Order From Houston's Absolute Best Sandwich Shops Right Now

There’s never been a better time for a picnic.

Ike’s Love & Sandwiches subs
Courtesy of Ike’s Love & Sandwiches
Courtesy of Ike’s Love & Sandwiches

It seems like burgers get all the attention, but there is another version of the meat, cheese, and bread out there that's worthy of your adoration, and that’s the sandwich. These days, we feel like everybody could use a good sandwich, especially considering that the stuffed, portable carb is perfect for eating wherever it is you may be right now. Whether that’s a socially distancing outdoors at a rooftop, park, or yard, or your perfectly acceptable couch, these Houston sandwich spots will provide the comfort you crave.

BB's Cafe
BB's Cafe

Montrose (& other locations)
At its nine locations across the city, this Tex-Nola mashup is known for perfect po-boys. They come both Big Easy-style -- as in the roast beef “debris” and gravy-smothered Midnight Masterpiece or the Gulf shrimp stuffed “Bedtime in the Bayou” -- and in the Houston form, a la the “Bullet for the King,” in which French bread gets fully loaded with bacon-wrapped, jalapeño-and-cream-cheese-stuffed chicken. Pick your poison, and pair it with BB’s famous Tex-Cajun fries, a poutine-esque creation finished with queso, gravy, and roast beef.
Order to-go online, or check for your nearest location on GrubHub, Favor, and DoorDash.

les baget sandwich
Les Baget

Garden Oaks/Oak Forest
Paris meets Saigon and Houston at this Vietnamese kitchen and banh mi shop that takes the classic sandwich and adds things like moist oak-smoked brisket, hoisin butter chicken, coconut basil prawn, and braised beef belly into daily baked French loaf (or a croissant). Add duck pâté, truffle aioli, fried egg, and a side of lemongrass grilled bone marrow.
Order online for pickup.

local foods upper kirby houston
Local Foods

Upper Kirby (& other locations)
Even the egg salad at this Houston-born sandwich and salad slinger is extraordinary. Sure, there’s mayo, but that mayo is a truffle-laced aioli made in-house. And yes, there are hard boiled eggs, farm-fresh ones to be exact. And the bread? It’s a soft, delicious, locally made Slow Dough pretzel bun. 
Order online for curbside pickup or free delivery (orders over $50), or find ‘em on DoorDash and Favor.

Kenny & Ziggy's New York Delicatessen
Kenny & Ziggy's New York Delicatessen

Galleria (& West University) 
There are far too many things to nosh on at this NY delicatessen (not that there’s anything wrong with that), but if we had to pick one, we'd say get your rye bread grilled, schmear on all that Russian dressing goodness, and make sure either the house-smoked pastrami and cornbread are at least one of the meats involved. 
Order online for curbside pickup, or score delivery via DoorDash, Favor, and Goldbelly (for deli kits shipped nationwide). Note: Currently, only the Post Oak (Galleria) location is open.

Common Bond Cafe and Bakery
Common Bond Bistro & Bakery

Montrose (& other locations)
Common Bond doesn’t screw around when it comes to carbs. Every loaf, croissant and pastry is made from scratch, baked in-house fresh daily. There’s the classic French Dip, Nashville Hot Chicken, and stupid good Charcuterie Baguette. Whichever way you go, add a pillowy fat chocolate chip cookie.
Order online for curbside pickup, hit the On-The-Go drive-thru location on Heights Boulevard, or get delivery via DoorDash, Favor, and Uber Eats.

Revival Market sandwiches
Revival Market

Heights
There are only a handful of sandwiches on the menu at this craft butcher shop, cafe, and market, but every one of those sandwiches is a banger. Grab a 44 Farms & Yonderway pork meatball sub with roasted tomato, Italian cheeses, and hot peppers; go for the 44 Farms beef belly hot pastrami sandwich with pickled shrimp thousand island; or tackle the porchetta packed with hot pepper giardiniera and finished with a fried yard egg. 
Call 713-880-8463 for takeout.

