It has fennel sausage, a fried egg, and cheddar, but the barbecue sauce slathered inside really drives this one home. The porchetta sandwich is also quite good — for those there past brunch.

They refer to themselves as a ‘sandwicheria’, so it’s clear that sandwiches are what it’s about. And while the long list of hot and cold options are all pretty noteworthy, coming in at the top of the list is the chicken parm sandwich, which is a traditional cutlet layered with mozzarella, parmesan, olive oil, and hot pepper between rustic ciabatta.  A close second is the Diavolo, which includes layers of salami, calabrese, fontina, and provolone topped with lettuce, tomato, banana peppers, marinated red onions, pickled veggies, and aioli. 

This decades-old Italian haunt in the Garment District up on Chabanel recently opened a shinier location in Westmount, making its sandwiches an undisputed highlight in both parts of town. The Famous Chicken Cutlet — served with lettuce, tomato, mayo, and bomba (spicy Calabrian pepper spread) — basically speaks for itself. 

Rarely can one find a grilled cheese sandwich of this magnitude, but the grilled halloumi sandwich at Le Pick Up is a marvel. Served with mint slaw, honey, and harissa mayo, it arguably outshines the (also very good) pulled pork option that made a name for this lunch counter.

Many flock to Ma Poule Mouillée for its Portuguese take on a Québécois classic: the poutine. However, its traditional chicken sandwich, called Le P’tit Talbot, featuring charcoal-roasted chicken with piri piri sauce on papo seco bread — nothing more — is also among the best in the city.

All-beef salami, all-beef bologna, mustard, on a roll, pressed flat: it’s what this corner lunch counter has been serving since 1932. Top off the meal with a cherry-pineapple soda or egg cream for the full experience.

The roasted chicken parmesan sandwich at this Plateau newcomer open since July 2022 (sister restaurant to Banh Mi Banh Yiu) is one to remember. With roasted tomatoes and chipotle mayonnaise all on a fresh baguette, it’s full of flavour and texture. 

The chopped liver sandwich is one of several stellar options at Jeffrey Finkelstein’s Mile End bakery. The bread hits all the right textures and flavours, while the saltiness of the liver is offset by a healthy dose of sweet and tangy cabbage — a complex masterpiece.

A tourist destination and a local hangout, Beautys remains a steadfast favourite. When it comes to sandwiches the Beautys Bonjour with its fried egg, bacon, and cheddar cheese served on a sesame seed bagel is a masterclass in simple excellence. 

This veritable hole-in-the-wall on Duluth is rather inconspicuous, with a neon sign as the primary marker of the tiny storefront. While the halloumi or meatball sandwiches are strong contenders, the crown belongs to Le Big Nan: folded and grilled naan filled with beef, pork, cheese, “Big Nan sauce,” lettuce, and pickles that conjure up a wonderfully Indian version of the famous fast food burger with a similar name.

The quintessential Montreal sandwich. Period. For those unfamiliar, it’s thick slabs of Montreal smoked meat (cured and smoked beef brisket) on rye with yellow mustard. Sounds simple, but the ‘round the block lines assure, it’s anything but. 

After all these years, the lines are still long and Olive & Gourmando’s Cubano continues to earn praise from locals and tourists. It’s hard to beat the undeniably flavourful combination of ham, braised pork, Gruyère, chipotle mayo, and pickles pressed between fresh bread. Tip: if you’re taking it to go, grab plenty of napkins before hitting the streets.

While no one can figure out how the prices haven’t changed in almost a decade (average price is $8), nobody is complaining. Joe’s Panini, open 24 hours, remains a go-to option for students, Habs fans looking for a pre-game snack or party-goers on the hunt for a late-night fix-me-up. The spicy grilled chicken is the star of the show (even if it’s not much to look at) — but with more than 20 panini to choose from, you really can’t go wrong.

Quite possibly the most classically French sandwich on the list, this baguette is smothered in Dijon and stacked high with ham, aged comté and plenty of gherkins. The fresh bread, baked on site, gives this sandwich the clear upper hand compared to others in this rapidly-changing part of town. (Note that the sandwich isn’t on the regular menu at La Bête à Pain in Ahuntsic.)

It sounds basic —egg, lettuce, tomato, and cheese on a brioche bun —but when the egg is fried to perfection, the cheese melted just enough, and the tomato and lettuce are fresh and crisp, it’s anything but basic. To really level up, order the deluxe with ham, pickles, and mustard. 

Montreal’s favourite Southeast Asian bros are responsible for putting Singaporean street food on the Montreal map, and with a full-time restaurant and a market stall set up at the Atwater Market half the year, there’s no sign of this love affair dying out anytime soon. While the pork belly steamed buns arguably made them famous, the satay sandwich — always on rotation — is a peanutty delight.

This longtime Mile End counter recently had a rebirth of sorts in Pointe-St-Charles, adding some Italian flavour to a once predominantly Irish, working-class neighbourhood. There are plenty of cold-cut options, including prosciutto cotto, Genoa salami, mortadella, and capicollo, but the Italian sausage and Porchetta sandwiches are the real highlights.

The best meatball sandwich in the city combines a San Pietro ciabatta with San Marzano sauce, provolone, and delicately seasoned and sauce-poached veal polpette.

Open since 1978, the family-run caffé-sportivo amidst the strip mall vibes of Upper Lachine serves a sausage sub that makes the trek well worth it. So come hungry and enjoy it with a Brio.