Corner Deli, Woolloongabba: Clarence’s lunch specialist sibling Corner Deli started life serving sustainability minded and produce-driven sandwiches. It still is, but now chefs Ben McShane and Matt Kuhnemann have tweaked the offering to focus more on Italian-American-style hoagies stuffed with all kinds of drool-worthy fillings. You can get a Deli Roll (filled with Saison smallgoods, mozzarella, lettuce and tomato), a curried mortadella sub with tomato chutney, a Philly cheesesteak-inspired sub boasting slow-cooked venison, pickles, onion and Big Mac-style special sauce, and a chicken-schnitzel sub with lettuce, chimichurri and peri peri mayo. Bonza!

Cordeaux Social Club, West End: 2022 was a massive year for our sandwich scene. Cordeaux Social Club counts itself amongst the new crop of sandwich slingers, and it’s quickly established itself as one of Brisbane’s best. Though folks rave about the evening menu, we reckon the daytime offering is just as good. With a range that include Fried-chicken sandwiches with iceberg lettuce and red cheddar, smoked beef with gruyere, pickles and gravy, coppa cotto ham with ox heart tomato, and curried egg with potato hash, we’re seriously considering downing tools and paying Cordeaux Social Club a visit right now.

Sunny Side Sandwiches, Windsor and Paddington: When a sandwich shop cites Hector’s Deli and Nico’s Sandwich Deli as inspirations, you know the sandos are going to be a notch above the rest. Sunny Side’s menu offers takes on some iconic bread-and-filling combos, from its panko-crumbed chicken schnitzel roll and beef and pickles sanga to its egg-salad sandwich and salad sandwich. Plus, a constantly rotating option keeps things interesting for those with experimental tastes.

Deli Dakota, Upper Mount Gravatt: The Gift Shop in Wishart was once a proud entrant on its list. Although it’s now closed, its spiritual successor Deli Dakota is ensuring that the sandwiches live on. This cosy cafe splits its menu of hand-held eats into two categories. First is a range of flat sandwiches and melts like the Ham from the Heavens (smoked free-range ham, cheddar, Swiss and parmesan bechamel) and the Forest Mushrooms (garlic and thyme Swiss brown and porcini mushrooms, parmesan béchamel and Swiss cheese with white truffle oil). The other category features slightly more involved options like a spiced buttermilk fried-chicken sandwich with lettuce, kimchi mayo, Kewpie and coriander, a Po’ Boy witb spiced and fried Moreton Bay bug tail, tomatoes, lettuce, mango, sriracha mayo, and Deli Dakota’s take on a banh mi with free-range roasted Kingaroy pork belly, pate, pickled veg and kewpie. No matter your choice, it’ll be a good feed.

Anytime Coffee, Brisbane City: One of The City’s best coffee spots is now serving similarly sensational sandwiches! Seek out Anytime Coffee and nab a made-to-order deli-style sandwich boasting vibrant-yet-balanced flavours. There’s a breakfast bap with baked omelette, gruyere, tarragon butter and chutney, a refreshingly crunchy salad sandwich with seasonal veg, avocado, mint, sunflower seeds and green dressing, a cold cut-packed deli sandwich with leg ham, salami cotto, capocollo, provolone, green olives and guindilla peppers, and a roast porchetta number with chutney, mustard and herb salad.

Ham On Rye, Paddington: The Remy’s and Hai Hai team’s sandwich specialist Ham On Rye is a love letter to the classic deli-style dispensaries of New York. Not just in aesthetics, either – the sandwich joint serves some sensational riffs on classic options. Using custom wide loaves baked by Bakeologists in New Farm, Ham On Rye’s menu features a pastrami-loaded Reuben, an Argentinian-inspired choripan sandwich, a classic cold cuts sambo (filled with ham, roast pork and salami), and a deli salad sambo with lettuce, tomato, red onion, cheese, cucumber, beetroot, carrot, alfalfa sprouts and mayo.

The Twin, West End: Though the selection at The Twin is small and simple, you can’t fault the care and creativity at play. The team bakes its own bread in-house daily, including delightfully spongy focaccia and seeded Jerusalem rolls, which are used as a base for mouth-watering options like caponata, basil, greens and parm sandwiches, focaccia topped with mushroom pate, pickles and greens, and roast pumpkin rolls with muhammara, pickles, salad and harissa aioli. Sensational.

