The Best Sandwiches in Montreal

Montreal’s best sandwiches! We’ve already talked to you about the best breakfast sandwiches, the ones we dream of starting our day with. We’ve already told you about the best chicken sandwiches, the ones that make an absolutely delicious lunch. We even told you about the best Bánh mì, the satisfying Vietnamese sandwiches.

Now, we’ve chosen to cast a wide net and include everything that can be recognized under this term. Any dish that consists of two slices of bread with toppings in between is included to create a list that will appeal to sandwich lovers of all kinds.

First, a little background. Legend has it that the sandwich made its debut in 1762 (although there are records of similar dishes from earlier times). It was a certain Sir John Montagu, fourth Earl of Sandwich in England, who, in a pub, not wanting to end his visibly exciting game of cards, asked for something quick and delicious. The kitchen staff prepared a dish with cold meats and cheese between two slices of bread so that he wouldn’t have to interrupt his game. The truth is probably less zany, as many claim that the first sandwich was eaten in Sir John Montagu’s office to save time. Note that British explorer James Cook named two archipelagos in honour of the Sandwich account: the Sandwich Islands (now Hawaii) and the South Sandwich Islands.

Now for our list of the best sandwiches Montreal has to offer!

Dépanneur le Pick-Up

Dépanneur le Pick-Up is a success story in the Mile Ex neighbourhood. Open for years, the atypical place has quickly gained a following with its casual formula and high quality products. The convenience store is both a grocery store and a lunch counter. It serves delicious sandwiches, to eat in or take away. Among them, the pulled pork with pickles, peppers and cabbage, the club with chipotle mayo and the fresh grilled halloumi served with red cabbage, lemon, mint and honey.

7032 Rue Waverly
Montréal

Olive et Gourmando

Olive et Gourmando has been around for over 20 years (!) and is still one of the best places to eat in Montreal. We come here to enjoy a great breakfast, have a coffee, or show our tourist friends how well we eat in our home city. The offer of sandwiches is so mouthwatering that it’s hard to choose. In the morning, the famous Panini Poached egg on your face is essential. While at lunch, we take the Cuban sandwich with pancetta and roasted pork while praying that our dining companion orders the grilled cheese with caramelized onions, and both aged and smoked cheddar, so we can taste it.

351 Rue Saint-Paul Ouest
Montréal

Schwartz’s

Schwartz’s is a staple Montreal institution that has been offering some of the best smoked meat in town since 1928. Opened by Romanian immigrant Reuben Schwartz, the establishment built its reputation around its excellent smoked meat, prepared in a long process lasting up to 12 days. We love the fact that the decor hasn’t changed in 90 years; it takes us back to the Montreal of the 1920s! Be warned, however, that the line-up (regardless of the time of year) can sometimes be long—but it’s worth the wait.

3895 Boulevard Saint-Laurent
Montréal

Capitaine Sandwich

With a name like that, it’s hard not to include them in this list. Capitaine Sandwich is a very gourmet sandwich counter on Duluth Street. With seven sandwiches on the menu and one on the slate, you’ll be satisfied with a gourmet lunch that’s just perfect and delicious. Around noon, the address is buzzing with regulars. Everyone has their favourite: whether it’s the halloumi, the Cuban, the Big Nan, the Curry Coco, or a special, you’ll be sure to find your favourite quickly!

Rue De Bullion
Montréal

Provisions Boucherie

To accommodate the Provisions 1268 teams’ new wine bar, the butcher shop of the same name recently got a makeover. Now in an upgraded space, the place offers sandwiches that showcase the butcher shop’s products using bread from the excellent Hof Kelsten Bakery. There are plenty of options, and there are no bad choices when the meat is of such high quality!

1142 Avenue Van Horne
Montréal

Nita Tout Garni

Nita Tout Garni offers some of the best sandwiches in town! Breakfast sandwiches, chicken sandwiches, roast pork or roast beef sandwiches—everything is homemade and delicious. Their homemade lemonades are also super good and their filter coffee is worth the detour.  

5687B Avenue du Parc
Montréal

Hélico

Hélico is a charming café in Hochelaga. Formerly of Bouillon Bilk, the young trio that run the café are very talented. Hélico café offers a short menu of simple, tasty and fresh dishes, served for brunch or lunch. David Oulu is the one behind the great recipes that we enjoy here; refreshing salads, cold soups and other very good dishes. And what about the breakfast sandwich! It’s amazing: homemade bun, homemade big-mac sauce, smoked meat, egg and pickles… It’s a must-try!  

