Which restaurants make the best sandwiches in Florida? Here are 15 of our favorites
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Following stories featuring the best waterfront restaurants, favorite burgers, tastiest chicken wings, and top Cuban sandwiches, our USA TODAY Network's Florida Dining and Entertainment Team focused on more beloved handhelds for National Sandwich Day, which is Nov. 3.
We have everything from a “Hot Mess” and a “Steak Bomb” to sandwiches filled with famed Sunshine State fish such as grouper and mullet. You will find a sandwich named after a notorious Florida gangster gunned down in 1935 and one that Mick Jagger name-checked during a 2019 Rolling Stones concert.
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Presented in alphabetical order, here’s a list of our favorite sandwiches in Florida for you to consider on National Sandwich Day.
Blue Dog Bar & Grill
4597 Pine Island Road, Matlacha; 239-558-4970; bluedogmatlacha.com
Mullet, which can be bony and strong tasting, is a tricky fish to work with. But you need not worry at this Matlacha gem. “Before we took over, Mulletville restaurant was here,” co-owner Jesse Tincher said. “I guess we were destined to be mullet people.”
They certainly are. Blue Dog gets its Pine Island mullet fresh daily and goes through “600 pounds in a week.” Tincher came up with more than a hundred different ways to serve it when the restaurant had Mullet Madness Mondays. Now you can find it in his smoked fish dip, added to salads and in bowls and tacos.
Our favorite way, though, is in sandwiches. We got our half-pound of fresh, light, flaky perfection blackened on a buttered and toasted brioche bun. The lettuce, tomato and tartar sauce it comes with on the side stayed on the plate so we could go all in on the fish alone. It’s that good here. Trust me and the folks at Blue Dog.
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— Robyn George, The News-Press
Buccan Sandwich Shop
In Palm Beach at 350 S. County Road, 561-833-6295; in West Palm Beach at 1901 S. Dixie Hwy, 561-469-1917; order online at BuccanSandwichShop.com
When celebrated Palm Beach chef Clay Conley opened a tiny, takeout sandwich shop at the side of his popular Buccan restaurant in 2014, he offered sensational simplicity. Simple as in quick service. Sensational as in house-made breads and scratch ingredients. Now with two locations, Buccan Sandwich Shop offers a menu that still poses this dilemma: what to order when everything is equally tempting?
If you’re in the mood for a hefty, meaty sandwich that’s well stuffed without being unmanageable, let me suggest my favorite: the Steak Bomb. A fresh baguette holds a generous amount of finely chopped Prime New York strip steak, peppers, onions, cheese sauce, tomato and lettuce. A smear of smoked paprika aioli completes it.
You’ll want those house-made potato chips and, for dessert, one of Conley’s jumbo chocolate chip cookies, which are finished with a sprinkling of sea salt.
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— Liz Balmaseda, The Palm Beach Post
Deli Llama
124 E. Alfred St., Tavares; 508-5044; www.delillamafl.com
This flavor-packed pressed sandwich, called The Hot Mess, offers a bit of spice for the more adventurous. It begins with a secret three-cheese blend, which then is enriched with garlic, a hint of sriracha mayo and a touch of Worcestershire sauce. The kick comes from the addition of cherry peppers. But what really shines in this sandwich is the house-made turkey, which takes two days to brine.
The sandwich comes on fresh bread sourced from Casselberry and is accompanied by the deli's signature fresh cut pickles. The Hot Mess has been a fan favorite since the beginning and remains one of the most popular signature sandwiches on the menu.
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— Cindy Peterson, Correspondent, Leesburg Daily Commercial
Fav's Italian Cucina
419 Old Main St., Bradenton; 941-708-3287; favsitaliancucina.com
Located in the heart of downtown Bradenton, just south of Tampa Bay, Fav’s Italian Cucina is where siblings Michael Favasuli and Maria Favasuli-Wagner have been serving superior pizza, pasta, stromboli, and sandwiches since opening in 2000. Like most great sandwich makers, the Favasulis use first-rate bread. Baked on-site fresh daily, their Italian flatbread boasts a delightfully crusty exterior and a thick, spongy interior, ideal for stacking meats, veggies, and absorbing flavorful juices.
