6 East Bay Eateries Make Top 10 Best Sandwiches List

EAST BAY, CA — Whether you're looking for a light and refreshing meal or something that is hearty and filling, a sandwich can hit the bullseye for your appetite.

The Bay Area News Group recently came up with a list of 10 sandwich spots around the Bay Area to try now, including six that are in the East Bay —

• Billy Roy’s Burger Co. in Fremont was selected because it "is a down-homey restaurant whose large parking lot – formerly a car dealership – fills up fast with people wanting mondo-sized burgers." While diners may select from a long list of burgers, the reviewer recommends The Butcher’s Cut sandwich ($22) with a 6-ounce grilled ribeye, sliced, with pepper-jack cheese, haystack onions and an A1 Sauce aioli on brioche. Billy Roy's Burger Co. is located at 3909 Thornton Ave. in Fremont.
• Habana Express in Pleasant Hill serves authentic Cuban sandwiches, bowls and pastries. Owner Aylin Alvarez Torres moved with her family from Cuba in 2019, so this is the real deal. The reviewer recommends "the classic Cubano ($14), featuring tender and juicy roasted pork that covers the bottom layer of the crispy, house-made, Cuban bread. The pork is topped with ham, pickles, mayo, mustard and creamy, melted Swiss cheese that’s oozing all over the bread." Habana Express is located at 1966 Contra Costa Blvd. in Pleasant Hill.
• Lucia’s Craft Sandwich, with locations in Martinez and Crockett is praised for being both affordable and sophisticated. "The balanced menu is as creative as it is simple. If you crave familiarity, they have that. If you’re looking to let loose, you can do that, too." While Lucia's offers eight kinds of grilled cheese, the reviewer recommends "the applewood-smoked ham sandwich ($15), with the sweetness of ...apricot jam playing off the salty meat, accompanied by creamy ricotta and a delicate hazelnut spread in just the right amounts." Lucia’s Craft Sandwich is located at 6682 Alhambra Ave. in Martinez, and 611 2nd Ave. in Crockett.
• OK’s Deli in Oakland crafts sandwiches with intense flavors and creative interpretations of the classics. Everything from sauces and breads is made in-house. The reviewer recommends a semi-traditional version of Filipino sisig. "The sisig sando is a true meat bomb: tender, luscious bits of pork with pork fat spiked with onion, made even more umami-rich with soy sauce and mayonnaise and a runny over-easy egg tucked into the bottom. Yet it’s also well-balanced, with fiery explosions of tiny Thai chilis and fresh lime juice to cut through the unctuousness." OK’s Deli is at 3932 Telegraph Ave. in Oakland.
• Parma Delicatessen in Concord got raves for its welcoming vibe. The reviewer recommended the most-popular sandwich, the Italian mix ($17). "A sturdy sub roll is coated with mustard and mayo then layered with a thick piece of provolone cheese and a giant stack of prosciutto, ham, salami and mortadella. We got ours with the works, which also included lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles and pepperoncini." Parma Delicatessen is located at 3521 Clayton Road in Concord.
• Saul’s Restaurant & Delicatessen in Berkeley for "comforting the belly and soul with Jewish grub like liver and onions and pastrami on rye." While the favorites are continuing under new ownership at the 40-year-old restaurant, the reviewer also praised a vegetarian offering, "Saul’s pita sabich ($13.50). It starts with housemade pita that’s not paper-thin but puffy and doughy. The chefs stuff it with discs of fried eggplant and hard-boiled eggs. Onto that goes a potato latke and tabbouleh with fresh parsley and dill, and you dunk it in two sauces – creamy tahini and amba, a tangy-sweet concoction with fenugreek and pickled mango." Saul's Deli is at 1475 Shattuck Ave. in Berkeley.

Read the full 10 terrific Bay Area sandwiches to try right now at the Bay Area News Group website.

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