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12 Restaurants Serving Life-Changing Sandwiches in Seattle

Chicago beef-style monstrosities, fried catfish sandwiches, a smoked tofu Reuben, and more hand-held treats

by Eater Staff and Harry Cheadle Updated
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A sandwich from Layers
| Layers
by Eater Staff and Harry Cheadle Updated

An expertly crafted sandwich can be a perfect meal on its own — and it’s tailor-made for takeout if you’re in a hurry. While lots of restaurants offer a great sandwich or two, this map covers some of the best sandwich shops dedicated to the form in its many incarnations, from Philly cheesesteaks to fried catfish sandwiches to a smoked tofu Reuben. Note that there’s also a whole separate guide for banh mi, since the city has so many excellent options; a breakfast sandwich-focused list; and a map dedicated to fried chicken, which includes yet more sandwiches.

As usual, this list is organized alphabetically rather than ranked. If you think we missed a place or just want to say hi, email us at seattle@eater.com.

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Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process.

Zylberschtein's

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Pinehurst Jewish deli Zylberschtein’s features thick-cut pastrami and corned beef sandwiches on freshly baked rye among its more popular items. If you’re not a meat maven, try the whitefish salad or the smoked tofu Reuben.

11752 15th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98125
(206) 403-1202
(206) 403-1202

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Layers Green Lake

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Layers has evolved from a sandwich truck into a brick-and-mortar restaurant in Green Lake, finally providing a permanent home for Avery and Ashley Hardin’s sophisticated sandwich creations, which put the textures and flavors of a high-end restaurant meal between two slices of bread. Standouts include the Notorious P.I.G., which has perfectly cooked pork belly and a spicy-sweet pepper jam, and I’d Date a Jalapeno, a grilled cheese with Deglet Noor dates and jalapenos.

7900 East Green Lake Dr N #107, Seattle, WA 98103

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Un Bien

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The sons of the former owner of Seattle sandwich icon Paseo now run Un Bien, with two locations in Ballard — including one in Shilshole along the Burke-Gilman Trail’s western terminus — serving wonderful Caribbean sandwiches, covered in aioli, cilantro, pickled jalapenos, and caramelized onions on toasted baguettes. The Caribbean roast sandwich is the star, with its marinated pork shoulder falling apart at a glance, but all the sides and sandwiches are worth your time.

7302.5 15th Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98117
(206) 588-2040
(206) 588-2040

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Stumbletown Ballard

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Making a great Italian-inspired sandwich is easy. All you need is the highest-quality peppers, sundried tomato spreads, and meats; then you put those fixings between two halves of warm Sea Wolf ciabatta, then you add arugula and olive oil to balance out the cheese and meat. Just be perfect at pretty much everything, and you’ll be this low-key Ballard spot.

6256 3rd Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107
(206) 453-8307
(206) 453-8307

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Mean Sandwich

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Mean Sandwich, the acclaimed Ballard counter, offers winners such as the shop’s eponymous sandwich (griddled corned beef, pickled red cabbage, yellow mustard, and fresh mint), oyster po’ boys, and the vegetarian Midnight at the Oasis, with falafel, hummus, harissa beets, and Persian pickles — not to mention a mind-blowing burger.

1510 NW Leary Way, Seattle, WA 98107
(206) 789-9999
(206) 789-9999

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Volunteer Park Cafe & Pantry

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There aren’t many places where you can get a New York–style baconeggandcheese in Seattle. So it’s no surprise that when Seattle Times food critic Bethany Jean Clement went looking to find examples of that classic form, she singled out this Capitol Hill–area coffee shop as having the best in town. The roll (baked on-site) is almost fluffy but still cradles the hot filling, the bacon is crispy, the cheese is gooey. Our only gripe? No ketchup.

1501 17th Ave E, Seattle, WA 98112
(206) 822-6566
(206) 822-6566

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Market Grill

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The best seafood sandwich in all of downtown is served at this simple counter in the middle of Pike Place Market. Salmon is blackened right in front of you, then served on grilled bread with caramelized onions, romaine, tomato, and mayo with a hint of rosemary. At $20 it’s one of the more expensive sandwiches on this list (the fish comes straight from market providers) but it’s absolutely worth it.