Fav’s serves several cold subs including their signature Italian with ham, capicola, prosciutto, salami and provolone cheese. You will want to order it “all the way” with lettuce, tomato, onion, banana peppers, mayo, mustard, and oil and vinegar. The meats, cheese, and vegetables are all mouth-watering, but it’s that condiment-soaked bread that never crumbles that you will wake up craving weeks later.
Yes, the bread is the star of Fav’s sandwich menu, which also includes one the best meatball subs you are likely to find in Florida. The Favasulis make their own bread, meatballs, marinara sauce and mozzarella, and it all comes together for Italian-American awesome in their meatball sub, which is a steal at less than $10 for a 12-inch large that can easily feed two.
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— Wade Tatangelo, Florida Regional Dining and Entertainment Editor
Hub Stacey's
312 E. Government St., Pensacola; 850-469-1001; www.hubstaceys.com
When Pensacolians say “good sandwiches,” they mean Hub Stacey’s. These aren’t just sandwiches — these are meat-piled high, bread toasted to perfection and the residue of Hub’s Garlic Butter still lining your fingers as the sandwich slips back down into its tray after a satisfyingly gargantuan bite — kind of sandwiches.
Hub’s the spot you’ll find locals packed on the patio with a beer from a local brewery in hand before heading to a weekend sporting or concert, and still overhear a lively chatter from locals slipping away for lunch during the week. Not only is the neighborhood eatery positioned in one of the easily most picturesque parts of town — historic Seville Square — but the menu also gives you a roadmap of the city through the sandwich titles.
A cruise down the menu will take you to LaRua (a muffaletta with house-made olive salad,) down Palafox (a pastrami on rye,) and a sharp turn to Main Street (ham, roast beef and an abundance of dill mayo.) But the menu lays out two clear choices if you want to try the true locals’ favorites (listed below.) I mean, if it’s named after the street the restaurant sits on, it has to be good, right?
The Tarragona: Loads of smoked turkey on lightly grilled wheat bread with Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and Hub’s dill mayo. (Half: $6.99, Whole: $10.39)
The Government: Lean tender ham grilled with good Ole’ American cheese meting out of a hoagie roll. Top it off with lettuce, tomatoes and touch of dill mayo. (Half: $6.99, Whole: $10.39)
Your map to Pensacola's best sandwiches: National Sandwich Day 2023: Where to find some of the best sandwiches in Pensacola
— Brittany Misencik, Pensacola News Journal
Jeri's Midtown Cafe
1123 Thomasville Road, 850-385-7268; 1370 Market St., Suite #1; 850-756-7660; Tallahassee; jeristallahassee.com
With a new location added this summer on Market Street and a slogan like Love on a Plate, it's easy to fall for any of Jeri Madden's sandwiches. Enfolded in a light and crispy Tribeca Demi Baguette, the pressed sandwiches deliver toasty goodness. For veggie lovers, The Kev is amazing. It's slathered with roasted artichoke hearts, Roma tomatoes, red and yellow peppers, herbed mayo, pesto and cheese. Adding bacon is highly recommended. Or add pulled chicken for a heartier meal. The veggies meld into a gooey burst of flavor with every bite. Also great are The Granny Smith and Brie or The Tab (turkey, apple butter and brie).
Sandwiches come with a range of sides including tasty lobster bisque and Hoppin John Salad. Whet your appetite with complimentary pimento cheese and crackers. It will make you want to try Paige's Pimento Press.
