Once a deli counter within the late-great City Market, Chop has moved into a St. Johns deli space; however, instead of offering by-the-pound deli meats, the new Chop St. Johns is focusing on its sandwich game. For those seeking briny numbers stacked with hot, pickled, and preserved peppers, Chop knows what it’s about, from the Italian Stallion with ham, salami, mortadella, provolone, roasted red pepper, and pepperoncini to the Sofia Loren with the same three meats, plus coppa, and a combo of Mama Lil’s peppers and banana peppers. The Izzy, an oven-roasted turkey sandwich, gets a little extra oomph thanks to chipotle mayo and fried jalapenos. Chop is open for takeout.

A consummate hole-in-the-wall, Taste Tickler has been serving its deli-style sandwiches to the Broadway crowd for decades now. Though it’s been passed down from owner to owner, the concept has stayed largely the same: traditional submarine sandwiches and bento dishes. Sandwiches here are topped with the usual fixings: mayonnaise, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, onions, and pepperoncini, along with provolone and parmesan. Ordering the eponymous Taste Tickler is a worthy choice, a sub sandwich with ham, salami, and pepperoni, and the usual toppings. However, another pro move is the turkey and cranberry, which gets cream cheese and cuts the toppings down to lettuce, tomato, mayo, and provolone. It’s nothing too fancy, but it is honest, and good. Taste Ticklers offers walk-in and call-in takeout orders.

A bright and sunny sandwich shop decked out with plants and Mexican artwork, Güero is all about the tortas. The restaurant’s takes on the classic Mexican sandwich come on a crispy telera roll, served hot with a variety of offerings including roasted meats like achiote-marinated chicken or braised beef; they’re joined by vegetarian sandwiches, from the fried masa and potato pancake to the refried bean sandwich. Most come with some manner of slaw, avocado, peppers, and cotija cheese, though there’s variety there, as well. The ahogado is an especially messy treat and an iconic menu item: Pork, jalapeno slaw, and cilantro comes on a grilled bolillo roll. It’s served with a side of achiote sauce for either dipping or, more traditionally, drenching the whole thing. Güero is available for online orders.

Pastrami is the name of the game at Sammich, so much so that its companion food cart carries the same name as the flagship sandwich: the Pastrami Zombie. Chef and owner Melissa McMillan brines, smokes, and boils beef brisket in a process that takes nearly a week. The result: Beautifully tender, rich, and aromatic pastrami, stacked tall on rye bread with just a bit of slaw, mayo, and Swiss cheese. It’s such an immaculate sandwich that it’s easy to miss the other items on the menu, but after a few return visits it’s advisable to branch out to sandwiches like the Chicago Italian beef or the excellent burger, Da Burg. However, there’s no shame in sticking with the Zombie. Sammich offers online orders for takeout and delivery via Caviar. 

A relatively new player, Snappy’s opened just before the pandemic truly struck the city. The restaurant, a tiny shop with bodega vibes squeezed between Marukin Ramen and Nong’s Khao Man Gai, focuses on nailing a few diner staples, like a turkey club, tuna melt, patty melt, and chicken salad. It’s quick and affordable, slinging solid, well-made sandwiches with quality ingredients. All the necessary sides (chips, sodas, pickles, etc) are also available. 

Snappy’s offers walk-in and online orders for takeout.

This cozy little neighborhood spot was once packed daily with customers enjoying its sandwiches, burritos, and coffee, but now serves as a takeout spot for its excellent food. There’s no real bad move at Meat Cheese Bread, which goes far beyond its name with all kinds of hot and cold vegetarian sandwiches, often changing seasonally. Still, basics like a turkey with bacon, fontina, and lettuce on sourdough can always be found. Its breakfast burritos are also a major hit. 

Meat Cheese Bread offers walk-in and call-in orders for takeout.

Chef Gabriel Pascuzzi’s Stacked Sandwich Shop has been a hit since it opened in 2017, earning Pascuzzi Eater Portland’s Chef of the Year. Most of the sandwich ingredients at this industrial, counter-service sandwich shop are prepared in-house, including all of the meat and vegetables. The result is a hearty, robust sandwich no matter what the order is, whether it be a smoked turkey hero or Stacked’s oxtail French dip, with charred onion and mushroom and havarti on a toasted hoagie, served with a side of rosemary jus. The turkey reuben with apples, red cabbage kraut, provolone, and house-made “2000 island” dressing, is another winner. Stacked offers online orders for takeout as well as delivery via Caviar.

This SE Division food cart has become a favorite among East Coast expats craving old-school Italian grinders, hoagie rolls stretched wide and stuffed with breaded chicken cutlets, pork-and-beef meatballs, or thinly sliced eggplant. The cart’s Italian cold cut sub, however, is a thing of beauty, layers of ham, pepperoni, salami, and coppa topped with a pile of house giardiniera, hot peppers, shredded lettuce, onions, tomatoes, and the customary oil and vinegar. Order it for takeout onsite or for delivery.

A bánh mì institution, Best Baguette drive-thru lines have been reliably filled for years now. The quick and cheap sandwich and bubble tea shop offers a broad array of baguette sandwiches, each topped with mayo, slivered and pickled carrots and daikon, slices of jalapeno, and thick bunches of cilantro. It’s difficult to go wrong here, but newcomers should start with the Best Baguette Special, which comes with pate, ham, pork roll, and head cheese. Other standouts include the barbecue pork and grilled chicken. Best Baguette offers takeout with walk-in and drive-through orders. 

It didn’t take long for this bright blue fried chicken food cart to gain some serious traction in the city. Despite its origins in a fairly rundown parking lot — now a more dedicated food cart pod with an adjoining market — Jojo’s fanbase quickly grew due to its golden-hued fried chicken sandwiches. Crispy, juicy chicken thighs are stacked high on fluffy buns, topped with shredded lettuce, pickles, and jojo sauce. The Southern fried chicken is the right move for first-timers but those wanting a little more flair can move on to the spicy chicken, which gets the addition of bacon, Crystal honey, and Alabama white mustard sauce. The whole affair is completed with an order of crispy, golden jojos that lend the cart its name. Jojo is available for walk-up, call-in, or online orders.

While places like Best Baguette may carry more name recognition, An Xuyên has quietly served some of the city’s best bánh mì to a faithful crowd for years now. The secret must be in the bread, baked daily in house. It manages to have a crispy, flaky crust, but stays perfectly soft the rest of the way through for ease of dining. Fillings range for the more traditional pate and Vietnamese ham to chipotle chicken, lemongrass pork, and vegetarian options including tofu or faux meat. All of them come with cucumbers, pickled carrot and daikon, cilantro, and jalapenos. None of them clock in at over $5. Beyond the sandwiches, An Xuyên also carries savory and sweet bao, along with a plethora of baked goods from macarons to fluffy tea cakes. An Xuyên offers takeout with walk-in orders.