By TM Petaccia

Updated May 30, 2024

Who doesn’t love a good sandwich? The Charlotte area is home to a lot of tasty choices, from the refined to the hedonistic. We’ve pulled together our list of a dozen favorites. Rather than get bogged down with a “is it or isn’t it” web debate, we’ve decided to exclude hot dog and burger offerings for now (that’s a whole separate story). This unranked list is presented alphabetically, by restaurant.

300 East, Dilworth: The Usual

Until they bring back the Nitty-Gritty Grinder (we keep asking), The Usual is our favorite sandwich, as well as the choice of many regulars, at this historic Dilworth restaurant. An open-faced chicken salad sandwich on a hoagie roll topped with melted cheddar with asparagus and mushrooms. An excellent choice now that the weather calls for heartier fare.

The Usual at 300 East. TM Petaccia/UP

Common Market, Oakwold: The Sinatra

Ring-a-ding-ding, does this sandwich sing. Salami, capicola, prosciutto, provolone, lettuce, tomato, red onion, spicy pepper relish, and a touch of mayo on ciabatta. Basically, an Italian hoagie, but on a superstar level, just like Ol’ Blue Eyes.

The Culture Shop, Plaza Midwood/Belmont: Caprese

Speaking of Italian, this is a classic salad you can eat with your hands: fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, arugula, pesto, olive oil, and balsamic glaze on a stirato roll. Hits the spot every time.

The Everyday Market, Belmont: Roast Beef, Cheese, and Horseradish

Is it worth the drive to Belmont just for a roast beef sandwich? For this one? You betcha. Served on a house-baked ciabatta, the roast beef is a pinpoint medium rare, cheeses heated to a nicely softened state without becoming molten, with a proper amount of horseradish for the right amount of heat and tang.

The Every Day Market’s roast beef sandwich. TM Petaccia/UP

The Good Wurst, Plaza Midwood and South End: Pastrami Reuben

You know those yankee transplant friends you have who typically end most sentences with “like you can’t get down here”? Take ’em to The Good Wurst. They’ll get quiet in a hurry. The pastrami is made in-house. The sauerkraut is made in-house. Even the pickles are made in-house. The sandwich with its Swiss cheese and Russian dressing in addition to the pastrami and sauerkraut served on a grilled rye is a true New York state of mind.

Pastrami reuben from Good Wurst Co. TM Petaccia/UP

House of Pizza, Commonwealth: Veal Cutlet Sub

This one is an unabashed guilty pleasure. Cheesy, meaty, saucy — on a solid toasted hoagie roll. It ain’t fancy, but it’s darn good. They should know how to make a good sandwich by now; HOP has been open since 1978.

Veal cutlet sub from House of Pizza. TM Petaccia/UP

Laurel Market, Myers Park: Yard Art Day Sandwich

For olive lovers, it’s the only sandwich named for a Charlotte grassroots holiday. This vegetarian mélange of olive tapenade, ricotta salata, avocado, tomato, and basil gets your taste glands working overtime. If you are looking for the quintessential savory sandwich, look here.

Orrman’s Cheese Shop, Uptown: The #3: Raclette, Ham, and Fig Jam

It’s got salty notes. It’s got sweet notes. And, oh yea, it’s got one of the meltiest cheeses on the planet. This is a cheese and charcuterie board between two slices of bread. Raclette has that nice slight touch of funk most cheese lovers crave — and is superbly balanced by its well-chosen partners in this sandwich.

Raclette, ham, and fig jam sandwich from Orrman’s Cheese Shop. TM Petaccia/UP

Po Boy’s Low Country Seafood Market, Enderly Park: Oyster Po’ Boy

When UP’s Travis Mullis first reviewed Po Boy’s in 2020, he cited the oyster po’ boy as having “a rich, mineral, sea brine taste … The oysters are coated in a thin, simple batter with generous amounts of salt and pepper and deep fried til the color of golden honey.” It’s a knockout sandwich and a real taste of Louisiana — right on Freedom Drive.

Sav/Way Foods, Windsor Park: The Chilanga

Charlotte’s sandwich cognoscenti have long known about this hidden sandwich shop in the back of a latin supermarket on Central Avenue. There is a wide array of sandwiches to choose, all offering a tremendous bang for the buck. The Chilanga stands out with a combination of Milanesa (breaded slices of beef), sausage, and ham heaped onto a large roll with cheese, onions, tomatoes, lettuce, jalapeños, and a slight schmear of mayo. By far the largest sandwich in this list, it’s perfect for sharing, or maybe heading out on a survival trip. Seriously, this thing is huge — and delicious.

The chilanga from Sav/Way Foods. TM Petaccia/UP