Across the country, fancy sandwiches are proving the best new thing since sliced bread.

Hector’s Deli, Melbourne

1/18

It all started with a little Richmond milk bar, which quickly became chef Dom Wilton’s ground zero for great things between bread. Nowadays, he has three Hector’s Delis: in Richmond, South Melbourne and the brand new Fitzroy shop, which opened in November. Head for the egg salad.

Mortadeli, Melbourne

2/18

The new kid on the sandwich block from owner Jack Cassar, this Torquay surf coast shop offers what could well be the area’s best conti roll, stuffed with mixed meats, cheese and Spanish pickles. There’s also pastrami on dark rye and plenty of takeaway cold cuts.

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Heartattack and Vine, Melbourne

3/18

The name says it all at this all-day Carlton diner. Order a tortilla roll (Spanish omelette with caramelised onion and potato on ciabatta) in the morning, a porchetta roll (roast pork, salsa verde, sambal) in the afternoon and a meatball sanger at night.

King and Godfree, Melbourne

4/18

K&G Deli is just one part of a 150-year-old gourmet empire in Carlton. Here, it’s all about croque signor (ham, cheese, bechamel) and the bacon and egg panini with salsa rosso, ordered and eaten at the espresso counter.

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Greta, Melbourne

5/18

It’s a city wine bar, sure, but it’s a wine bar that doubles as a café that’s open from breakfast and serves simple Spanish bodega classics such as a warm buttered roll with a side of jamón. For lunch, get into the folded egg sandwich with melted provolone.

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Just Down the Road, Adelaide

6/18

Any shop offering two types of chicken sandwich – the classic shredded roast chicken with aioli and iceberg, and fried chicken with bread and butter pickles – is more than okay by us. There’s also an alfalfa, feta and asparagus number served on rye at this city sandwich specialist.

Bottega Bandito, Adelaide

7/18

This sweet café and deli in Prospect serves a fried eggplant sanger with tomato kasundi, cabbage and herbs for the veggos alongside a sopressa and fior di latte choice for carnivores.

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St. J’s Deli, Hobart

8/18

Is the baguette this year’s bread of choice? Quite possibly, based on the evidence here. Exhibit A: stracciatella, mortadella, confit tomato and pesto. Not to be outdone by exhibit B: slow-cooked lamb shoulder, olive tapenade and whipped feta.

Falafel Omisi, Perth

9/18

Visit this Yokine eatery for falafel and chips, served in a pita pocket with pickles and salad, or a classic sabich – sautéed eggplant, hard-boiled egg, hummus, tahini and salad, all stuffed in pita. Or a vegetarian shawarma with seven types of mushroom. Yes, seven.

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Deli’s Continental, Perth

10/18

A meatball sub covered in melted cheese, pesto and more tomato sauce than a Sicilian passata day. True to name, there’s also the show-stopping conti roll with deli meats, salad and cheeses. A West Coast classic.

Image credit: Lauren Gray

Fabbrica, Sydney

11/18

This CBD deli, bar and general store from the folks behind Italian bar Ragazzi offers a porchetta roll for the ages. And for vegetarians: roast asparagus, peas, mint and buffalo curd. Team yours with a Negroni and perch in the petite courtyard.

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Soulmate, Sydney

12/18

Order a side of chips with this Newtown cafe’s blood sausage number, with herbed mayo and sambal, or try the behemoth fried chicken sandwich with melted American cheese.

Image credit: Leigh Griffiths

Sandoitchi, Sydney

13/18

Fluffy Japanese-style sandos at this Darlinghurst café include crumbed chicken katsu with lettuce, kimchi and tonkatsu mayo. Or for the ultimate indulgence, go for yuzu whipped cream and fruit on white bread.

Image credit: Nikki To

Good Ways, Sydney

14/18

Such is the popularity of Redfern’s favourite sandwich bar, they’ve opened a second shop down the road in Alexandria. At both outlets you’ll find the deli sandwich (kangaroo mortadella, ham, salami, cheeses and pickles) and a classic salad number with grated beetroot and carrot.

Penny’s Cheese Shop, Sydney

15/18

Yes, it’s essentially a cheese store… But! There’s also a modest menu of very good sandwiches at this Potts Point site. A crunchy baguette, for instance, filled with gooey camembert and slices of salami. There are cicchetti, such as focaccia with buffalo mozzarella and mortadella. And, of course, a four-cheese toastie.

Sunny Side, Brisbane

16/18

The focus at this Windsor shop is on sandwiches you could stop a door with. Chicken schnitzel on Japanese-style white bread with pickles and mayo. Or egg salad, the boiled egg split down the middle with a perfect yolk.

Nug General Store, Brisbane

17/18

It’s a general store, a deli, somewhere to grab a glass of wine and a sandwich in Fortitude Valley. Sarah Baldwin, chef from the tiny but mighty Joy restaurant, has created a menu of five sandwiches that changes regularly. Keep an eye out for the pepperberry salami with cream cheese and tomato or roast pork with potato and Swiss cheese.