sandwich Parlour keep their menu to 10 best sandwiches only and concentrate on bringing the flavour. If you are looking to make your taste buds the happiest they have been then visit Rusty’s for heaven between two slices of bread.
10. Big Dog’s Deli
Anything but sub-standard, Big Dog’s Deli serve made to order mammoth subs packed with the freshest ingredients! Try their big dog made up of prosciutto, pork and fennel salami, nduja, pickled fennel and iceberg lettuce or the veggie panko crumbed eggplant cutlet, smoked scamorza cheese and salsa verde.
If you are British like me, then you will be extremely happy to hear they serve their own homemade crisps (chips for Aussies). I am a firm believer there is nothing better than crisps with a sandwich, except maybe a dill pickle!
11. Jolly Good Sandwiches
Starting in the pandemic, Jolly Good Sandwiches is now here to stay in Melbourne and for a good reason. They serve a small selection of sandwiches and do them extremely well.
Order the roast beef dip with a stout gravy, Swiss emmental cheese and horseradish mayo for a real treat. If you are British then gravy is always a win! The awesome thing about this sandwich shop is that it is in a craft beer bottle shop, a tinnie and a sandwich, hello heaven!
12. Wild Life Bakery
As established at the beginning of this article, the best element of a sandwich is the quality bread, so who better to do this than a bakery?
At Wild Life Bakery, they reinvent the simple sandwich with flavours such as Gochujang braised tofu and Giardiniera salad served in their soft sourdough or baguettes. They truly are some of the best sandwiches Melbourne has to offer.
13. Ima Project Cafe
A Japanese style restaurant that takes unwanted and ugly vegetables from supermarkets and make them into amazing dishes! Ima Project Cafe uses every inch of their ingredients for their environmentally conscious menu, their sandwiches included. Expect options such as hibachi marinated chicken and soy-dashi braised pumpkin and also expect not to be disappointed
14. Greta Wine Bar
That’s right, a wine bar serving sandwiches. Pair your egg sandwiches and provolone cheese with a Pinot Grigio or a beef cheek and mozzarella with a cabernet. Greta Wine Bar really knows what it’s doing and I would highly recommend their espresso martini to finish!
15. Maker and Monger
Fulfil your cheese dreams at Maker and Monger, the home of outstanding toasties. They are experts in Australian and International cheese and you can spend your lunch hour digging into their cheese platters or put your cheese selection between sliced bread, either way you will be a very happy human. A must try is their fondu special toastie, exactly as it sounds, a fondu toastie.
Looking for more Melbourne content?
Make sure you check out more of our Melbourne guides right here!
10 Best Restaurants In Melbourne You’ll Love!
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And don’t forget to check out our Best Sandwiches In Sydney guide too!
Best Sandwiches in Melbourne
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This article is written by Londoner In Sydney team member, Amii Freeman.
Hi I’m Amii! I’m from Darlington in the North East of England. I moved from London to Sydney in 2019 for a slower pace and to be by the coast, without having to give up my love of cities. My passion is in film and TV, I screen-write and act as much as I can. In my spare time I love trying new food, exploring new places, kayaking, hiking and cycling. Follow me on Instagram @amiifreeman!
