We ate our way through London's sandwiches - these are the ones to try
As Brits, our love for a sandwich goes beyond mere flavour and satisfaction, it's part of our culture, our collective DNA. Some of the best office chats are those of the age old 'crisp in or crisp out' debate, or what the best meal deal combination is (cheese ploughman's, quavers, and a DC... obvs). Yes, London is good at many things: cool bars, Instagrammable restaurants, and afternoon teas, the humble sandwich is a British lunchtime staple, so it's no surprise that the capital is also full of fantastic sarnie options. Some are doing the classics well, and some have gone a bit, well, filling-mad. Either way, we have taken it upon ourselves to find out where the very best sandwiches in London are.
Cafe Mondo
The guys at Cafe Mondo have been making mean sarnies for a lot longer than their recent opening in Camberwell. Having started as a residency in Grove House Tavern, the sandwiches they were serving up spoke for themselves and soon, due to high popularity, Cafe Mondo opened. The fish finger sandwich is their signature dish and it did not disappoint. The batter was crispy and provided great texture compared to the soft bread and fresh peas. They've even thrown in some soft boiled eggs to really up the anti. Warning: expect a queue!
Address: 42 Peckham Rd, London SE5 8PX
We ordered: Fish finger sandwich
Price: from £9
Chatsworth Bakehouse
No ultimate sandwich list would be complete with Chatsworth Bakehouse. Their status in the sandwich game is legendary, proven by the fact that their sarnies are harder to get than Glasto tickets. Set an alarm for 12:29 on Monday morning and pray to the sandwich gods that you'll be a lucky one. Their bread is baked in-house and their fillings are thoughtfully crafted and vary each week (with options suitable for veggies and vegans). If you can, please, just go.
Address: 120a Anerley Rd, London SE19 2AN
We ordered: The tasty tonno
Price: £10
Secret Sandwich Shop
As much as I would like it to be, the Secret Sandwich Shop in Notting Hill is no secret. They've been elegantly stacking Japanese-inspired sandwiches above an underground nightclub. Their signature (and name-sake) sandwich is completely vegetarian, which shows how well they do a veggie sarnie. Expect great textures, soft bread, and for people to ask you "omg, where did you got that sandwich" (this really happened to me!)
Address: 103 Talbot Rd, London W11 2AT
We ordered: Crispy greens
Price: from £10
Best for: Vegetarians
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Quo Vadis
A Soho institution, it's no surprise Quo Vadis has made this list. Although their menu is full of more complex and rich dishes, you can't go wrong with their smoked eel sandwich. A signature dish for the restaurant for a reason: thin toasted bread, big hunks of fish, and some pickled onion to garnish. Don't worry, it tastes a lot better than it sounds!
Address: 26-29 Dean St, London W1D 3LL
We ordered: Smoked eel sandwich
Price: £17
Dusty Knuckle
In no short space of time, Dusty Knuckle earned a cult following - and for good reason. Constant throngs of people outside the doors of their bakery hoping to buy anything from flaky pastries to hearty sandwiches. Dusty Knuckle is a great option for a breakfast sandwich. They use their own freshly baked bread and make all fillings in-house. You can almost *taste* the love they've crafted it with.
Address: Abbot St, London E8 3DP
We ordered: Egg, chilli cheese, on focaccia
Price: from £7.60
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Bánh mì Keu Deli Soho
You can't call yourself a true sandwich connoisseur if you're not a bánh mì lover. A crunchy baguette filled with veg and protein is a sure-fire way to conquer your lunchtime hunger and Keu is the perfect place to get your fix. The food is authentic and delicious, and the finely sliced veggies add a much-needed freshness that balances out the rest of the roll. Trust us, you will *not* be let down.
Address: 9 Poland St, London W1F 8PY
We ordered: Mackerel stew bánh mì
Price: from £11.50
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Sandwich Sandwich
Recently, it's been hard to avoid seeing videos of gigantic lines outside the new Sandwich Sandwich which opened up in St Paul's. Naturally, we had to see what the hype was about, and in this case? The hype is real. It tastes as good as it looks, although it's a beast and can be hard to eat initially. You get a lot of bang for your buck and would be a great option to share with a friend. Fair warning though, it's not the best for veggies and vegans!
Address: 1 Gresham Street, London, EC2V 7BX
We ordered: Chicken Kyiv (with extra jalapenos!)
Price: from £8.95
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Dal Fiorentino
If you were about to book a trip to Italy, don't. Save yourself the money and hop on the tube to Dal Fiorentino where they are serving up authentic Schiacciate Fiorentine. The meat was freshly cut for every sandwich and they weren't stingy on the filling. Our sarnie was £6 making it an ideal lunch option.
Address: 74 Hoxton St, London N1 6LP (various locations)
We ordered: Donatello
Price: from £4.50
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Papo's Bagels
A bagel making this list might be hotly contested. Is it really a 'sandwich'? Well, if you ask me, there's filling between two bits of bread, so yes. Papo's Bagels certainly earns a place on this list. They are one of the most reliable bagel joins in the capital, constantly making soft, chewy dough and thick flavourful filling. You will never catch me turning down an offer to grab a bagel from their small shop tucked away in Dalston.
Address: 73-75 Shacklewell Ln, London E8 2EB
We ordered: The classic
Price: from £5
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Rogue Sarnies
Rogue Sarnies is flavour-central, but beware, it's messy. Come prepared with napkins and wipes if you're planning to eat this on the go. Whilst the roast beef dip sandwich was tasty, the meat ended up making the bread quite soggy. We much preferred their OG Marmite and cheese. The classic combo can't be beaten, and it benefitted from being simpler than some of their other menu items.
Address: 460b Hackney Rd, London E2 9EG
We ordered: Roast beef dip sandwich
Price: from £8
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The Laundry
Not only is The Laundry great for a Sunday roast (and brunch!) but they also make a mean steak sandwich. Seasoned impeccably and filled with fries, this baguette will not leave you hungry. It's usually served to-go, so if you're ever about in Brixton and in need of a quick bite, you know where to go.
Address: 374 Coldharbour Ln, London SW9 8PL
We ordered: Steak frites sandwich
Price: £10
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Marceline
If you've got a craving for a steak sarnie and happen to find yourself in a lovely French brasserie, worry not! Marceline takes the cake for one of the fanciest sandwiches in London. The restaurant is a gorgeous space to dine in which elevated our sandwich-eating-experience to the max. The steak is tender, the cheese perfectly ooey-gooey, and the lettuce adds the perfect fresh crunch. Order yourself a side of chips and you'll be happy as Larry.
Address: 5 Water St, London E14 5GX
We ordered: Steak sandwich
Price: £15
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