2009 Avenue de la Salle
Montréal

Chez ta mère

Chez ta mère sandwich shop offers comforting creations that do more than just fill you up. A hybrid between a counter and a café, this little place is perfect for a gourmet lunch break in the heart of Mile End! The menu is designed in the image of Montreal: a cosmopolitan city. Every day, Hamza prepares five sandwiches inspired by the cuisine of five regions of the world (South America, Asia, North Africa, France and Quebec). And since we’re at Chez ta mère, each sandwich is named in honour of a mother.

15 Avenue Fairmount Est
Montréal

Comptoir Sainte-Cécile

A little gem in Villeray, the Comptoir Sainte-Cécile is a veritable treasure for lovers of fine foods. On the shelves and in the fridges, you’ll find great local products: homemade charcuterie, Quebec cheeses, some wines, chocolates, preserves, jams, plantain chips and some breads from Boulangerie Guillaume. You can enjoy delicious and tasty sandwiches that change according to the seasons and the inspiration of the team, but are always made with the best cheeses from Quebec!

232 Rue de Castelnau East
Montréal

Clarke Café

Clarke Café opened in Pointe-Saint-Charles in June 2018 and offers tasty Italian sandwiches, pastries, and coffees to enjoy in house or to go. Frank Servedio worked for over 15 years at the famous Clarke Bakery in Mile End, which was owned by his parents. The sandwiches – Clarke’s signature products – are based on traditional Servedio family recipes and are offered in a number of different variations. Customers can choose from a variety of breads, deli meats, toppings and signature sauces to create a delicious combination of Italian flavours to suit their taste.  

1207 Rue Shearer
Montréal

Club Social PS

Club Social PS is the beautiful café of the restaurant Elena in Saint-Henri. The establishment offers great coffee, excellent pizza and great wine to eat in or take away. There are Italian pastries in the morning, at 11:00 a.m., al taglio pizzas (Roman pizzas) come out of the oven – three or four different options each day – as well as tasty salads and delicious hoagies.  

5090A Rue Notre-Dame Ouest
Montréal

Mitch Deli

On the menu, Mitch Deli offers the same delectable and hearty sandwiches you know from their previous location on De Lorimier: fried chicken sandwich, BLT on focaccia, and vegetarian falafel sandwich, to name a few. It’s important to mention that a large majority of the ingredients are organically grown. There is also a strong desire to partner with local producers to offer even better and fresher dishes, while keeping prices very affordable.  

2660 Rue Beaubien Est
Montréal

Café Gentile

A true Italian institution, Café Gentile has been a great success since it opened on Park Avenue over 60 years ago. With the opening of its second location in Westmount in 2016, Café Gentile now ranks among the best Italian cafés in the city. In addition to serving excellent coffees, both establishments are also known for their tasty sandwiches including the “Fuhgeddaboudit”, a sandwich offered on the lunch menu, made with breaded chicken, fried eggplant, fior di latte, prosciutto, peppers and a light basil mayonnaise. Yum!  

4126 Rue Sainte-Catherine
Westmount

Piazza Salumi

Piazza Salumi is a beautiful Italian delicatessen that also doubles as a ready-to-eat counter. Everything is delicious and of high quality. Piazza Salumi’s sandwiches are the trademark of the establishment! Served in focaccias, they are generous, tasty and soft.  

6833 Boulevard Saint-Laurent
Montréal

Rôtisserie Serrano Bar-B-Q

Served in round Portuguese buns, Serrano Rotisserie’s sandwiches are the emblem of the establishment – chicken breast or leg, sausage, crispy pork belly and even potatoes. Any sandwich variation is possible, tasty and oh so comforting!  

161 Rue Saint-Viateur Ouest
Montréal

Bossa Masson

Just like BOSSA on Wellington Street in Verdun, the address on Masson is a counter-épicerie. You’ll find a wide selection of Italian-style sandwiches, preserves, pastries and more. “Our offer is based on the following trinity: Quebec products, Italian imports and homemade food.”

3136 Rue Masson
Montréal

Kahwa Café

Kahwa café offers a selection of sandwiches that are to die for. You will have the choice between a magnificent selection. For protein, you can choose from kebab (our favourite!), merguez, Tunisian tuna, fried chicken, burrata and more. Kahwa café’s sandwiches can be topped with tomato, cucumber, mint yogurt, onion, lettuce, etc.