B&B Butchers & Restaurant
B&B Butchers & Restaurant

Washington 
You can take a day trip to Brooklyn via this New York butcher shop/steakhouse hybrid. Place an order from the butcher side to feast on subs like the No. 5 Sicilian, a perfect 10 made with fresh mozz and paper-thin cuts of imported prosciutto that gets a super-fresh boost from plump Roma tomatoes and basil pesto. Or the No. 8, RJ’s Roast Beef stacked with dry-aged sirloin, swiss, whole grain mustard and your choice of sweet or hot peppers.
Call 832-767-4828 for takeout, or get delivery from DoorDash and Favor.

Lazybrook/Timbergrove (& other locations) 
Hot oil peppers should probably be on every sandwich, which you know if you’ve ever tried this cheesesteak shop’s Wicked Philly, a fiery cousin of a classic Philly cheesesteak. Other cheesesteak riffs include the Freaky Philly (with Whizz, brown gravy, and those hot oil peppers); and the Fat Philly (with chicken strips, mozzy sticks, fries, Whizz, and gravy); and there are chicken options and hoagies, too.
Call your nearest location for takeout or check out delivery apps including Grubhub, DoorDash, Uber Eats, Postmates, Favor, and Seamless (varies by location).

Ike’s Love & Sandwiches stack of subs
Courtesy of Ike’s Love & Sandwiches

Heights
This cult favorite sandwich shop comes by way of San Francisco, though it feels plenty Houston when it tucks things like limited-edition BBQ burnt ends or local Pinkerton’s brisket into its famous Dutch Crunch bread. The sandwich stuffing options are endless, from the halal chicken, cheese, and honey mustard loaded Menage a Trois to the vegan-friendly Meatless Mike vegan meatball number. Plus, any sandwich can be stuffed with mozzarella sticks, jalapeno poppers, onion rings, beer-battered zucchini, or all of the above.
Download the Ike’s app to order takeout or delivery.

Maine-ly Sandwiches lobster roll
Maine-ly Sandwiches

Spring Branch East (& Woodlands)
You may not be able to visit Maine right now, but you can still get a taste of it by ordering from this Northeastern-style sandwich shop. It’s home to Houston’s best lobster roll on a buttery toasted bun, and there are snow crab rolls, Italian sandwiches with spicy salami, clam chowder, and homemade whoopie pies, too.
Order online for takeout (and delivery at the Woodlands location), or try delivery via Uber Eats.

Roostar Vietnamese Grill banh mi
Roostar Vietnamese Grill

Galleria (& Spring Branch)
This Vietnamese sandwich shop is like the Subway of banh mi, but with way better ingredients. Load your banh mi up with house-cut meats -- from chopped ribeye and pork belly to smoked salmon, veggies marinated and pickled in-house, and extras like scratch made garlic aioli, pate, and fried egg.
Order online for carryout, or find them on Grubhub, Uber Eats, and DoorDash.

Ploughman's Deli & Cafe sandwich and beer
Ploughman's Deli & Cafe

Garden Oak/Oak Forest
This local deli sits right in an unassuming strip, as many of Houston’s best kept secrets are. It’s where carb junkies can get their fix on everything from fat corned beef topped with beer-infused sauerkraut to a perfectly nostalgic grilled cheese and tomato soup. You can also build your own sandwich if you’re feeling bold.
Order online for pickup or use Grubhub for local delivery.

Mendocino Farms sandwich in front of "Eat Happy" sign
Courtesy of Mendocino Farms

Rice Village (& other locations)
Los Angeles-born and raised, Mendo has made its way to H-town, with locations popping up in Rice Village, Downtown, and more. Here, it’s sourcing things locally, its sandwiches featuring things like honey and herb-marinated goat cheese from Pure Luck Dairy out of Dripping Springs and first-rate loaves from Houston’s Slow Dough Bread Co. Go for farmhouse clubs, fried chicken on brioche, pork belly banh mi, or the seasonal green goddess tuna.
Order online for curbside and delivery by location.

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Brooke Viggiano is a Houston-based writer who appreciates nothing more than some good bread. Follow her carby journeys at @BrookeViggiano on Twitter or @brookiefafa on IG.