Butter Cafe, Gaythorne: Toasties are king at Butter, the sunny sandwich spot from the Sister Cafe crew. Though its menu is small, Butter’s list ticks off classics like pastrami (with American cheese, mustard pickles, kraut and Tiger sauce), thyme-roasted mushroom (boasting gooey mozzarella, pecorino, basil pesto and truffle mayo), a cheeky chicken melt (punched up with caramelised onion and Japanese sesame mayo) and a four-cheese toastie – a lip-smackingly gooey number that fuses mozzarella, aged cheddar, pecorino and gruyere.

Colin’s Specialty Coffee, Fortitude Valley: Though one of the newest entrants on this list, the crew behind Colin’s Speciality Coffee at 1000 Ann are experienced when it comes to feeding folks. The sibling venue to Paddington Social, Colin’s focuses in on express eats, which means sandwiches are a staple. A  six-strong selection of made-to-order options includes a gooey sauteed mushroom melt with garlic, truffle and Swiss cheese, chicken sandwich with a surfboard-sized panko-crumbed schnitzel, herbed mayo, cheese and lettuce, and the house-made smoked-brisket sandwich with mustard relish, sauerkraut, pickle, cheese and special sauce.

Supernice, Bowen Hills: A cosy cafe in a Bowen Hills back alley is one of the finest spots for a sambo in town. The sandwiches at Supernice are, as you can guess by the name, super nice – especially the tuna melt with tangy sauce, creamy American cheddar, white onion‚ pickled chilies and dill, as well as the wood smoked beef brisket pastrami sandwich with cheddar, dill pickles, sauerkraut, sauce and mustard.

Toastbuds, Bulimba: How good are toasties? Don’t answer that – we know you were going to say, “So good.” Toastbuds might have perfected the art of the toastie. The cafe’s tight list includes a breakfast option filled with bacon jam, scrambled eggs and dill, a classic ham-and-cheese with smoked ham, crunchy pickle and dijon mustard, a kimchi and cheese toastie with sesame, a mushroom-filled sandwich with enoki, king and field mushies sauteed in sesame oil, and the Big Cheese variety with truffled caramelised onion, smoked cheddar, Swiss and a house cheese blend. As good as these sound, Toastbuds’ weekly specials are also worth popping in regularly for.

James & Antler, Fortitude Valley: Nearly every morning, there’s been a line of patrons snaking its way up James Street of sandwich seekers waiting patiently to order one of James & Antler’s famous croques. Beyond the gooey must-try monsieurs and madames, guests will also spy a sugo bolognaise croque (featuring pecorino romano cheese, bechamel sauce and roasted peppers smushed between 72-hour fermented sourdough) and a cod brandade croque, both of which are worthwhile options!

Wilburs General Store, Holland Park: When we think general store, we think essentials. Few dishes are as essential to our day-to-day wellbeing as the humble sandwich and Wilburs boasts a sensational selection to choose from. First they take bread from from Danny’s Bread and Sprout Artisan Bakery and fill it with the likes of salami, basil pesto and brie, roast beef, apple slaw and Swiss cheese, and pumpkin and ricotta with hazelnut and mint pesto. These beauties are made fresh daily and constantly sell out, so you need to get in quick.

Riser Bread, Toowong: Being a bakery, Riser Bread already has its loaves on lock. In addition to bread and pastries, the popular Toowong carb dispenser also sells sandwiches. The options change up regularly, but sometimes you can find the likes of classic egg salad sandwiches with smoked cheddar, pickle and mustard mayo, roast pumpkin with caramelised onion, herb crumb and hummus, and smoked-ham sandwiches.

Dannyboys, Kelvin Grove and Brendale: The two-handers available from this sanga hotspot are described as ‘rocktstar sandwiches’, and a quick look at the menu will reveal a back-catalogue of greatest hits. Starting with the breakfast bacon-and-egg roll, Dannyboys segues through basic, signature and gourmet options, as well as a range of crispy flatgrills for those seeking a toastie.

The Bakeologists, New Farm: If you love a sandwich with a bit of size, wait until you get a look at the whoppers that are available from this Merthyr Road bake spot. Highlights on the Bakeologists menu include The New Yorker (house cooked and locally cured cornmeat, gherkin relish, Swiss cheese and mustard mayo on malted barley pane Italiano), The Vego (roast pumpkin, zucchini, spinach, fetta, hummus, red capsicum mayo and sunflower seeds) and The Davey (mayo, poached chicken breast, salami, chilli, sun-dried tomatoes, baby spinach and double cheese on a panini roll).

