This article is part of FT Globetrotter’s guide to London
The birth of the sandwich was a remarkable yet simple event. For centuries and across all cultures, people have put food between bread. But it wasn’t until the mid-18th century in England that John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich, helped put a name to the invention.
As a gambling man, in order to feed his appetite for cribbage and other card games, the legend goes that Montagu would ask his servants for a bit of salt beef in between two slices of bread. Eventually, the unusual request started to catch on and people asked for the “Sandwich”. Within a few years, they had become among the most popular foods in England.
Almost three centuries later and despite the hiatus imposed by a global pandemic, sandwich shops in the City remain packed to the hilt at lunchtime. The most popular are evident by the long queues. Sacrificing a chunk of their lunch hour, a suited-and-booted clientele are willing to wait in line for 10, 15 or sometimes even 20 minutes for an excellent handmade sandwich.
While quick service chains can be found on nearly every corner, these classic, locally owned sandwich shops depend on City workers just as City workers depend on them, proving to be a testament to the joy and craft of a good lunchtime sandwich. The shops on this list were chosen based on their taste, their made-to-order freshness and a certain classic sandwich-shop atmosphere.
Porterford Butchers
72 Watling Street, London EC4M 9EB
-
Good for: Baguettes with lots of fillings
-
Not so good for: Vegetarian options, as you might expect from a butcher
-
FYI: Adding beef-dripping gravy is extra but well worth it
-
Opening times: Monday–Friday, 6am–6pm, serving sandwiches until 4pm
-
Prices: £4.50–£8
Nestled in the labyrinth of shops and eateries of Watling Street, near St Paul’s, Porterford prides itself on being the only remaining butcher in the City. Opened in 1983, this family-owned shop has also been serving sandwiches for the past 17 years, with a crew of friendly but sharp staff always ready to take the next order or crack a joke.
Rich with the aroma of fried chicken, sausages and other cooked meats, as well as crispy potatoes, the shop draws one of the biggest queues in the City, mainly comprising suited males.
It’s known mostly for its white-baguette sandwiches — fillings include Caribbean chicken thighs, Philly cheesesteak and shredded lamb. And if you are feeling decadent, it does a Wagyu beef burger too, because, after all, a burger is technically a sandwich.
Basils Sandwiches
15A New London Street, London EC3R 7NA
-
Good for: Club sandwiches on focaccia — no one does them better
-
Not so good for: White-shirt days. These sandwiches are messy
-
FYI: Ask for extra napkins — you’re going to need them
-
Opening times: Monday–Friday, 5am–3pm, serving sandwiches all day
-
Prices: £2.20–£8.40
In the shadow of 20 Fenchurch Street lies one of the City’s smallest sandwich shops, where quality meets freshness and efficiency.
Basils Sandwiches is a well-oiled machine. With an army of five (three at the counter and two at the hot-food station in the back), this is a slick operation used to grinding its gears — and enjoying it too. A Turkish nephew and uncle duo have been running the shop since 2017, when they took over from the previous owners.
Only large enough for just a few people inside, Basils is known for its Swiss melt, club sandwiches filled with chicken, turkey or beef, and its Italian cheese and salami fillings. But it is also known for its queue circling the block. Not only are the sandwiches excellent, but the atmosphere is friendly and buzzy — a little lunchtime rush.
Dilieto Sandwich Bar
175 Fleet Street, London EC4A 2EA
-
Good for: Fresh bread made in house or sourced locally
-
Not so good for: If you’re in a hurry — wait times can easily be 15 minutes or longer
-
FYI: Jacket potatoes and salads are also on offer
-
Opening times: 5.30pm–3pm, serving sandwiches all day
-
Prices: £2.90–£6.75
Follow the smell of fresh bread along Fleet Street and you will probably find yourself wandering into Dilieto Sandwich Bar. The 112-year-old shop has been a sandwich staple on the west side of the City for generations. Its iconic blue and white awning can be seen from either end of Fleet Street and, during its busiest hours, so can its queue.
The Italian shop was run by the Dilieto family for three generations until it was sold in 2015 to a Spanish family who, between four siblings, now own and manage it. While much has changed in the City over the past century, the charm of Dilieto remains a pleasing constant.
