5 sandwich spots to try around metro Atlanta, with influences from Cuba to NYC
A good sandwich can be simple, messy or over the top — and Atlanta has plenty that fit the description. From a grilled cheese that eats like a Sunday dinner to a classic Reuben, here are five sandwich spots worth trying around the metro area.
& Cheese — Midtown Atlanta
Just steps away from the Fox Theatre, & Cheese Midtown takes your regular grilled cheese, sends it out the door and takes things up a few floors. Don’t think about your childhood grilled cheese sandwiches — these sandwiches are fully grown.
The concept for the menu is built around classic melts mixed with Southern soul food flavors. That’s where my go-to choice comes in: the Beltline sandwich, which I like to refer to as the soul food grilled cheese. This sandwich is filled with a whole roster of cheese: aged white cheddar, Swiss, muenster, mozzarella and Parmesan, but that’s just the base. Mixed in with all the melted cheese is homestyle mac and cheese, collard greens and cornbread, all pressed between two slices of seasoned, toasted sourdough. The mac and cheese brings a creamy texture, the collard greens cut through some of the richness from the cheeses, and the cornbread provides a little crunch and sweetness in each bite. It’s like having a Sunday dinner between two pieces of bread.
And what’s a grilled cheese without tomato soup? Every sandwich comes with a side of tomato basil soup for dipping.
Then there’s the Vinings, a lobster mac-and-cheese grilled cheese. This sandwich gets into indulgent territory with the lobster taking the rich mac and cheese up a notch. A cheese pull is almost guaranteed with this sandwich.
620 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta. 404-343-1144, andcheese.online.
Atlanta Philly Italian Pasta & Subs — Morrow
Atlanta Philly Italian Pasta & Subs is a Black-owned, veteran-owned and woman-owned shop serving pasta and subs, and I have to kick things off with my go-to sandwich, the Italian sub. It’s a stacked cold sub on soft hoagie bread, starting with a bed of shredded lettuce and slices of provolone cheese, then layered with a variety of Italian meats including salami, capicola and shaved ham, topped with sliced tomatoes and onions, drizzled with oil and vinegar and, finally, sprinkled with oregano. The meat and provolone bring the richness, veggies bring the crunch and freshness then the oil, vinegar and oregano come through and give it that classic Italian sub bite.
And then there’s the size options. You can keep things reasonable with the 12-inch sub or upgrade to the massive 24-inch, which will definitely turn some heads when you have to walk out the door sideways.
I also recommend a side of their spicy secret sauce for dipping, which adds a little kick. It’s a sandwich worth a drive south of Atlanta.
1510 Southlake Parkway, Morrow. 678-489-7582, instagram.com/atlphillyitalian.
Sammy’s — Adair Park
Sammy’s is new on the scene but they’re making big waves that keep the community coming back. They’ve got a sandwich for every mood, but you can’t miss the Miami Sami. It’s their take on the Cuban sandwich, made with pork smoked on site. The bread comes from Pan American Bakery, a local Cuban bakery known for their authentic, hand-kneaded Cuban bread, and that level of detail comes through within the first bite. Smoked pork, mojo mayo and authentic Cuban bread work perfectly together.
Or you can go for the Samigo sandwich. It’s a turkey sandwich leveled up with Latin flavors. Smoked turkey is piled on bolillo bread, then loaded with avocado, shredded lettuce, tomato, onion, pickled jalapenos, ranch and lots of cilantro. The bolillo is made fresh daily by local bakery El Progreso, giving you that softness with each bite. The sandwich is perfectly balanced with the soft fresh bread, smoky turkey with the ranch and avocado providing a creaminess without making the sandwich heavy. I personally enjoy how the pickled jalapenos sneak in a bite of heat to wake you up a little. Every mouthful has crunchy, tangy, creamy and spicy flavors without one overpowering the other.
Sammy’s sandwiches have their own personalities, and each can stand on its own.
565 Northside Drive SW, Atlanta. sammysatl.com.
BoJaynes Specialty Foods — McDonough
BoJaynes Specialty Foods is a hidden gem in McDonough — one of those “if you know, you know” spots. But in case you don’t, that’s where I step in.
This shop, run by a married couple Tanya and Kevin Boatwright, is known for their homemade spice blends and natural ingredients. They offer a variety of dishes made daily to meet a range of dietary preferences from vegan to flexitarian. But when I’m here, the curry Tribeca grinder holds my attention.
This sandwich starts with BoJaynes’ creamy, savory curry chicken salad that’s packed with flavor without overpowering the rest of the components, topped on with lettuce, tomatoes, onions and banana peppers. All that is placed between toasted Tribeca bread which gives the sandwich some structure and texture while the cool curry chicken salad provides a creamy center.
This sandwich gives main character energy, but don’t skip over the other items available at BoJaynes, from specialty spices to wraps.
371 Keys Ferry St., McDonough. 770-914-1154, bojaynesspecialtyfoods.com.
Reuben’s Deli — Downtown Atlanta
With a name like Reuben’s Deli, there’s one thing you know you have to order.
Reuben’s serves its namesake sandwich the classic way: grilled rye bread, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut and Thousand Island dressing, with your choice of corned beef, turkey or pastrami. I personally go with the pastrami — it’s hot, tender and topped with Swiss cheese that starts to melt into the meat while the sauerkraut gives you a tangy bite to cut through the richness of the Swiss cheese and pastrami. The Thousand Island dressing adds a little sweetness and creaminess to the mix, and then everything gets pressed together on grilled rye. With your first bite into this Reuben, you’re met with a light crunch before all the flavors start to mix together in all the right ways. The rye soaks up just enough of the dressing and juices from each layer without making the sandwich a soggy mess.
This place will remind you of a New York-style sandwich shop, including the way you order. Make sure you speak up and yell out your choices — it’s an experience that’ll have you coming back.
57 Broad St. NW, Atlanta. 404-589-9800, reubensdeliatlanta.com.