Bite into handheld magic with these creations
It’s 7pm. You’ve just gotten home from work, kicked off your shoes somewhere near-but-not-quite-on the shoe rack, dropped your bag like it personally offended you, and collapsed onto the couch. Thirty minutes later, you’re still there – scrolling aimlessly, halfway between tired and ravenous.
You’ve face-planted onto the couch after work, scrolling mindlessly while hunger gnaws at your soul. Then – there it is. A vision: juicy meat draped in silky sauce, a tangy pickle crunch, verdant greens, and two golden slices of bread holding it all together like a carb-wrapped hug.
Your kitchen? Dead to you tonight. Here are 10 sandwiches worth leaving the house for (or at least opening Deliveroo).
Birch Bakery
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Tucked away behind a blink-and-you ’ll-miss-it white gate in Al Quoz is one of our favorite hidden gems in the city – a bakery so good, we almost don’t want to tell you about it (but we’re not monsters). Seating is very limited, so your best bet? Grab your goodies to-go and enjoy them in the car, at the beach, or anywhere within immediate arm’s reach of your mouth.
Sure, they’re famous for their pastries – hello, Morning Bun and that Burnt Emirati Honey & Sea Salt Croissant – but let’s talk sandwiches. Specifically, the Roast Beef Sando. It’s a stacked masterpiece of juicy roast beef, jammy onions, crisp greens, and Parmesan, all hugged by their signature Sea Salt Focaccia.
Gino’s Deli
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If anyone’s in touch with Gino, tell them to call us – we just want answers. Specifically: what are they putting in those panuozzos (a glorious mashup of pizza and sandwich, for the uninitiated) that makes them so impossible to put down? Gino’s Deli has been blessing Dubai with top-tier sandwiches since 2018 (a golden year for carbs, honestly), and they haven’t missed a beat since.
The one we keep coming back for? The Rebecca. This bad boy went viral on TikTok for a very good reason. Slow-cooked BBQ brisket, garlic-herb sauce, sliced pickles, and aged smoked cheddar, all wrapped in their signature dough? One bite and we’re done for.
La Fabbrica Italiana
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Some restaurants feel like destinations. La Fabbrica Italiana feels like coming home. From the moment you walk in – greeted like family by co-owner Karam Abban and chef Maurizio – you’re wrapped in the kind of warm, unfussy hospitality that makes you cancel plans just to linger another hour. Born in Dubai’s lockdown days, this intimate trattoria proves magic happens when Italian soul meets local heart.
Their 72-hour fermented sourdough focaccia isn’t just good – it’s revelation-level. Imagine: a golden crust giving way to an airy, honeycombed interior with just the right chew. The star? The Mediterraneo. Ripe tomatoes burst against creamy buffalo mozzarella, while fresh basil and grassy EVOO sing in harmony.
Mattar Third Culture BBQ
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When you hit Time Out Market, skip the browsing and march directly to Mattar Third Culture BBQ for their showstopping Pastrami Reuben. Imagine: 14-day cured pastrami, tangy house mustard, a double punch of pickles and pickled onions, all hugged by golden, crusty sourdough. It’s everything you want – generously portioned, gloriously messy, and packed with flavor that makes the inevitable nap afterward totally justified.
Downtown gridlock killing your craving? Game changer alert: Mattar’s premium deli meats are now at select Spinneys locations (Town Centre Meadows, Motor City, Al Khawaneej Walk, and Khalidiya, we see you). Consider your weeknight sandwich game permanently elevated.
Nightjar
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This Alserkal OG has been holding it down since 2018. Whether it’s for a quick coffee meeting that spirals into a two-hour brainstorm or a solo afternoon spent flipping through a book you swear you’ll finish this time, Nightjar just gets it right. The staff? Lovely. The cold brew? On tap. The vibe? Warm, familiar, and irresistibly welcoming.
But let’s cut to the real reason we’re here: the Salt Beef Sandwich. A total unit of a meal, it’s stacked with smoky pastrami, sharp cheddar, and tangy red cabbage – all pressed into something transcendent and served with (no exaggeration) some of the best pickles we’ve ever had. Like… ever.
Pekoe Tea and Bread Bar
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This Japanese-inspired sanctuary is our antidote to urban chaos. Pekoe’s Egg & Cheese Sando is your gourmet awakening. Imagine: custardy-soft scrambled eggs (so fluffy they defy physics), gooey melted cheese, sweet onion jam, and fresh chives, all cradled by their pillowy milk bread – so fresh it practically sighs when you bite in.
It’s a masterclass in minimalist perfection: no fancy tricks, just expert technique, and premium ingredients transporting you straight to a Tokyo kissaten. Boarding pass? Optional
Rascals Deli
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What began as a Sole DXB pop-up (selling out faster than you could say “mortadella”) quickly leveled up to a tiny Alserkal hub before outgrowing that too – landing in their current Wasl Square home. Rascals aren’t just sandwich slingers; they’re architects of the kind of overstuffed, Instagram-breaking creations that flood your DMs with “📍???” the second you post them.
For first-timers, the eponymous Rascal is your initiation. Picture this: layers of salami and bresaola, dressed arugula, peperoncini, paper-thin tomatoes, fresh basil, mayo, provolone, and a spicy red pepper sauce all conspiring between bread.
Reif Japanese Kushiyaki
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When it comes to this gilded masterpiece, Reif Japanese Kushiyaki reigns supreme. Close your eyes and imagine: cloud-soft shokupan milk bread embracing a thick cut of A5 wagyu so tender it practically whispers “arigato” as it dissolves on your tongue. The tonkatsu sauce and karashi mayo? Delightful supporting actors – but let’s not pretend anyone’s here for anything but that buttery, marbled superstar taking center stage.
Wise Guys
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Enter Wise Guys – a homegrown deli that could easily hold its own against the heavyweights of the Big Apple. The whole menu’s a win, but if we had to play favorites (which we absolutely do), it’s the Forget About It that takes the crown. Smoked turkey, pecorino, truffle cream cheese (!!!), pickled onions, and leafy greens, all tucked into a butter-toasted schiacciata that’s doing the most. One bite, and you’ll be saying fuhgeddaboudit in no time.
Image credit: @rascalsdeli on Instagram
Evelyn Zafar (but you can call her Ev) has spent the better part of a decade working in F&B, which really just means she’s made a career out of thinking about food 24/7. She doesn’t eat to live – she lives to eat, and somehow, that’s turned into being the go-to person for restaurant recommendations. When she’s not writing about Dubai’s best eats, you’ll find her buried in a book or spiralling down a YouTube rabbit hole (or both at the same time, let’s not ask questions).