331 Avenue du Mont-Royal Est
Montréal

Mano Figa

Mano Figa is the little sister of Mano Cornuto, one of our favourite addresses in Griffintown. Inspired by the typical Italian caffè where Vito grew up, Mano Cornuto has gradually evolved into a restaurant format, with a more extensive and gourmet menu and a dining room where you want to linger a little longer. The new café, which is connected to the restaurant but has its own entrance on Ottawa Street, serves mainly delicious coffees, pastries and decadent sandwiches!

990 Rue Ottawa
Montréal

Tran Cantine

Tran Cantine is a small Vietnamese restaurant that opened its doors in June 2017 on Notre-Dame Street West at the corner of Courcelle Street. You can enjoy excellent Vietnamese specialties at low prices! You can find delicious chicken, beef, or pork bánh mì.

4690 Rue Notre-Dame Ouest
Montréal

Folfol

Folfol opened on March 23, 2022 on Van Horne Avenue, just across the street from the stately Damas Restaurant. Having made a name for itself during the pandemic with its take-out offerings, the Syrian restaurant continues to prepare its delicious take-out specialties. The counter also offers several types of sandwiches, burgers and hot and cold mezzes; a delight! We would like to make a special mention of the Crispy Taouk Burger and the Roasted Lamb Shoulder Shawarma Saj – succulent, gourmet and hearty!

1208 Avenue Van Horne
Montréal

Lulu Épicerie

Rooted in tradition but resolutely modern, this counter-épicerie will charm lovers of Lebanese street food. Everything here is homemade, from the sauces to the salads, including the marinades and the breads, which are handmade by their khabazeh (“the woman who makes the bread”). However, it is the meat that definitely steals the show here: the beef shawarma in particular is tasty and juicy.

2507 Rue Notre-Dame Ouest
Montréal

Falafel Yoni

Falafel Yoni officially opened its doors in April 2018 on St. Viateur Street West and offers excellent Israeli falafel! The concept of the counter is simple: serve falafel with authentic and traditional Middle Eastern flavours. The menu also offers the excellent Sabich sandwich, a delicious mint lemonade, and chocolate-tahini balls for dessert. Everything here is delicious and very fresh! You can also visit their counter on Wellington and at the Atwater Market.

54 Rue Saint-Viateur Ouest
Montréal

Osmo X Marusan

Osmo Café has recently undergone quite a transformation. By day, Osmo X Marusan is a specialty café that offers simple and efficient Japanese cuisine. Ebi curry, Japanese sandos (egg tartare and egg ramen sandwich, pork chop sandwich)… We loved it all.

51 Rue Sherbrooke Ouest
Montréal

Wilensky

Opened in 1932, Wilensky’s is an institution that has retained its old world charm. Trying to fight off the competition, the family acquired a grill to expand its offerings. After several attempts to attract the most loyal customers, the “Wilensky Special” was born and made the establishment famous. Today, the family serves its famous sandwich, made with beef salami and served in a round bun. The sandwich is very affordable and is available for only $4.57.

34 Avenue Fairmount Ouest
Montréal

Arthurs Nosh Bar

Arthurs Nosh Bar opened its doors on Notre-Dame Street West, in the heart of Saint-Henri. The place offers Jewish specialties spiced up with the overflowing imagination of chef Alexandre. The entire menu at Arthurs Nosh Bar is exceptionally good: lots of freshness, a tribute to Jewish cuisine, but with a remarkable touch of creativity. We especially love the gravlax sandwich!

4621 Rue Notre-Dame Ouest
Montréal

Omnivore

Omnivore is a middle-eastern “healthy fast-food” restaurant with a delectable menu! The restaurant is ideal for both vegetarians and grill lovers. The sandwiches change from time to time, and some salads of the moment come and go regularly. Everything is good, especially the keftas and the meats prepared in house.

4306 Boulevard Saint-Laurent
Montréal

Parma Café

Le Parma Café est une adresse incontournable du centre-ville en matière de café, oui, mais aussi de sandwichs qui sont généreusement servis et confectionnés pour satisfaire les papilles des plus gourmands. S’inspirant des repas italiens, le Parma Café sert entre dans des pains au four de délicieux sandwichs de côtelettes de poulet, des paninis de saucisses, des boulettes de viande, des calzones, des soupes et des salades… Une option de choix et un classique en son genre.

1202 Rue Bishop
Montréal

Marché Hung Phat

Depuis son ouverture en 2006, le Marché Hung Phat s’est imposé comme l’une des références incontournables pour les amateurs de bánh mì à Montréal. Fraîches, savoureuses et authentiques, les créations vietnamiennes de cet établissement attirent les foules depuis de nombreuses années.

7099 Rue Saint-Denis
Montréal
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