The Best Sandwiches in Los Angeles, According to Eater Editors

There is no shortage of sandwich excellence in and around the Southland, and here are some of the best of them to try throughout Los Angeles. New to this update are West Hollywood’s Italian specialist Mamie, Chinatown’s late-night focaccia sandwich stand Frank & Frank’s, plus two tasty options from Echo Park’s Henrietta.

It’s always hard to remove beloved spots, but it was time for Phil’s Deli & Grill to take a step back, as well as Highland Park’s Delicias Bakery and Some, which closed in June 2026. When it comes to sandwiches, Altadena native Mona Holmes keeps it real.

The bread, meat, condiment, and cheese ratio is always key, but she’ll always have a soft spot for Los Angeles’s longtime legendary sandwich makers. Arguably, sandwiches are the most perfect self-contained food, and Los Angeles boasts more than a handful of greats in this genre.

Angelenos can’t get enough of bread layered with varied and hearty ingredients, with vast selections like the incredible Italian sub from Glendale’s Corner Market, or a piping hot pastrami Reuben from Jeff’s Table. There is no shortage of sandwich excellence in and around the Southland, and here are some of the best of them to try throughout Los Angeles.

New to this update are West Hollywood’s Italian specialist Mamie, Chinatown’s late-night focaccia sandwich stand Frank & Frank’s, plus two tasty options from Echo Park’s Henrietta. It’s always hard to remove beloved spots, but it was time for Phil’s Deli & Grill to take a step back, as well as Highland Park’s Delicias Bakery and Some, which closed in June 2026. When it comes to sandwiches, Altadena native Mona Holmes keeps it real.

The bread, meat, condiment, and cheese ratio is always key, but she’ll always have a soft spot for Los Angeles’s longtime legendary sandwich makers.

Pastrami focaccia at Frank & Frank’s

Brian Ayala and Howlin’ Ray’s veteran Mario Aguilar have teamed up for the new Chinatown sandwich shop Frank & Frank’s. Set in the former Burgerlords space, the restaurant serves a tight menu of sandwiches, including a spicy Italian with salami, ‘nduja, stracciatella crema, and shaved Parmesan; the Nostalgia with turkey and candied bacon; and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

The Dima, an arugula and burrata salad, and a double hot dog are also on offer. Frank & Frank’s stays open late on the weekends, with hours until 1:30 a.m. on Friday and Saturday for late-night sandwiches.

Beef stick sandwich at A&J Seafood Shack

One of the best dishes at A&J Seafood Shack in Long Beach contains no seafood at all. A menu mainstay since day one, the beef stick sandwich starts with a toasted hoagie roll filled to maximum capacity with fatty and flavorful lemongrass-scented beef, carrot and green papaya slaw, cucumber spears, cilantro, and jalapeños.

A rich and spicy sriracha mayo spread, along with a mellow hum of chargrilled smoke, ties the whole package together.

Hot classic club at Mike’s Deli

Mike’s Deli prides itself on creating perfect deli sandwiches. It’s all about the thinly sliced meats and layering techniques.

Everything is cut in half so you can see the beauty of a classic club served hot. Though custom sandwiches are available, the hot club is the one to go for, with maple-glazed honey turkey, Swiss cheese, crispy bacon, tomato, onion, pickle, mayo, mustard, and extra creaminess thanks to the avocado.

Diners can even order it protein-style, meaning expertly wrapped in lettuce. If the View Park-Windsor Hills location is too far, try the outpost in Little Tokyo.

Combo grinder at Bread Head

On the Westside, there’s no sandwich shop more of the moment than Bread Head, which recently landed in its first standalone location on Montana Avenue. The focaccia sandwiches can be ordered in full (great for sharing, or for one person who feels particularly hungry) or half sizes (which swing in under $15), with varieties like a muffuletta layering salami cotto, mortadella, and pit-smoked ham; roasted turkey with Calabrian chile-infused mayo; a stacked BLT; and a vegetarian-friendly mozzarella with avocado, alfalfa sprouts, and za’atar.

Sides like Zapp’s Voodoo chips and homemade sweet tea complete the order.

