Taking up our TikTok feeds and suggested Instagram reels right now? All the ways to spice up this lunchtime favourite. Forget slapping the standard cheese and pickle into a sarnie, as our city has bars, shops, restaurants and delis that are promising everything from the finest Philly cheesesteak to salt beef bagels and Italian focaccia. Keep reading for an unmissable guide to the best sandwiches Manchester has to offer.
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The Hot Buffalo Chicken One: Blues Kitchen
For a taste of America's Deep South stuffed into a bun? It can only be Blues Kitchen and their Hip Hop Orchestra Brunch. This Saturday event offers food, 90 minutes of bottomless rum punch or prosecco, DJs and live performances. Otherwise, you can also grab the hot chicken Buffalo sandwich (£12.75) on any other visit - meaning it's fried buttermilk chicken, spicy sauce and slaw all round.
For one of the best sandwiches, check out this quirky brunch.
The Mac 'N' Cheese Toasted Sandwich: Northern Soul
If you like to keep a constant flow of fromage in your veins (who doesn't?), then Northern Soul has to be on your radar. While all their toasties are oozing with perfectly pullable fillings, our favourite is the Mac Attack (£10.50). Combining their signature macaroni cheese with a grilled sandwich, this lunchtime staple is only made better with added jalapenos, fried chicken or Korean pork.
There's no better grilled cheese sandwich in Manchester.
The TikTok Sandwich Shop: Fat Pats
Head to that TikTok and Instagram-famous sandwich hatch, where you'll uncover the finest feasts (yup, they're absolute whoppers) from Fat Pats. Hidden down an alleyway on the edge of Chinatown, the tiny shop is known for its big queues and sell-out sandos. Our favourite has to be the Philly cheesesteak (£16) with tender meat, rich flavour, chives and crispy onions; a combo to die for, if ever we tasted one.
This hidden sandwich shop in Manchester city centre is hard to beat.
The Spanish-Inspired One: Federal
Swap your usual Italian number for a Spanish spin at Federal, one of our favourite brunch spots that also knows how to stack up a great sarnie. The chorizo sandwich (£9) is layered alongside Manchego cheese, aioli and caramelised onions, with the option to add a fried egg for good measure. And if that wasn't enough? There's a steak sandwich (£12) with caramelised onions, aioli and spinach too, plus you can expect coffees or two for £12 cocktails like espresso martini specials to accompany.
It's not just eggs and banana bread making waves here.
The Fancy Chip Butty: Edinburgh Castle
Vowing for the top spot of best sandwich in Manchester? Edinburgh Castle's chip butty, which is much more than your standard pub pick thanks to triple-cooked chips, seaweed and beef fat mayo, a drippy egg yolk and beef tartare. Taking the usually beige and very British number into a new league, the pub's bar menu dish has been praised over and over by the city's top foodies. If you know, you know.
Trade your standard pub grub for Edinburgh Castle.
The Crossiant Brunch Sandwich: Albert's Schloss
While best known for alpine fare and a range of wild evening entertainment, Albert's Schloss also has a load of stacked beauties that are sorting you out for daytime meals. There's the Kroissant Royale (£9) - a bap-shaped croissant with onions, gouda, fried egg, crispy shallots, chives, curry ketchup, and sausage or bacon - for breakfast, waiting for you to start your day off German bier hall-style.
Breakfast sandwiches are covered here.
The Banh Mi: Pho Cue Vietnamese Kitchen
A cheekily-named favourite in Chinatown, Pho Cue Vietnamese Kitchen serves the classic banh mi (from £6) until 4pm every day. Owner and chef Cue Tran aims for home-style cooking across the restaurant - a feat definitely achieved with this delish sandwich. It's done the rounds on social media, thanks to the dipping pots of sweet soy sauce, siracha or siracha mayo on the side that make it gloriously messy.
We're all about the crispy king prawn or tofu and avo flavours here.
The Salt Beef And Pastrami Picks: Triple B
You'll find one of the finest sandwich shops in Manchester a little further out of town. From house-cured salt beef to home-smoked pastrami, it's all on offer across melting bagels (from £10) at Prestwich's Triple B, alongside stuffed subs, Italian-inspired bites and more to match. Better yet, you can check out their Dock 53 and Etihad stall locations too if they're closer to you.
Burger bagels as well? Yes please.
The OG: Rustica Manchester
When it comes to the best sandwiches in the Northern Quarter, Rustica is the place that will spring to everyone's minds. Home to a classic barm, a small amount of seating and nothing but the good, simple favourites, alongside some breakfast options too, it's got cheap 'n' cheerful covered. If the constant queue is anything to go by, we'd say that the ol' joint has still got it.
This Manchester sandwich shop is the original player - and it has still got a queue around the block every day.
The Breakfast Sandwich: Pollen
Choose between Ancoats and Kampus to enjoy Pollen Bakery in all its glory. While most widely known for their cruffins (rotating flavours filling muffin-shaped croissants), the burnt Basque cheesecake and darn good coffee, these guys still have a great selection of sandwiches. Fresh potato brioche is the basis of the breakfast bun (£9) here, with a choice of bacon or set egg inside - each complimented by smoked onion and kimchi mayonnaise, respectively. Otherwise, check out goats cheese and pesto toasties (£11), breaded haddock sandwiches (£11), and the slow-cooked pork shoulder, fennel and apple bun (£10).
After eating the best breakfast sandwich in Manchester? Treat yourself to a pastry or cake too.
The Focaccia Sandwich: Micky's Manchester
Formerly known as Mira, Northern Quarter venue Micky's is home to an amazing Italian sandwich in Manchester. Their focaccia sandwiches are not to be missed, from the Pesto Parm (£11) with fried buttermilk chicken to the Bam Bam (£10.70), which contains peppered beef pastrami, smoked mozzarella, sweet pickles and mustard. Most of their fillings can be made vegetarian or vegan as well, and there are a whole lot of tasty dips to go with it - including garlic and herb or Buffalo sauce.
Indulge in Italian delights at Micky's.
The Loaded American Sub: House of Hoagie
Located on Dale Street in the Northern Quarter, House of Hoagie is dishing out huge, US-style subs with all kinds of tantalising fillings to choose from. Whether you're eating on their picnic benches or taking away, we'd recommend the Chopped Cheese (£10) - made from diced burger patties, American cheese and crispy lettuce, or the Shrimp Po' Boy (£12.50), which is full of Cajun fried shrimp, pickles and their delicious house sauce.
New York or the Northern Quarter? It's hard to tell at House of Hoagie.
The Manchester Arndale Sandwich Shop: Rack
Next time you're in Manchester Arndale, be sure to check out Rack - or head to one of their sister venues in Sale or YES. They've got all kinds of different sandwiches to choose from, whether you're in the mood for Italian focaccia (£7.50) filled with parma ham, mozzarella and pesto or roast chicken (£7.50) and streaky bacon on a white bloomer. They've also got a selection of mouthwatering grilled cheeses (from £7.95), including the cacio e pepe or a Mexican beef brisket served with a dipping broth. Even better? You can grab mini hash browns on the side.
There are all the sandwich fillings you could dream of at Rack.
The Southern American Biscuit One: Cardinal Rule
Brought to you by Southern American chefs and served in the Northern Monk Refectory, Cardinal Rule specialises in US-style biscuits - used instead of bread to create some cracking sandwiches. You can load up your biscuits with black pepper breakfast gravy, or opt for a sweet filling instead with a house made blueberry jam, with other choices ranging from fried barbecue chicken to eggs with streaky bacon.
There are lots of great sandwiches out there, but this one takes the biscuit.
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