In many ways, Austin isn’t a sandwich town: It’s not packed with delis and people aren't accustomed to eating on the go. However, the casual tone of the food scene and chefs’ never-ending search for creative freedom means sandwiches can thrive — just hidden on larger menus.

The 10 restaurants vying for Best Sandwich, this year’s wildcard category at the CultureMap Tastemaker Awards, paint a picture of a few local preferences. Whether it’s the presence of transplants or the universality of good salami, Italian sandwiches have a big place on this list. So does pastrami, and turkey takes up a notable mantle as a widely agreeable alternative to something heavier.

The Tastemaker Awards judges are taking all this and more into consideration when choosing the sandwich hero that'll take home the trophy. Only one can walk away with it at our Tastemaker Awards ceremony and signature tasting event on April 9 at Distribution Hall. Read up on the 10 contenders below, and consider doing your own field research in the meantime.

You can see all of the Tastemaker Award nominees here and learn more about them in our special editorial series leading up to the big event.

A limited number of Early Bird tickets are available now at discounted rates of $65 for general admission and $110 for VIP (includes early access to the event and a dedicated bar). Prices will increase after March 19. Grab your tickets now before they sell out.

Take a lunch break with our 10 nominees for Best Sandwich 2026:

Bartlett's
Many locals and visitors rave about Bartlett’s famous French Dip, which situates thin-cut prime rib inside a fluffy loaf of bread and a bed of fresh fries, with a cup of savory au jus on the side. As an elevated American steakhouse, Bartlett’s stands out among the more casual nominees in this category.

Casper Fermentables
Casper Fermentables specializes in — you guessed it — fermented foods, and all of their sandwiches are made with fresh-baked sourdough or focaccia. Try the tuna melt with Casper’s vegan kimchi, enjoy the heat of Sichuan chili oil in the Spicy Turkey, or keep it light with the egg or tuna salad.

Choo Sando
Japanese sandwich shop Choo Sando effortlessly delivers on novelty, practicality, and taste, all in one neat package — literally. “Sandos” have become popular online both for their cute appearance and for challenging Western minds on what belongs in a sandwich. When ordering, consider the katsu sando with thick, crispy pork cutlets.

Home Slice Pizza
Austin’s most famous pizza shop is even more acutely renowned for one East Coast specialty: the Italian Assorted with ham, dry salami, capicola, and Genoa salami. The most polarizing part is a thick — and very authentic — layer of lettuce. Widely overlooked are the comforting hot subs with meatballs, chicken cutlets, and breaded eggplant blanketed in sauce and melted provolone.

Knuckle Sandwich
Knuckle Sandwich is located right outside Ant’s Beer Cave in South Austin, but you don’t have to buy a beer to grab one of their signature sammies — though you can’t go wrong pairing them together. Take your pick between the mighty eponymous sandwich, the Not Boring Turkey, or the Caprese Sammie.

Little Deli & Pizzeria
More coastal comfort sandwiches come courtesy of Little Deli & Pizzeria, which has a long list of specialties on bread. Two take the lead as fan favorites. Harry's Perfect Pastrami lives up to the name, and the New Orleans Muffuletta is similar to the much-lauded Italian sandwich, but with homemade tapenade and served on ciabatta.

Mum Foods Smokehouse & Delicatessen
Pastrami connoisseurs in Austin can find some good cuts around town, but the pastrami kingpin is Mum Foods. Made in-house, this cured and smoked meat really shows off that it’s made of brisket — something casual eaters might not know until they see these thick, fatty cuts. The smoked turkey also makes for a good, lighter sandwich protein.

New World Deli
It’s easy for almost any sandwich to fulfill wishes of comfort food, and the old-school atmosphere at New World Deli really brings it home. The most popular pick by far is the “Award Winning” Reuben, which diners can order with corned beef, pastrami, turkey, or turkey pastrami, plus the traditional fixings.

Spicy Boys
These fried chicken food trucks are parked all over the Austin area, offering three spicy chicken sandwiches at increasing heat levels and their own unique accouterments. Foodies who love spicy food can put their heat tolerance to the test with the Sichuan seasoned Tingly Gai, or play it safe with the OG.

Tucci's Southside Subs
This South Austin sandwich shop has been slinging East Coast-style subs for nearly two decades, but longtime Austinites remember when it was a Delaware Subs franchise. The jalapeño philly cheesesteak with fresh-grilled peppers is a nostalgia-inducing pick, and don’t forget to add on a New York-imported black and white cookie.

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The CultureMap Tastemaker Awards ceremony is sponsored in Austin by Maker's Mark, Garrison at Fairmont Austin, NXT LVL Event, and more to be announced. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Central Texas Food Bank.