No. 19 at Langer's Delicatessen

There are many terrific sandwiches to be had at this decades-old deli in Westlake, but the pastrami stands above the pack. Langer’s No. 19 is a near-perfect Jewish deli sandwich that features house-baked rye bread, Russian dressing, cheese, coleslaw, and freshly sliced slivers of the most achingly perfect smoked pastrami on earth.

Like all good delis, Langer’s serves its pastrami with a crisp pickle spear on the side.

Beef double-dip at Philippe the Original

This isn’t the time or place to debate whether Philippe the Original invented the French dip over a century ago. It’s a pillar of the Los Angeles community that makes one feel like time hasn’t passed, complete with sawdust floors, old-timer servers who prepare sandwiches to order, and coffee payable in pennies.

The crowds come for the beef double-dip made with a heavy dose of salty jus, tender slices of roast beef, and a few dabs of the famous spicy mustard to round it out. Others opt for a similar version made with sliced lamb.

Philippe’s gets crowded before Dodger games and is a perfect five-minute walk to the stadium shuttle at Union Station.

The Kenmore at Open Market

When Los Angeles residents talk about one of the best tuna sandwiches in the city, they are likely talking about the Open Market’s Kenmore sandwich. It plays on tuna kimbap (also romanized as gimbap), a Korean dish consisting of rice, vegetables, radish, and tuna rolled in gim (seaweed).

Open Market mixes tuna with Kewpie mayo, marinated burdock root, rice vinegar, gim, and pickled radish, before topping it with a fragrant perilla leaf and a slice of cheese. The mix-ins add a balance of gentle sweetness, saltiness, and tangy acid complemented by a green herbaceous note from the perilla and the fattiness of the cheese on two toasted slices of pain de mie.

Wagyu cheesesteak at Matū

Matū introduced the wagyu cheesesteak as a special in 2022 and made it a permanent menu item due to popular demand. The Philly cheesesteak-style number is made with chopped grass-fed wagyu from First Light Farms, melted Cooper sharp cheese, grilled onions, and roasted hot pepper, all on a plush sesame-seeded bun.

The sandwich is available in the dining room for dinner when ordered as part of the Lock, Stock, and Barrel dinner for four, or at the bar or during lunch service. Note: This drippy, messy sandwich pairs beautifully with a dry martini.

Turkey porchetta or mushroom French dip at Henrietta

Locally loved cafe-restaurant Henrietta in Echo Park has a little something for everyone, especially on its lunchtime sandwich slate. The mushroom French dip tastes as hearty as it sounds (even better when plunged into its herby broth), but the simplicity of Henrietta’s turkey porchetta sandwich, dressed with ample aioli, butter lettuce, and slivered pepperoncini, makes it a clear locals’ favorite.

The restaurant also offers its lunchtime sandwiches on gluten-free Vesti focaccia, so bring your gluten-fearing friends, a book, and let the muted daylight spilling through the front windows decide the length of your meal. If you don’t have a book to read, hop over to A Good Used Book in the same Glendale Boulevard complex before or after lunch.

Chicken Parm at The Heights Deli & Bottle Shop

Set in the heart of Lincoln Heights (and on the edge of Glassell Park), the Heights Deli & Bottle Shop is a local favorite for excellent sub sandwiches, natural wines by the bottle, and one of the best selections of canned beer in LA. Any sandwich off this menu is sure to be a hit, but the chicken Parm stands out from the pack with its crusty exterior and tender chicken cutlets.

Served hot, the sandwich is filled with breaded chicken cutlets pounded thin and slathered with rich marinara sauce. Melted mozzarella cheese ties it all together, adding a pleasant saltiness to the acidic tomato sauce.

It’s a classic chicken Parm in all the best ways, and doesn’t try to be anything that it’s not. And as a plus, the bread is just the right texture to avoid that mouth-slicing sensation that often comes with crusty loaves.

On nice days, enjoy the sandwich on Lincoln Heights’ attached outdoor patio.

Chopped cheese at Bodega Park

Chef Eric Park’s sandwiches pull influences from New York City, Korea, and Southern California in the best way.