1509 Pike Pl #3, Seattle, WA 98101
(206) 682-2654
(206) 682-2654

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Jackson’s Catfish Corner

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Treasured since its inception in 1985, Jackson’s Catfish Corner has closed and reopened multiple times now, most recently making a triumphant return to the Central District in 2021. While the namesake catfish is great on its own, the crispy fried fish is absolutely delightful on a squishy bun topped with the restaurant’s famed tangy tartar sauce and slices of pickles. Don’t forget the side of hush puppies.

2218 S Jackson St, Seattle, WA 98144
(206) 420-3911
(206) 420-3911

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The Original Philly's

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Even though it’s a long way to Philadelphia, this no-frills sandwich shop in South Seattle does cheesesteaks right. The Original Philly’s generously stuffs chopped-up beef, mushrooms, and peppers into its sandwiches, and also allows you to work on your arguments for the eternal debate: melted cheese on the bottom or cheese sauce on top? Can’t go wrong either way.

3019 Martin Luther King Jr Way S, Seattle, WA 98144
(206) 723-7445
(206) 723-7445

The Swinery

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The Swinery, an impressive butcher shop in West Seattle, also serves burgers and sandwiches involving all manner of pork. The Spectacular in particular is worth unhinging your jaw for, stuffed as it is with pulled pork, ham, pork belly, and Swiss cheese, all dressed in Dijonnaise.

3207 California Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116
(206) 932-4211
(206) 932-4211
A meat-packed sandwich on rye from the Swinery.
The Swinery in West Seattle.
The Swinery/Facebook

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Lady Jaye

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Lady Jaye is one of Seattle’s best barbecue joints, so no surprise, when it puts that meat between two slices of bread it turns out some great sandwiches. On Sundays the crew here serves a high-end Philly cheesesteak with Delmonico steak and house-made cheese whiz, but the everyday sandwiches are a treat too. Our favorite is the bulgogi short rib melt, which is cheesy and sloppy and has just enough vinegar-y bite from the pickled vegetables and spicy mayo to balance out the sweetness of the bulgogi.

4523 California Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116
(206) 457-4029
(206) 457-4029

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Tony's Bakery

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One of many popular Vietnamese spots near Othello Station, the unassuming Tony’s Bakery serves some of the city’s best banh mi on wonderfully flaky bread. While the dac biet banh mi is popular, those in the know order banh mi ca xa ot, with fried catfish and a smear of garlic-chive aioli. It makes for as good a start as any to a wider Seattle banh mi tour.

6020 Martin Luther King Jr Way S, Seattle, WA 98118
ers(206) 722-8800
ers(206) 722-8800

Also featured in:

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Zylberschtein's

11752 15th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98125

Pinehurst Jewish deli Zylberschtein’s features thick-cut pastrami and corned beef sandwiches on freshly baked rye among its more popular items. If you’re not a meat maven, try the whitefish salad or the smoked tofu Reuben.

11752 15th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98125
(206) 403-1202
(206) 403-1202

Layers Green Lake

7900 East Green Lake Dr N #107, Seattle, WA 98103

Layers has evolved from a sandwich truck into a brick-and-mortar restaurant in Green Lake, finally providing a permanent home for Avery and Ashley Hardin’s sophisticated sandwich creations, which put the textures and flavors of a high-end restaurant meal between two slices of bread. Standouts include the Notorious P.I.G., which has perfectly cooked pork belly and a spicy-sweet pepper jam, and I’d Date a Jalapeno, a grilled cheese with Deglet Noor dates and jalapenos.

7900 East Green Lake Dr N #107, Seattle, WA 98103

Un Bien

7302.5 15th Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98117

The sons of the former owner of Seattle sandwich icon Paseo now run Un Bien, with two locations in Ballard — including one in Shilshole along the Burke-Gilman Trail’s western terminus — serving wonderful Caribbean sandwiches, covered in aioli, cilantro, pickled jalapenos, and caramelized onions on toasted baguettes. The Caribbean roast sandwich is the star, with its marinated pork shoulder falling apart at a glance, but all the sides and sandwiches are worth your time.

7302.5 15th Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98117
(206) 588-2040
(206) 588-2040

Stumbletown Ballard

6256 3rd Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107

Making a great Italian-inspired sandwich is easy. All you need is the highest-quality peppers, sundried tomato spreads, and meats; then you put those fixings between two halves of warm Sea Wolf ciabatta, then you add arugula and olive oil to balance out the cheese and meat. Just be perfect at pretty much everything, and you’ll be this low-key Ballard spot.

