Gioia’s
There’s nothing fancy about Giola’s, pronounced joy-uhh’s, just old-fashioned (since 1918!) sandwich goodness. Pick from their sandwich menu or make your own. Hot or cold, it’s almost impossible to not leave stuffed and happy. Anything with their hot salami (it’s not spicy, nor is it really salami—just get it) gets our vote, and anything on their garlic cheese bread gets our other vote.
Known For
The hot salami, made with a 100 year old recipe. Get it on garlic cheese bread.
Union Loafers
Warning: Union Loafers is addictive as hell. All of the bread—which is easily, easily the best in town—is made in-house by master baker, Ted Wilson. They offer just a handful of sandwiches at lunch, but those sandwiches have been perfected down to a science. How can a turkey & swiss be so good? What right does a smoked beet sandwich with sauerkraut, thousand island, and hard boiled eggs have to be delicious? It’s upscale sandwich perfection.
Known for
Carbs. The rare roast beef sandwich on ciabatta with gruyere, pickled peppers, and bistro sauce will make your toes curl.
Blues City Deli
Look out your window—you can probably see the line for Blues City Deli already. Don’t worry, though, it moves fast. The toughest part of this place is deciding what to order. With a solid menu featuring po-boys, muffulettas, New York-Style sandwiches, Italian favorites, and even vegetarian options, you’ll just have to keep coming back to sample it all.
Known For
Get the off-the-menu “Beefy Jo-Jo.” You’re welcome.
Bolyard’s Meat
Where have you been all our lives and why have we been buying our meat from chain grocery stores? You can taste the quality and the care that goes into their butcher practice. All animals are sourced locally, are raised humanely, and thrive on the land free of hormones. Lucky for us, that means extremely delicious meat-filled sandwiches. Chris Bolyard spent a decade at Sidney Street Cafe, so he knows a thing or two about flavor.
Known For
Sandwiches change on a whim. You really can’t go wrong.
The Smokehouse Market
So you’ve got Annie Gunn’s, the upscale restaurant serving up American classics (which includes some bangin’ sandwiches) and The Smokehouse Market next door. The Market has a massive sandwich menu. Huge! Once again, the all-star crew of meat experts won’t let you down, so pick whatever sounds best. One surprisingly tasty option: the smoked trout sandwich.
Known For
Their dips. Whether you want roast beef, ham, turkey, or whatever is available, they’ve got it and they’re ready to dip it.
Salume Beddu
Salume Beddu is the best salumeria in the country. Don’t just take our word for it—Forbes said so. What started as a farmer’s market stall has grown to be sold nationally, including having a spot at Eataly. They used to have their own sandwich shop, but they’ve since moved it into Parker’s Table. There are usually only 6 or so sandwiches, but their beauty is in their simplicity (and how goddamn good their charcuterie is).
Known for
The speck sandwich. There’s just something about freshly baked bread, speck, and some lemon that makes grown men weep.
LeGrand’s
Like Gioia’s, LeGrand’s has been around for quite awhile—not 100 years, but over 30. And for those 30 years, they’ve been slangin’ sandwiches that’ll put you in a state of pure bliss. The menu is huge, so make sure to check the menu out online before you head in. You can also just acknowledge the fact you’re going to be there a lot and just work your way down the menu.
Known for
The hot Legend: turkey, pastrami, pepperoni, bacon, hot pepper cheese, havarti, garlic cream cheese, and a roast red pepper sauce. Boom.
Protzel’s
St. Louis is running low on Jewish delis! Luckily, we still have Protzel’s. If this delicatessen feels like it hasn’t changed much since 1954, it’s because it hasn’t. You can find all your favorite deli staples here, ranging from chopped liver and smoked tongue to reubens, pastrami sandwiches, and lox.
Known for
Corned beef. Lots of it.