Melt Brothers, Brisbane City: When it comes to dynamo grilled-cheese sandwiches, Melt Brothers are just about the best in the game. If you’ve never sunk your teeth into the crispy outer of a Melt Brothers grilled-cheese sandwich, then you simply haven’t lived. There’s a classic two-cheese beauty on the menu (The Mouse Trap), but it sits alongside roughly eight gourmet options, such as roast-chicken sandwich with mozzarella, tomato, rocket and smokey barbecue sauce, the M.C. Cheesy with mac’n’cheese, maple bacon, mozzarella and aged cheddar, and The Godfather with salami, neapolitan sauce, basil pesto and mozzarella.

Dovetail on Overend, Norman Park: You can’t beat a classic, and Dovetail on Overend’s famed Bangalow Babe is a bona fide classic. Sink your teeth into thick-cut sourdough filled with Bangalow ham, Gruyere cheese and tarragon mustard and revel in mouth-watering bliss.

Mr Badger’s, Woollongabba: This Logan Road favourite offers old-school aesthetics and a menu of throwback eats, including a selection of bagel sandwiches and regular two-handers. The smoked-salmon bagel (boasting spring onion and dill cream cheese, capers, black pepper and cucumber), The South Philly Cheesesteak (beef, American cheddar, mushroom, capsicum, onion and aioli on a soft roll) and the signature The Mr J Badgers (house-made meatballs, Napoli sauce, provolone and parmesan cheese) are stand-out selections.

Unbearable Bagels, Teneriffe: When it comes to bagel sandwiches, the team at Unbearable Bagels has a selection well worth investigating. The options change regularly, with eight standard sandwich options and two rotating specials offering something for most tastes – think one breakfast bagel, a carnivorous choice, a vegan alternative, one vegetarian option, a pescatarian-friendly pick and so on. The Nightshift bagel, with salmon gravlax, cream cheese, cucumber, capers, dill, onions, a squeeze of lemon and salt and pepper, is a fave of ours!

Scout Cafe, Petrie Terrace: Bagel sandwiches are all the rage at Scout – with tasty selections to much on at breakfast or lunch. We dig the smoked-salmon bagel with sun-dried tomato schmear, green olive, rocket and lemon aioli, as well as the kimchi bagel with gouda and cheddar, fried egg and wombok slaw.

NYC Bagel Deli, West End and Chermside: The crew at NYC Bagel Deli know that variety is the spice of life, which is why they give diners a bevy of options to find the perfect bagel sandwich for them. Select your style of bagel (poppy seed, jalapeno, garlic, cinnamon raisin, sunflower rye, one with everything), then choose your ideal filling (smoked salmon, smoked chicken breast, pastrami, grilled haloumi) and bam – you’ve got yourself a serious hunger buster.

Fables Bar & Cafe, Woolloongabba: Tucked away at the base of the new-look Princess Theatre, Fables Bar & Cafe operates as a casual lunch spot during the daytime hours. Here there are four kinds of sensational sandwiches available, including a Reuben (corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, seeded mustard, mayonnaise, pickles on rye bread), a tuna melt (tuna, parmesanm buffalo mozzarella on grilled sourdough bread) and brie and quince sandwich with walnuts, crisp apple and rocket on sourdough bread.

New Farm Deli, New Farm: If you’re looking to make a killer sandwich at home, New Farm Deli has all of the gourmet goodies needed to do so. But, if you want someone to do the work for you, the cafe’s panini selection is precisely what you should be inspecting. Our picks? We’re eyeing off the La Grande (mortadella, hot salame, artichoke, jarlsberg, tomato and olives), the Sorrento (prosciutto, bocconcini, pesto and rocket) and the Great Italian (pesto, tomato, pan-fried eggplant and provolone cheese).

Lucky Duck, Highgate Hill: The cool cats behind this cafe like to keep regulars guessing with its ever-changing menu, but satisfaction is always guaranteed when it comes to Lucky Duck’s sandwiches. One week you’ll be able to sink your teeth into a crunchy chicken schnitzel sandwich, others you’ll be tempted by crumbed eggplant sambo with chimichurri.

Make My Day, Woolloongabba: Nothing dampens our day quite like an underwhelming sandwich. Thankfully the team at Make My Day are living up to its name with its small-yet-tasty range of toasties. We adore the kimchi cheese toastie with tomato dipping sauce here – it’ll help make any down day turn into a great one.

Honourable mentions: If you’re seeking a sandwich, be sure to check out Agnes Bakery in Fortitude Valley, O Bagel in The City, Verde and Sweet in Hamilton, and Happy Days Food Co. at The Gap.