The humble sandwich. Versatile, nutritious, and convenient, these Canberra cafes and sando joints are turning the everyday lunchtime meal into a gourmet, bread-bound art form. Whether you’re a foodie or a picky eater, there’s a sandwich out there with your name on it, ready to save you from lunchtime boredom and keep you deliciously satisfied. Here’s where to get a bangin’ sandwich in Canberra.
Al’s Deli & Diner
Permeating with New York deli vibes at every corner, Al’s Deli & Diner has a sandwich menu that will have you counting down the minutes until you can head off on your lunch break. Making sandwiches fun again, each are jam-packed and flavourful, demanding two hands. Freshly made, try flavours like chicken salad, schnitty roll, beef & pickle, and mushroom melt.
Sandoochie
Starting from humble beginnings of owner and chef Lucy’s love for a really good sandwich, Sandoochie was born. With a small, however regularly changing menu, boasting seasonality and creativity, enjoy lip-smacking sandwich combinations we bet you’ve never tried before. Promising fillings that always come right to the edges, get more bang for ya buck during your lunch hour.
&Sando
Next door to Compa sits Matt Moran’s other Canberra venue, &Sando. Taking form as the casual, fast-paced venue, the little deli-style sandwich shop features a small yet wholesome menu that is perfect for on-the-go work lunches. Accompanied with bread from local bakery UNDER, highlights include the Spicy Deli with mortadella, spicy sopressa, tomato, pickled carrot and provolone, and the made-to-order Steak Sanga with lettuce, tomato, caramelised onion, beetroot and cheese.
Caffeè al Lago
Prosciutto, semi-aged pecorino, tomato, arugula, aged balsamic…Caffeè al Lago‘s sandwich game hits hard! Made with Schiacciata bread, a Tuscan flatbread similar to focaccia, these sandwiches are HUGE and full to the brim of Italian ingredients. A favourite among locals is the Pistachio Mortadelle with mortadella, stracciatella, basil pesto, arugula, pistachios and extra virgin olive oil.
Fresca
Made with traditional schiacciata dough, Fresca‘s Tuscan-style sandwiches are stuffed with delicious Italian meats, cheese, vegetables and sauces, and have just the right amount of chew. The menu includes flavours like the Mortadella Schiacciata, which is filled with crema di pistachio, mortadella, stracciatella, and crushed pistachio, and the Mediterranean with basil pesto, arugula, fior di latte mozzarella, prosciutto di parma, mixed Mediterranean vegetables and balsamic.
Intra
If you’re not heading in purely for the coffee, breakfast or lunch at Intra is pretty unbeatable. Taking a conscious approach to seasonality, the team focuses on preserving, fermenting and using lesser-known cuts of meat. Offering a compact menu that’s full of flavour, their famous rotating brekky rolls and jaffles are crowd-favourites for a reason.
On Lonsdale
On Lonsdale doesn’t just do your usual sandwich. Specialising in Japanese and Korean-style sandos, made with fluffy, white shokupan bread, expect a blend of both traditional and innovative flavours. On the menu find mouthwatering options like Tonkatsu, Nashville Hot Chicken and Prawn Deluxe.
Barrio Coffee Collective
Find simplicity and quality at Lonsdale Street’s hole-in-the-wall coffee bar, Barrio. Aside from their renowned coffee grounds and brew guides, stop in for your go-to coffee order with a scrumptious toastie. Changing the menu frequently, the sandwich combos are endless! With recent flavours including spicy Cuban, bully beef, and mushy harissa.
Rosa’s
The Lawns precinct’s all-day bar, Rosa’s kicks off the day with morning coffees, pastries, brekky rolls and paninis! With the National Rose Gardens as its playground, think sunny Canberra days tucking into the perfect fresh sando filled with toppings like roast beef, pesto, pickles and provolone, and eggplant parmigiana, zucchini, mushroom and goat’s curd.
Vietnamese Bakery & Cafe Fyshwick
With what some say is Canberra’s best banh mi roll, Vietnamese Bakery & Cafe in Fyshwick has a delicious production line of your favourite flavoured banh mi’s every week. From crispy pork to lemongrass chicken, expect fresh and flavourful ingredients packed into the perfect crispy roll.
Marvie & Wolfe
Specialising in really good sandwiches, rolls and English muffins, drop by Marvie & Wolfe for the perfect lunchtime sando, including chicken schnitzel, spiced cauli or smoked pastrami.
Want more? Check out our favourite work lunches in the city.