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— Martha Gruender, Tallahassee Democrat
Larry's Lunchbox
Two Naples locations: 2650 Airport-Pulling Road; 239-775-2500 and 870 Neapolitan Way; 239-263-2713; larryslunchbox.net
Can you really call yourself a Naples resident without visiting this kosher-style sandwich joint that’s been open for 37 years? Like that goofy hit song from the 70s, I am torn between two lovers – hot pastrami on rye and “Marci’s Main Mover,” a Reuben-esque turkey sandwich named for co-owner and front-of-house self-proclaimed “sandwich nazi” Marci Redding. Husband Larry is in the back cheffing sandwiches, soups and other goodies at their original across-the-courthouse eatery. Their daughter runs the uptown store. If you fall in love with the hearty rye bread, take home a humungous loaf for $14.
— Diana Biederman, Naples Daily News
Le French Restaurant
Le French Restaurant, 1924 State Road A1A, Indian Harbour Beach; 321-622-8977; lefrenchrestaurant.com
Stylish, intimate Le French has earned a reputation for upscale contemporary French food served at dinner time, but I'll let you in on a secret. Le French serves lunch Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and it's fabulous. The traditional Croque Madame, with its soft, toasted bread, ham, cheese and béchamel sauce, topped by a fried egg, is the stellar combination of flavors and textures. It adds a touch of sophistication to the average lunch hour.
Go ahead and enjoy a glass of French wine while you're there. It's the weekend, after all. And don't forget something sweet. The Cafe Gourmand, a plate of mini desserts served with single shot of espresso, is the just enough to satisfy without leaving you stuffed.
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Ori’s Bakery & Cafe
945 N. Collier Blvd., Marco Island; 239-450-4062; oriscafe.com
Italian beef with all the trimmings from a Portillo’s alum? Yes, and every bite melts in your mouth. Though there’s ample gravy, many customers order an extra side cup; it’s that good. Pro tip: Ask the kitchen to slice this seven-incher in half for easier eating and for extra napkins because you’ll need them. This new spot from Chef Oriana and Tom Reed is one of Collier’s only restaurants that skips the tip prompt at checkout, though there is a cash tip jar if you’re inclined.
— Diana Biederman, Naples Daily News
Paco Submarine
515 N. Dixie Freeway, New Smyrna Beach; pacosubmarine.com
This newly opened New Smyrna Beach gem served me undoubtedly some of the best sandwiches I’ve had to date. Owned by Chef Brian Cieslak and his wife, Sommer Walker, the accomplished pair prides themselves on their fine-dining quality menu, but laid back, family-friendly atmosphere.
Located on the beach town’s North Dixie Freeway, Paco Submarine, much like a good handheld, is a simple concept at first glance, but thoughtfully layered — interwoven with complex, years-perfected recipes, locally sourced ingredients and elevated culinary techniques. With a menu ranging from the Smoked Lamb Wrap, made from curried brined and smoked lamb shoulder, cucumber yogurt and cilantro-mint salad, and The Belafonte, a savory, juicy combination of house smoked bacon, avocado, tomato, “shreddy letty” and homemade herbed mayo, to The Clayton, a personal favorite and rich, tangy layering of buttered rye, griddled pastrami, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut and creamy mustard, the pair was certainly right about one thing: you may have some trouble deciding on just one.
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— Helena Perray, The Daytona Beach News-Journal
PB&J Bistro & Café in Destin
4237 Legendary Drive, Unit H-100, Destin (in City Food Hall); 850-585-5632; pbandjbettertogether.com; facebook.com/PBandJBistroandCafe
PB&J are the initials of Phillip Bauer and his wife, Jess. Chef Bauer, who has worked in the culinary field for 20 years, and Jess, a former practicing attorney, own the café, which is located in the City Food Hall at Destin Commons. The Big Fig PB&J sandwich is made with prosciutto, Brie, fig jam, and arugula on cinnamon raisin bread.
