Sandwiches, sandwiches, sandwiches. Sydney cannot get enough. Here are another three spots for your lunch rotation.
MLK Deli, The Rocks
The bright blue MLK Deli hit a Surry Hills street in early 2024. And it quickly became a favourite for massive sandwiches like the Rubenesque Risky Brisket, stuffed with fall-apart pastrami inspired by a research trip the team took to New York’s famous Katz’s Deli. Then, in mid-2025, Kogarah joined in, in a bright corner site with water views. Now, along comes MLK The Rocks.
Expect the same standout sandwich list. There are saucy Afghan meatballs and generous deli-meat numbers, grilled haloumi with marinated veggies and an ever-popular smoked tofu. Plus, the new Ritz Roll morning bun, where a seed-topped brioche bun is stuffed with the MLK brisket, a fried egg, cheese and a house-made maple sauce.
32 Harrington Street, The Rocks
Hours:
Daily 8am–4pm
Dutch Smuggler, Circular Quay
Dutch Smuggler is known for its excellent specialty coffee, made on Indonesian beans the team house-roasts. But the toasties are a real draw here, too – specifically the mie goreng number. It’s so adored, the team can’t remove it from the menu. The Indonesian noodles join a fried egg with a golden yolk, both cheddar and mozzarella, crispy fried onions and the house aioli. The favourite sits alongside five other toasted sangas: a Reuben, beef rendang, cheese and kimchi, croque monsieur riff and a truffle-laced serve.
The harbourside location brings the Dutch Smuggler count to six across the city, including the recently arrived outpost on Bridge Street with a lengthy dine-in menu.
Hours:
Mon to Fri 6.30am–4pm
Tommy Panini, CBD
The sandwiches arrive like laundry at Tommy Panini: fresh, clean, folded. They’re panuozzo, envelope-shaped Italian pizza-sandwich hybrids that are served piping hot, stretchy with cheese and stuffed full of fresh ingredients. There’s the Brookvale original and a Bondi outpost that doubles as a nighttime pizzeria, and now there’s a CBD spot.
Expect the same mortadella serve (bolstered by fior di latte, a garlicky house pesto, rocket and pistachio praline) and a vego offering that ditches the Italo pantry for falafel, pickles, harissa labneh and green tahini. The most popular, though, is the super-saucy, spicy vodka cotoletta.
The city spot is complete with seating in an out-of-the-way courtyard, Tommy’s Golden Hour (which sees booze and snacks tag-teaming with the sangas from 4pm till 7.30pm, Tuesday to Friday) and a new salad bowl on the menu.
Hours:
Mon to Fri 10.45am–2.45pm, 4pm–7.30pm