6256 3rd Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107
(206) 453-8307
(206) 453-8307

Mean Sandwich

1510 NW Leary Way, Seattle, WA 98107

Mean Sandwich, the acclaimed Ballard counter, offers winners such as the shop’s eponymous sandwich (griddled corned beef, pickled red cabbage, yellow mustard, and fresh mint), oyster po’ boys, and the vegetarian Midnight at the Oasis, with falafel, hummus, harissa beets, and Persian pickles — not to mention a mind-blowing burger.

1510 NW Leary Way, Seattle, WA 98107
(206) 789-9999
(206) 789-9999

Volunteer Park Cafe & Pantry

1501 17th Ave E, Seattle, WA 98112

There aren’t many places where you can get a New York–style baconeggandcheese in Seattle. So it’s no surprise that when Seattle Times food critic Bethany Jean Clement went looking to find examples of that classic form, she singled out this Capitol Hill–area coffee shop as having the best in town. The roll (baked on-site) is almost fluffy but still cradles the hot filling, the bacon is crispy, the cheese is gooey. Our only gripe? No ketchup.

1501 17th Ave E, Seattle, WA 98112
(206) 822-6566
(206) 822-6566

Market Grill

1509 Pike Pl #3, Seattle, WA 98101

The best seafood sandwich in all of downtown is served at this simple counter in the middle of Pike Place Market. Salmon is blackened right in front of you, then served on grilled bread with caramelized onions, romaine, tomato, and mayo with a hint of rosemary. At $20 it’s one of the more expensive sandwiches on this list (the fish comes straight from market providers) but it’s absolutely worth it.

1509 Pike Pl #3, Seattle, WA 98101
(206) 682-2654
(206) 682-2654

Jackson’s Catfish Corner

2218 S Jackson St, Seattle, WA 98144

Treasured since its inception in 1985, Jackson’s Catfish Corner has closed and reopened multiple times now, most recently making a triumphant return to the Central District in 2021. While the namesake catfish is great on its own, the crispy fried fish is absolutely delightful on a squishy bun topped with the restaurant’s famed tangy tartar sauce and slices of pickles. Don’t forget the side of hush puppies.

2218 S Jackson St, Seattle, WA 98144
(206) 420-3911
(206) 420-3911

The Original Philly's

3019 Martin Luther King Jr Way S, Seattle, WA 98144

Even though it’s a long way to Philadelphia, this no-frills sandwich shop in South Seattle does cheesesteaks right. The Original Philly’s generously stuffs chopped-up beef, mushrooms, and peppers into its sandwiches, and also allows you to work on your arguments for the eternal debate: melted cheese on the bottom or cheese sauce on top? Can’t go wrong either way.

3019 Martin Luther King Jr Way S, Seattle, WA 98144
(206) 723-7445
(206) 723-7445

The Swinery

3207 California Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116

The Swinery, an impressive butcher shop in West Seattle, also serves burgers and sandwiches involving all manner of pork. The Spectacular in particular is worth unhinging your jaw for, stuffed as it is with pulled pork, ham, pork belly, and Swiss cheese, all dressed in Dijonnaise.

3207 California Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116
(206) 932-4211
(206) 932-4211
A meat-packed sandwich on rye from the Swinery.
The Swinery in West Seattle.
The Swinery/Facebook

Lady Jaye

4523 California Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116

Lady Jaye is one of Seattle’s best barbecue joints, so no surprise, when it puts that meat between two slices of bread it turns out some great sandwiches. On Sundays the crew here serves a high-end Philly cheesesteak with Delmonico steak and house-made cheese whiz, but the everyday sandwiches are a treat too. Our favorite is the bulgogi short rib melt, which is cheesy and sloppy and has just enough vinegar-y bite from the pickled vegetables and spicy mayo to balance out the sweetness of the bulgogi.

4523 California Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116
(206) 457-4029
(206) 457-4029

Tony's Bakery

6020 Martin Luther King Jr Way S, Seattle, WA 98118

One of many popular Vietnamese spots near Othello Station, the unassuming Tony’s Bakery serves some of the city’s best banh mi on wonderfully flaky bread. While the dac biet banh mi is popular, those in the know order banh mi ca xa ot, with fried catfish and a smear of garlic-chive aioli. It makes for as good a start as any to a wider Seattle banh mi tour.

6020 Martin Luther King Jr Way S, Seattle, WA 98118
ers(206) 722-8800
ers(206) 722-8800

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