Seattle’s 48 Best Sandwiches

Is there anything better than a BLT on toast? A Reuben on rye? A grilled cheese on a rainy day? Sandwiches are the Barcaloungers of comfort food—and Seattle has some spectacular specimens. So sit back, relax and salivate at the prospect of enjoying one—or all—of the 48 sandwiches we’re delivering this month. Chips not included.

The Bucket List
Before you kick it, you simply have to try The 5 Best Sandwiches in Seattle at least once…or twice

The Classics
When you’re craving something familiar, these are the sandwiches you just can’t do without 

One-Of-A-Kind Faves
Some sammies are hard to categorize, but oh so easy to swallow

Gyros
Sure, the Greeks gave us democracy. But even with lots of tzatziki, democracy doesn’t taste nearly as good as Greece’s other notable contribution to the world: the gyro.

Bánh Mì
Global politics aside, one of the great benefits of French involvement in Vietnam has to be this baguette-based sandwich, traditionally incorporating thin slices of pickled carrot, daikon, cucumbers, chile peppers and various meat (or tofu) fillings.

The Delicatessens
OK, this isn’t New York, but it’s not impossible to find a decent deli in the Great Northwest

Pulled Pork
It’s the sandwich trend du jour and these places—some new, some well seasoned—know how to play this little piggy to spectacular effect

Salad Sandwiches
Nothing takes you back to grade school like a basic tuna, chicken or egg salad sandwich. The best part about these: They hang together pretty well, so you can savor serenely—and leave the Shop-Vac at home.

Only in Seattle
This list could go on for days—Seattle restaurants are nothing if not diligent in localizing the classics with the bounty of the Northwest. Here are some of our favorites.

Sandwich Central
Where to find our featured sandwiches

Aladdin Gyrocery
University District
4139 University Way NE
206.632.5253

Baguette Box
Fremont
626 N 34th St.
206.632.1511
Capitol Hill
1203 Pine St
206.332.0220
baguettebox.com

Bakeman’s Restaurant
Downtown
122 Cherry St.
206.622.3375

Beecher’s Handmade Cheese
Pike Place Market
1600 Pike Place
206.956.1964
beechershandmadecheese.com

Buffalo Deli
Downtown
2123 First Ave., Suite B
206.728.8759

Café Happy
Kirkland
102 Kirkland Ave.
425.822.9696

Café Presse
Capitol Hill
1117 12th Ave.
206.709.7674
cafepresseseattle.com

DeLaurenti Specialty Food & Wine
Pike Place Market
1435 First Ave.
206.622.0141
delaurenti.com

Delicatus
Pioneer Square
103 First Ave. S
206.623.3780    
delicatusseattle.com

Dinette
Capitol Hill
1514 E Olive Way
206.328.2282
dinetteseattle.com

Elliott Bay Café
Pioneer Square
103 S Main St.
206.682.6664
elliottbaycafe.com

Elliott’s Oyster House
Waterfront
1201 Alaskan Way
206.623.4340
elliottsoysterhouse.com
 
Facing East Taiwanese Restaurant
Bellevue
1075 Bellevue Way NE, Suite B-2
425.688.2986

George’s Sausage and Delicatessen
First Hill
907 Madison St.
206.622.1491

Grand Central Baking Company
Pioneer Square
214 First Ave. S
206.622.3644

Grinders Hot Sands
Shoreline
19811 Aurora Ave. N
206.542.0627

homegrown sustainable sandwich shop
Fremont
3416 Fremont Ave. N
206.453.5232
Capitol Hill
1531 Melrose Ave.
206.682.0935
eathomegrown.com

I Love New York Deli
University District
5200 Roosevelt Way NE
206.523.0606
Pike Place Market
93 Pike St., #4
206.381.3354
ilovenewyorkdeli.net

Kingfish Café
Capitol Hill
602 19th Ave. E
206.320.8757
thekingfishcafe.com
 
KISS Café and Wine Bar
Ballard
2817 NW Market St
206.789.5477

Louisa’s Café and Bakery
Eastlake
2379 Eastlake Ave. E
206.325.0081
louisascafe.com

Luna Park Café
West Seattle
2918 SW Avalon Way
206.935.7250
lunaparkcafe.com

Marination Mobile
Various locations
marinationmobile.com

Matt’s in the Market
Pike Place Market
94 Pike St., Suite 32
206.467.7909
mattsinthemarket.com

Mawadda Café
Hillman City
4433 S Graham St.
206.760.0911

MELT CAFE
Magnolia
2818 Thorndyke Ave. W
206.453.3745
meltcafe-seattle.com

Mr. Gyro’s
Greenwood
8411 Greenwood Ave. N
206.706.7472
davidmwall.com/mrgyro/

Nettletown
Eastlake
2238 Eastlake Ave. E
206.588.3607

The Other Coast Café
Ballard
5315 Ballard Ave. NW
206.789.0936
othercoastcafe.com
 
Paseo
Ballard
6226 Seaview Ave. NW
206.789.3100
Fremont
4225 Fremont Ave. N
206.545.7440
paseoseattle.com

Pear Delicatessen
Pike Place Market
1926 Pike Place
206.443.1926

Pecos Pit BBQ
SoDo
2260 First Ave. S
206.623.0629

Pig Iron Bar-B-Q
Georgetown
5602 First Ave. S
206.768.1009
pigironbbq.net

Pike Street Fish Fry
Capitol Hill
925 E Pike St.
206.329.7453
pikestreetfishfry.blogspot.com

Plum Vegan Bistro
Capitol Hill
1429 12th Ave. E, Suite B
206.838.5333
plumbistroseattle.com

Quinn’s
Capitol Hill
1001 E Pike St.
206.325.7711
quinnspubseattle.com

Rizzo’s French Dip
Ballard
7334 15th Ave. NW
206.588.2841

Roy’s BBQ
Columbia City
4903 1/2 Rainier Ave. S
206.723.7697
royscolumbiacity.com

Sage Café
Capitol Hill
324 15th Ave.
206.325.6429
hillsidequickie.com

Saigon Deli
International District
1237 S Jackson St.
206.322.3700
 
Salumi
Pioneer Square
309 Third Ave. S
206.621.8772
salumicuredmeats.com

Seattle Deli
International District
225 12th Ave. S
International District
206.328.0106

Smarty Pants
Georgetown
6017 Airport Way S
206.762.4777
smartypantsseattle.com

Spring Hill
West Seattle
4437 California Ave. SW
206.935.1075
springhillnorthwest.com

The Swinery
West Seattle
3207 California Ave. SW
206.932.4211
swinerymeats.com

Tat’s Delicatessen
Pioneer Square
159 Yesler Way
206.264.8287
tatsdeli.com

Three Girls Bakery
Pike Place Market
1514 Pike Place, Suite 1
206.622.1045

Volunteer Park Café
Capitol Hill
1501 17th Ave. E
Capitol Hill
206.328.3155
alwaysfreshgoodness.com

Originally published in July 2010