The Best of New York’s Dinner-Sized Sandwiches (2024)

Sandwiches are many things to many people: a quick hot breakfast, a lunch held in one hand while sitting at a desk or walking, a snack in the afternoon. In these capacities, they tend to run from small to medium-size, and are eminently portable. But some sandwiches are harder to eat tidily, especially those that are messy enough that you may reach for a knife and fork. As sandwiches become more popular for their affordability, at a time when many restaurant meals cost $50 and up, we are seeing more sandwiches that are big enough for dinner. Here are some sandwiches that will truly satisfy you any time of day.

Hot beef brisket with gravy at Sarge’s Deli
Founded by a retired police sergeant in 1964, Sarge’s Deli has long been a staple of Murray Hill. As with many Jewish delis, the sandwiches may be on the expensive side, but they are also mind-bogglingly big. The brisket, served warm, with optional gravy, comes with a juicy mayo slaw and two kinds of pickles. Hey, this is a humongous $26 dinner! 548 Third Avenue, near 36th Street, Murray Hill

Cheddar and Branston pickle at Eagle Trading Co.
The seven-grain bread itself at Eagle Trading Co. is filling on its own, but adding sharp cheddar, avocado, and salad of cucumber, tomato, and arugula, it’s a big sandwich. Let’s not forget the underlying layer of Branston pickle, a British-style sweet pickle that tastes like a chutney, all of it glued to the bread with plenty of mayo ($13). 258 Franklin Street, at Eagle Street, Greenpoint

Fluke Milanesa sandwich at Travelers Poets and Friends
Travelers Poets & Friends is a pescatarian Italian market, deli, and cafe in Greenwich Village, and its sandwiches, served warm, are huge. Best is the fluke Milanese ($17.50), a double-filet beauty of deep-fried fluke, crusty and moist, slathered with mayonnaise on a demi-baguette. The nicely dressed side salad fills out the meal. 457 Sixth Avenue, near 11th Street, Greenwich Village

Pernil enchilado torta at Acapulco Deli
My heart raced as I saw the pernil enchilado torta on the menu at Acapulco Deli, made with a pork roast bathed in a thick Mexican chile sauce. When it arrived in its aluminum receptacle, I was not disappointed, though the sandwich was so gloppy with sauce and avocado, I was covered from head to toe before I was finished ($10). The pickled jalapeno gives it extra kick. 1116 Manhattan Avenue, at Clay Street, Greenpoint

BEC hero at Sam’s Deli
A BEC — bacon, egg, and cheese on a kaiser roll — makes a delicate repast in the morning, just enough food for breakfast. But what if it’s supersized by making it on a hero roll, multiplying the quantity of egg, bacon, and cheese? Now, at Sam’s, the sandwich is three times the size ($10), but just as delicious, and maybe impossible to finish. 275 West 4th Street, near West 11th Street, West Village

The Mario Lanza at Lioni Italian Heroes
The imprecation to never eat cold cuts for dinner goes out the window with this deliciously satisfying sandwich at Lioni Italian Heroes, a place that styles itself the King of Mozzarella. Especially when the cold cut is mortadella, the most venerable of sliced meats, wearing its little globs of mozzarella like James Beard Awards. And if you remember who Mario Lanza was, extra points for devouring this one ($17). 7803 15th Avenue, at 78th Street, New Utrecht

Cuban sandwich at Benny’s Cuban Cafe
This sandwich found at Benny’s Cuban Cafe on Ridgewood’s fabled Fresh Pond Road — one of the city’s most unsung food strips — benefits by being hot-pressed to half its size, ramping up the density and consequent deliciousness. Inside, find the classic Cuban combination ($17) — pork roast, ham, Swiss cheese, and pickles — first promulgated in Tampa, Florida. 71-28 Fresh Pond Road, at Myrtle Avenue, Ridgewood

Banh mi thit nguoi Vietnam at Bánh Mì Cô Út
Banh mi are usually a fairly light meal, with thin slices of meat interspersed with tangy and crunchy vegetables and herbs, but this sandwich is different. It treats the genre almost like an Italian hero, with multiple layers of meat, including three types of ham, slices of jiggly pork belly, and a wonderful schmear of pate, making it a global adventure in eating ($9.25). 83 Elizabeth Street, near Hester Street, Chinatown

Hummus sandwich 2011 at Sunny & Annie’s Deli
Yes, there is more than one dated hummus sandwich at Sunny & Annie’s. This one, vegan and presumably created in 2011, features a thick layer of red-pepper hummus, along with cucumbers, green bell peppers, purple onions, chewy romaine, slivered carrots, and slippery slices of avocado ($11). 94 Avenue B, at Sixth Street, East Village

Mix gyro at Ankara #2
At most Turkish places selling doner kebab, there’s often a choice of three breads: pita, Turkish bread something like focaccia, or rolled into a thin flatbread. At Ankara #2, pick the latter because you get more meat, whether it’s lamb, chicken, or a combo. Order the mix gyro, a giant, superlative-tasting sandwich, especially when slathered with yogurt and hot sauce ($13). 4110 18th Avenue, near East Third Street, Borough Park

Check out some of our earlier sandwich collections: 10 Italian Heroes to Eat Right Now, 9 Favorite Sandwiches for Spring, 9 More Favorite Sandwiches for Spring, 9 Favorite Sandwiches for Fall, 11 Unexpected Sandwiches, 11 Favorite Hot Parm Heros, 11 Favorite Winter Sandwiches, 11 Favorite Fall Sandwiches, 11 More NYC Sandwiches That Are Getting Us Through the Pandemic, 11 Great NYC Sandwiches That Got Us Through the Pandemic