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— Brandi Kalicki, Correspondent, Northwest Florida Daily News
The Sheik
2708 N. Main St., the original, and seven other locations around the Jacksonville area; sheiksandwiches.com
Mick Jagger gets it. During a 2019 Rolling Stones concert in the stadium where the Jaguars play, he joked onstage about washing down a couple of camel riders with a cherry lime-ade. The camel rider, a pita sack stuffed with sliced deli meat (usually ham, salami and bologna) with a little lettuce, tomato and cheese and a touch of dressing, is a great one-handed sandwich, at least at the start. There are vegetarian versions, but if you stray too far from the simple ingredients, it’s not a camel rider any more. You can find riders on the menu at dozens of lunch places around town, including The Sheik (where the sandwich probably got its name), the Goal Post, Southern Grill and Noura’s. Pinegrove Deli has a “camel ryder” on its menu, and the Desert Rider downtown offers a “desert rider.”
Must-try sandwiches: From the Camel Rider to Salmon BLT, 10 great sandwiches to try in Jacksonville
— Tom Szaroleta, The Florida Times-Union
Southside Deli
509 SW First Ave., Ocala; 352-622-9666; yelp.com/biz/southside-deli-of-ocala-ocala
The signature sandwich at Ocala's Southside Deli is the Ma Barker’s Sub. The sub's namesake was the ringleader of a gang of criminals who was killed several miles away in a shootout in Ocklawaha near Lake Weir on Jan. 16, 1935.
“Back when they had their shootout, the funeral home where she laid for three months was right here on the (deli) property, so that’s how we got the (sandwich) name,” deli owner Ed Mills said back in 2022.
The deli even has a photograph of Kate "Ma" Barker and her son Fred on the autopsy table at Sam Pyles Funeral Home, as well as a .45-caliber bullet found in Lake Weir in front of the Ma Barker House, which has been preserved and is available for touring.
More: The Ma Barker, The Billy, The Dirty Bird: Learn all about Ocala's top signature sandwiches
The sub ("it's a killer," according to a cheeky note on the menu) features ham, genoa salami, pepperoni, capicola, provolone, lettuce, tomato, onions, banana peppers and Southside’s special dressing.
— Danielle Johnson, Ocala Star-Banner
The Tiny Turtle
The Tiny Turtle, 249 Minutemen Causeway, Cocoa Beach; 321-446-7361; thetinyturtle.com
If you're craving a taste of the islands, you'll find it at The Tiny Turtle, the friendliest, most cheerful restaurant in Cocoa Beach. I ordered the Tripleta Sandwich on my last visit with every intention of taking half home. Instead, I cleaned my plate. What's not to love about roasted island pork, braised island chicken, savory sweet ham, pepper jack cheese, romaine, tomato, potato sticks and Creme Caribe on pressed Puerto Rican sobao bread?
The food is enough to keep you coming back to The Tiny Turtle, but here's another incentive. The Caribbean-fusion eatery is a Surf Rider Foundation-certified Ocean Friendly Restaurant. The Tiny Turtle started reducing its plastic usage in 2017. Now, paper straws are offered only by request. The restaurant has switched to paper to-go bags, gotten rid of polystyrene foam cups and provides paper utensils and containers for to-go orders.
More about The Tiny Turtle: From tiny to mighty: Cocoa Beach restaurant survives challenges to become local mainstay
— Suzy Fleming Leonard, FLORIDA TODAY
Walt's Fish Market Restaurant & Tiki Bar
4144 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota; 941-921-4605; waltsfishmarketrestaurant.com
A Sarasota institution that has been family-owned and operated for more than a century, Walt's is a seafood market and restaurant that lives by the saying: "The fish we sell today, slept in the Gulf last night." And that motto keeps the restaurant, with indoor and outdoor seating as well as a tiki bar, filled throughout the year, and especially during the upcoming tourist season.
There are many fine ways to experience Walt’s fresh seafood, but my favorite is their rendition of the ubiquitous grouper sandwich, hilariously named the Square Grouper Sandwich ($26). It features the plump fillet of fish cooked to your liking (I prefer mine blackened) and served on ciabatta bread with lettuce, tomato, crispy onions, and Key lime tartar sauce for the win.
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— Wade Tatangelo, Florida Regional Dining and Entertainment Editor
This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Best restaurants for sandwiches in Florida