Choices range from chicken pesto with mozzarella, and mortadella Bologna to vegetarian and vegan options — but most popular of all are its melts served in a panini or focaccia.
Chaplins Deli
10 Bevis Marks, London EC3A 7LH
-
Good for: Spicy, filling sandwiches
-
Not so good for: Fancy extras
-
FYI: Make sure you have grab something to drink to counteract the spice
-
Opening times: Monday–Friday, 6.30am–4pm, serving sandwiches all day
-
Prices: £3.80–£7+
Chaplins Deli is a vintage City sandwich shop — a no-fuss institution that has been doing what it does best for decades: serving up high-quality, good-value sandwiches.
What used to be a part of a local chain of sandwich shops half a century ago called Chapters Deli (with one location still left on Bishopsgate) was sold off and renamed Chaplins. Since then it has remained a successful independent in the City where customers can expect speedy service and fresh ingredients — but also usually a queue down the street.
Loyal customers, ranging from office workers to students at the nearby UK College of Business and Computing office, come for a reliable menu that hasn’t changed much since the current owner took over the shop in 2012 with the usual choice of fillings on baps and sliced bread, but also popular specialities such as Firecracker Beef with chilli sauce, chopped beef, grilled peppers and fresh chillies on a toasted ciabatta panini.
Birleys
89-91 Old Broad Street, London EC2M 1JJ and locations across the city and canary wharf
-
Good for: New-age sandwiches with speciality ingredients
-
Not so good for: When you are ravenous — some sandwiches tend to be small
-
FYI: It also serves soups and salads
-
Opening times: Monday–Friday, 7am–5.30pm, serving sandwiches all day
-
Prices: £5.50–£9.50
Stepping into Birleys almost feels like stepping into an F Scott Fitzgerald novel with its nostalgic yet refined decor, and staff impeccably dressed in chef’s whites and paper hats.
This small chain, which began in 1981, has four locations in the City, on Old Broad Street, Cannon Street, Mark Lane and New Street Square. Old Broad Street is my favourite, because of its smaller size and proximity to Liverpool Street and Bishopsgate. This is a traditional deli-style operation with friendly staff and hearty ingredients — you’ll feel well looked after.
Behind long glass counters, piles of ready-made sandwiches on breads including barbari, brioche and pain au lait, filled with everything from lemon rosemary chicken with pesto mayo to mozzarella with roasted plum tomatoes and red peppers, wait to be toasted. It also has a range of speciality sandwiches on offer at the higher end of the price spectrum, with fillings such as Cotswold cheese and grilled miso salmon. At its busiest times, the queue snakes around the shop in a semi-chaotic manner that only starts to make sense the closer you get to the counter.
Dom’s Subs
8 Ludgate Circus, London EC4M 7LF
-
Good for: Quick service
-
Not so good for: The sandwiches are almost too big to eat (if that is a thing)
-
FYI: Beautiful sandwiches proven to be Instagram gold
-
Opening times: Monday–Friday, 10am–4pm
-
Prices: £9–£12
What started as a pandemic-era project by three Scotsmen in a coffee shop in Hackney has turned into a flourishing mini chain. Dom’s Subs newest City location, in Ludgate Circus, and one of the smallest cafés on this list, opened only a few months ago after its tenancy at Bevis Marks ended.
With its white and green walls, the shop is minimalist in style but certainly not in output. The crew are busy as lunchtime queues wrap around the awkward corner of Ludgate Circus. Get there early to avoid disappointment by the time you get to order.
A short yet appealing menu serves up customer favourites with quirky names such as The Spicy D (with an Italian red salami called schiacciata piccante, salami napoli, ham and sharp provolone) and The Grapow, inspired by Thai cuisine and spices. But for those after something milder at lunchtime, try the Club Smoke or, for vegetarians, the Vegan Dom 2.0, a mix of spicy aubergines marinated in ginger and chilli, crunchy green beans and beansprout salad.
Where is your favourite sandwich shop in the City, and why do you like it so much? Tell us in the comments below
Do you have five minutes to provide feedback on FT Globetrotter? We’d love to hear your thoughts via this survey, which will be used to help improve our future content
