At its core, a sandwich consists of two slices of bread and a filling in between. But while it seems simple, the number of possibilities seems endless.
Taking the world's favorite handheld snack from good to great involves the perfect balance of flavors and textures — and the right bread to make the ingredients shine. Sure, a homemade PB&J sometimes hits the spot, but try a stacked-bread behemoth from any of these spots pushing the envelope of sandwich construction, and your life will be forever changed.
The restaurants below (listed alphabetically) know the formula and display their flair. These are Miami's best sandwich shops.
Head to Airport Cafe & Liquors for the daily special burger, tacos, and — of course — sandwiches.
Photo courtesy of Airport Cafe & Liquors
Airport Cafe & Liquors
4427 NW 36th St., Miami Springs305-883-7806
airportcafeandliquors.comAt Airport Cafe & Liquors, former Food Network Star contestant Reuben Ruiz promotes the daily and weekly specials via his personal Instagram account with videos and photos of his newest massive creation, inspiring instant hunger. Some creations have become so popular they've made it onto the café's regular menu — from the croqueta ham and cheese sandwich to the avocado, shrimp, and pesto crunch wrap, the cheddar Buffalo fried-chicken sammie with garlic Parmesan bacon, and the chorizo Philly cheesesteak.
Babe's Meat & Counter
9216 SW 156th St., Miami786-429-1315
babefroman.comWhat began as a side hustle at farmers' markets became a full-fledged business for Melanie and Jason Schoendorfer in 2018 when the duo opened Babe's Meat & Counter in Palmetto Bay, expanding the menu with a curated selection of high-end specialty meats. Today, a butcher counter doubles as a breakfast and lunch spot that offers charcuterie, sausages, and sandwiches built around premium cuts. Babe's is one of the only places in Miami that offers Montreal smoked meat, the Canadian take on Jewish deli pastrami, here served on rye bread with mustard. Also worth the trip: the Cuban with house-roasted pork, and the báhn mì, made with your choice of house-smoked pork or duck bacon.
Chèvre Miami
1295 Coral Way, Miami786-332-4128
chevremiami.comThis nook-like artisan market peddling imported meats, cheese, and high-end pantry basics also presents a menu of equally upmarket sandwiches prepared using the shop's various top-notch items. The menu highlights a half-dozen signature sandwiches alongside a daily selection of chalkboard specials. Try the "La Italiana," a mashup of Sullivan Street mezzo doppio slathered with housemade basil pesto, whipped sheep's milk ricotta, and crushed Sicilian pistachios before it's outfitted with thin-sliced Italian mortadella and drizzled with a truffle-infused wildflower honey. Or try the "El Padron," a light and airy pan de cristal that holds buttery-rich paleta Iberico and thick slabs of an award-winning manchego Dehesa de los Llanos cheese, all of it slathered in an aromatic Spanish olive oil. Before you leave, grab one of Chèvre's mini housemade cheesecakes — sublimely creamy and not too sweet — packed into a round wooden cheese box perfect for sharing with a few friends.
Enriqueta's Sandwich Shop
186 NE 29th St., Miami305-573-4681
enriquetas.comYou've probably already tried the pan con bistec at Enriqueta's, the jam-packed Cuban lunch counter/cafeteria that caters to families, workers, and hipsters on the corner of NE 29th Street and Second Avenue in Wynwood. It's a hearty sandwich crammed with thin slivers of steak, tomato, onion, cheese, and potato sticks. Some say it's the best pan con bistec in Miami, but you'd be missing out if you didn't try the Cuban sandwich stuffed with croquetas, which takes the standard Cuban — ham, roast pork, melted Swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard between two pieces of bread — and adds a welcome twist of crispy, cheesy croquetas.
La Sandwicherie
Various locationslasandwicherie.comServing sandwiches in Miami Beach since 1988, La Sandwicherie — now five locations strong — delivers some of the best eats served between two slices of bread you'll find in these parts. A combination of fresh ingredients, crisp baguettes, soft croissants, and the French-themed eatery's Dijon vinaigrette make for an unforgettable trip into sandwich heaven. You'll find locations in Brickell, Wynwood, North Beach, and Coral Gables, but don't miss the original in South Beach, which offers the most old-school vibe. The myriad sandwich combinations here include offbeat ingredients like tuna mix (a French-style tuna salad with olive, artichoke hearts, and hard-boiled eggs), pâté, and prosciutto. Or spring for the signature Frenchie: a simple and satisfying melding of fresh-sliced French salami and Brie. Don't forget to take home a bottle of that dressing while you're there.