Bodega Park’s chopped cheese is a love letter to the NYC classic with slight LA elements, piling chopped beef patty, American cheese, grilled onions, roasted jalapeños, shredded lettuce, tomato, ketchup, and mayo on a pressed hero roll. Former New Yorkers, beware: This sandwich might come with an overwhelming sense of nostalgia, but with a twist. Bodega Park’s coffee is on point, especially the misugaru black sesame shaken with oat milk and two shots of espresso.

Rimini sandwich at Mamie

To fully appreciate Mamie, one needs to understand its schiacciata.

The bread is made by hand several times daily by the shop’s owner, Mikael Choukroun, using a recipe by his Italian grandmother. The dough — made of equal parts water to flour and fermented for 72 hours — gets kneaded similarly to focaccia but is distinct in texture, with a crunchy crust and light, chewy center. Olive oil and flaky salt are added to the dough several times after it is initially stretched.

It’s an excellent base for the Rimini sandwich layered with porchetta, crema di gorgonzola, truffled cream, spicy roasted eggplant, and baby arugula.

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• 7900 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA, 90046, US
• (323) 848-4894
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The XO schiacciata at Pino’s Sandwiches

Hailing originally from Florence, Pino’s opened in mid-2025 on Vermont Avenue in Los Feliz. This team slings specialty schiacciata sandwiches, starting with a light, toasted bread from the Tuscany and Umbria regions layered with up to 30 different ingredient combinations at a time.

Schiacciata translates to “squashed” or “flattened,” and the XO is a good introduction to the style. Staff make a generous schmear of pesto and then add mortadella, burrata, and ripe tomatoes in a latticed pattern. For the love of all sandwiches, don’t order something from Pino’s to go: these are best enjoyed on the spot.

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• 1761 North Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90027, United States
• (323) 284-8208
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Pastrami Reuben at Jeff's Table

Jeff Strauss had a career as a television producer and writer before pursuing the art of sandwich-making in the rear of Highland Park’s Flask liquor store. People flock to the low-key operation for a taste of the pastrami Reuben.

The hearty beast of a hot sandwich is piled high with smoky pastrami, melted Comte, sauerkraut, a house Russian dressing, and a perfect Gruyere crisp on a griddled seeded rye bread. If the weather is cooperative, take a seat at one of the cheery yellow tables stationed on Avenue 59.

Flores at Maciel's Plant-Based Butcher & Deli

Maciel’s Plant-Based Butcher & Deli is the vegan sandwich shop LA didn’t know it needed. But now that the city is keen on owner Maciel Bañales-Luna’s incredible creations, there’s no turning back.

While all of the sandwiches stuffed with scratch-made proteins are hearty and flavorful, it’s the jackfruit-filled Flores that never fails to satisfy. Imbued with Mexican chiles, tomatoes, spices, and a touch of maple syrup, the jackfruit’s smoky and spicy profile is not to be missed.

The spicy Italiano at the Corner Market

One of LA’s best sandwiches begins with a crusty 10-inch toasted roll. The staff at Corner Market layers it with spicy capicola, spicy salami, a healthy slice of provolone cheese, lettuce, pepperoncini, red wine vinegar, and a wonderful cherry pepper aioli.

If this isn’t the sandwich for you, visit TikTok or Instagram to see influencers showcase others, such as the 15-hour smoked brisket pastrami or the chopped cheese on an English muffin. While at this Glendale establishment (or the second Burbank location), enjoy selections from an impressive Armenian market with coffee, spices, and beans for home preparation.

Best to order the spicy Italiano, pick up a bottle of wine, fresh produce (especially the dates), soda, and sit down to consume the sandwich on the spot.

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• 471 West Lexington Drive, Glendale, California 91203
• (818) 637-7720
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L.A. street pastrami at Dan’s Super Subs

This longtime San Fernando Valley favorite slings sandwiches out of a tight dining room on Ventura Boulevard in Woodland Hills. From the outside, the building doesn’t look like much, but the constant flow of regulars tells a different story.

The sandwich to order is the LA street pastrami, which arrives piping hot and stuffed with pastrami, provolone, bacon, grilled onions, lettuce, tomatoes, chopped pickles, jalapeños, and a spicy homemade sauce. This sandwich is meant to be eaten without substitutions, so if looking to make a major swap, it may be best to consider other pastrami options on the menu.