The Best Sandwiches in Adelaide
When John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich, assembled the world's original sandwich in the 1700s, he probably had no idea how far it would go. We don't just mean geographically, either. Sandwiches are now the vehicles for just about every edible item on earth.
Here in Adelaide we've embraced the lot, from the Reuben to the Cubano; the Japanese katsu sando to the cold meat roll – aka the Vietnamese banh mi. We’ve recently seen a resurgence in big Italian style numbers filled with every cut of deli meat imaginable. Whether they're simple, elaborate or completely outrageous, here's where to find Adelaide’s best.
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Lucia's Fine Foods
Lucia’s most popular creation, the Number One, is so beloved that local artist (and former Lucia’s sandwich-maker) Billie Justice Thomson immortalised it on a tea towel. Crusty Italian bread is smothered with olive oil, then layered with mozzarella, prosciutto, tomato and basil. Just get to the markets early to avoid missing out.
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Tonino
Italian-style sandwiches on home-baked focaccia stuffed with secret sauces and traditionally cured meats at the new spot from siblings Anna-Lisa and Nick Barone.
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Bottega Bandito
Focaccia baked in the woodfired pizza oven at Anchovy Bandit next door is the foundation for Bandito’s Italian-flavoured sandwich menu. The mortadella with tapenade, stracciatella, roaster peppers, artichoke and spinach is a worthy contender, but our pick is the freshly sliced sopressa with fior di latte, basil, fresh tomato and fermented and pickled chilli.
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Yuku Do
Get hand-held Japanese staples like tuna onigiri, pork katsu sandos and house-blended matcha make for delicious grab-and-go options without compromising on quality.
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Exchange Coffee
The staff here say this sandwich will “cure all that ails you”. The Wallace has been on the menu since this corner coffee nook opened, and comes with generous servings of avocado, pancetta, chipotle mayonnaise, roasted peppers, tomato and mojo verde (green sauce). There’s also a vegetarian version with haloumi and a vegan version with mushrooms.
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Ernest Delicatessen
Former fine-dining chef James Brinklow has turned his attention to deli sangas, alongside Euro plates like continental breakfast, pork cotoletta, salumi sliced to order and house-made pastas.
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Just Down the Road
This chic, glass-walled coffee shop has an impressive list of sandwiches and rolls. The top-seller is an egg-and-mortadella sandwich (a take on the bacon-and-egg roll) – Swiss cheese, aioli and chilli oil between thick slices of fluffy white bread. As well as being damn tasty, the shop’s sangas might just be the most visually pleasing in Adelaide.
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The Flying Fig Deli
Dare we say this Jewish deli-inspired cafe's Reuben comes close to those served at the landmark Katz’s Deli in New York? We dare. At Flying Fig, the team layers house-made corned beef, house-made sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and Russian dressing between slices of dark rye to create one hefty, very delicious sandwich. This one requires two hands.
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Pinco Deli
The menu of classic toasties and fresh focaccias – including a Reuben with “burger sauce”, an ooey-gooey tuna melt, and one with mortadella, salami, provolone and giardiniera – is inspired by the Italian ethos of simplicity. It’s all in contrast to the deli’s “retro future” design aesthetic.
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Our Boy Roy
It’s all about the paninis and sandwiches at this colourful one-stop shop. You might find a meatball and sugo ciabatta, or a Chicago-style beef roll inspired by the hit TV show The Bear. Grab one and head out the back – you’ll find a park-like setting with planter boxes (growing herbs and edible flowers for the kitchen), tables and chairs, and a large grass area to lay out a picnic rug.
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Yuna Restaurant and Cafe
Japanese breakfast sets and home-style sandos are on the menu at this delightful cafe. To drink, it’s specialty coffee, sake and matcha with salted cheese foam.
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Proof
Wine bar Proof’s golden toasties have been a go-to late-night snack for drinkers since 2013. The menu changes regularly – but past highlights include mushroom with truffle and gruyere; beans with salsa, jalapenos and “Dorito dust”; and a spicy Moroccan lamb number inspired by the homey Algerian cooking at Le Souk in Adelaide Central Market.
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The Lost Loaf
A former Magill Estate pastry chef is behind this tiny artisan bakery inside Plant 4. Not only is it a one-stop-shop for slow-fermented sourdough, croissants and doughnuts; it also does a solid lunchtime trade in baguettes. There are usually two fillings to choose from: a meat option such as smoked Wagyu beef, and a vegetarian number with avocado, beetroot hummus, carrot and tomato.
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Shobosho
The katsu sando, a menu mainstay since this Japanese superstar opened in 2017, has changed a little over time. It usually takes the form of crumbed pork meatball, tonkatsu sauce, mayo and shredded white cabbage sandwiched, in perfect harmony, between two fingers of fluffy white bread, and hard to look past on a menu brimming with hits.
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Aye Frank
This singular sandwich joint comes with an on-site recording studio, which is available to hire for podcast and music sessions. Once you’ve laid down your hit stick, stick around for a panini or sandwich on house-baked bread by an ex-Osteria Oggi chef.
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Rodeo Food & Beverage
This tiny cafe from the owners of Kent Town’s Pogo Coffee Roasters takes the bull by the horns with classic sandwiches (think Reubens with house-made sauerkraut), a cool and colourful fit-out and, naturally, Pogo coffee.
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Dante’s Deli
A seaside sandwich joint inspired by Italy’s takeaway panino bars. Come for chicken-salad sangas, tuna melts, toasties with mushroom ragu, Hark coffee and Boulangerie 113 pastries.
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Spread Delicatessen & Bar
The Dolly team's next-door nook is a masterclass in paninis and toasties. Grab fancy pantry items from the retail section on your way out.
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Munch Deli
This tiny deli brings Vietnamese-inspired sangas and toasties to the city. Most popular is the Pho-nomenal, bursting with brisket and Asian herbs.