The hen of the woods mushroom sandwich from Necessary Purveyors in Miami Beach.
Photo by Nicole Danna
Necessary Purveyor
1222 16th St., Miami Beach561-708-0565
thenecessarypurveyor.comThis Miami Beach casual counter service restaurant dubs itself a curator of fine foods and a necessary purveyor of upscale salads, toasts, and — of course — sandwiches. The all-day menu offers a list of hot and cold sandwiches that range from classics like the smoked pastrami on rye with Jarlsberg Swiss cheese, housemade fermented sauerkraut, and Dijon mustard to modern riffs like the warm and savory hen of the woods prepared with braised maitake mushrooms and Havarti cheese topped off with crispy onion, fresh cilantro, and cilantro aioli.
Proper Sausages
9722 NE Second Ave., Miami Shores786-334-5734
propersausages.comFreddy and Danielle Kaufmann's quaint Miami Shores butcher shop, Proper Sausages, has been the go-to spot for artisanal sausages and responsibly sourced meat since it opened in 2013. The shop also offers an exceptional grab-and-go sandwich menu made with the same antibiotic- and hormone-free, grass-fed, organic meats and poultry it sells. About a dozen sandwiches, along with a daily special and burger of the week, are all listed on a chalkboard menu. Served on Portuguese muffins, they include the sausage, egg, cheese, and pulled pork made with dry-rubbed and roasted pork shoulder and slaw. The "Cubanish" and "Reubenish" take traditional sandwiches up several notches with roasted Berkshire pork shoulder, Wagyu corned beef, homemade pickles, and sauerkraut.
Sandoches
2600 NW Second Ave., Miami (Smorgasburg Miami)sandoches.comAsian and Latin cuisine come together at Sandoches, where traditional Japanese-style "sandos" are prepared with unique ingredients for an upscale take by chef/owner Jhonny Delgado. Each sandwich is meticulously crafted by Delgado himself, from the yuzu kosho (Japanese citrus chili paste) coleslaw found inside his signature chicken katsu sandwich to the guava-guajillo jam and braised onions and mushrooms that pair perfectly with the crispy-edged brisket katsu. Available at Smorgasburg's Wynwood location from 1 to 9 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday.
Sarussi Subs
6797 SW Eighth St., Miami305-264-5464
You'll have the "Man vs. Food Original" when you head into Sarussi Subs, the area's first Sarussi location. It's the must-order item at this sub shop and restaurant, which has been serving its take on Cuban sandwiches for over 50 years. The restaurant first opened as an Italian, Cuban, and Chinese restaurant in 1965, and became well-known for crafting one of the city's largest — and best — Cuban sandwiches. While other Sarussi locations have since opened in Hialeah and off Bird Road — each now under different owners and offering their own unique menus — the Calle Ocho restaurant was first. It's also the one featured on Adam Richman's Man v. Food in a 2010 episode, selected for its double servings of baked ham, roasted pork, mozzarella cheese, pickles, and a heaping portion of Sarussi's secret spicy sauce. Why mozzarella cheese? The original restaurant served pizza, and it was the cheese of choice. Even the bun has a distinct Italian influence: Cuban-style bread brushed with a touch of garlic butter for a zesty finish. Manage to wolf down the nearly foot-and-a-half-long size on the spot, and your photo will earn a place on the restaurant's wall of fame.
Subs on the Run
2801 NW Seventh Ave., Miami305-638-4646There's always a line at this counter service-only Miami sandwich shop that offers a variety of super-stuffed hot and cold subs. The lengthy menu ranges from traditional cold subs and salads (chicken, egg, or tuna salad, to be precise) to hot burger, beef, and chopped chicken subs. That means you can stop in for breakfast for egg-centric sandos like pastrami, egg, and cheese; swing by for a midday meal with their Hawaiian-style sandwich stuffed with chicken, ham, honey-barbecue sauce, and pineapple, or a hearty late afternoon meal with a grilled steak sandwich rife with thin-sliced beef, melted cheese of your choice, and a long list of optional add-on extras.
