Where Can I Find the Best Sandwiches in San Antonio? At the Best Delicatessens!

By Sara Branstetter | October 7, 2023

I’m constantly visiting great restaurants in and around San Antonio, many of which are a little on the nicer/pricier side, and not someplace you’re likely going to go on the regular. Problem is, we all need a place that we CAN go on the regular for that quick working lunch or between piano lessons and the soccer game with kids in tow. Some place fast. Some place affordable. And some place that is still utterly delicious. Thankfully, there are some superb delis in SA that tick all of those boxes and more. Below are my recommendations for where to find the best sandwiches in San Antonio.

Where Can I Find the Best Sandwiches in San Antonio?

Beacon Hill Market and Deli

While Beacon Hill may be the new kid on the block when it comes to delis in the Alamo city, this east coast style deli is cranking out mouthwatering sandwiches more like it’s the godfather than the newbie.

Located in the Blanco Centre shopping complex, Beacon Hill Market and Deli is an exceptional deli with cheesesteaks that rival anything you could possibly find in Philly itself. Not a cheesesteak fan? Try the crowd-pleasing Italian hoagie or melt-in-your-mouth hot pastrami on fresh rye. Cold and hot salads round out BHMD’s menu making for the total deli package.

Protip: Beacon Hill Market and Deli is only open Thursday-Sunday from 11am-4pm, or whenever they sell out, so come early!

WEBSITE | 1717 Blanco Rd, San Antonio, TX 78212

Gino's Deli @ Stop N Buy

This is a deli. In a convenience store. Don’t judge a book by its cover.

Gino’s has become a beloved institution in SA over the years for its absolutely phenomenal sandwiches that are created and served up in an assuming convenience store that is all things convenience store, just minus the gas. And while most people don’t typically equate convenience stores with good sandwiches (how long have they been on the shelf?!), at Gino’s, your preconceived notions of gas station sandwiches will be obliterated.

This Yelp 5-star deli makes some of the best sandwiches in San Antonio. Crowds and lines form daily for delicious, popular eats like the Smoke Stack sandwich with hickory smoked turkey, applewood smoked bacon, smoked provolone, and smoked chipotle aioli, or the Philly Cheese Steak with tender ribeye and sauteed onions and green peppers. Sandwiches are all made to order and can be modified to meet your tastes.

And it won’t just be your biases about gas station food that will change at Gino’s. The service at Gino’s is outstanding. From the moment I walked in, I was engaged with both by the staff and other customers who seemed thrilled to share their food with a new face. The whole place just had a solid community feel to it that I’ve NEVER experienced at a convenience store before.

Great sandwiches. Great people. A great convenience store.

WEBSITE | 13210 Huebner Rd, San Antonio, TX 78230

Schilo's Deli

Schilo’s Deli is a German-inspired delicatessen located downtown, adjacent to the San Antonio Riverwalk. This historic eatery opened in 1917 and is the oldest operating restaurant in the Alamo city and offers one of the most unique dining experiences in San Antonio.

Schilo’s menu includes both breakfast and lunch options, all at very reasonable prices (an anomaly for Riverwalk restaurants). Schilo’s sandwiches are pretty deli standard with a few standouts like the Reuben and the Submarine. Recommend that you add a cup of Schilo’s famous split pea soup and a frothy mug of root beer that is brewed in-house daily to any order.

WEBSITE | 424 E Commerce St, San Antonio, TX 78205

W D Deli

Photo Credit: Yelp Rebecca C.

Longtime SA fave, W D Deli, has been around for more than 30 years and has a loyal local following. Located off of Broadway in a charming, converted home, just down the street from the Witte Museum, W D Deli is a staple on the deli scene and now with new(ish) owners who took over in 2022, is set to continue its deli reign for years to come.

Photo Credit: Yelp W D Deli

W D Deli’s well-rounded menu offers both brunch and lunch items and 24 of the best sandwiches in San Antonio. Options are varied and range from the classics (excellent chicken salad!) to the San Antonio-esque (chicken and chipotle parmesan), with a number of salads, soups, sides, and desserts to make a meal of.

Given W D Deli’s location and robust kid-friendly menu, it’s a great place to stop after a morning spent at the zoo, Witte Museum, or Doseum.

WEBSITE | 3123 Broadway, San Antonio, TX 78209

The Wicked Wich

Photo Credit: Yelp Brian F.

The Wicked Wich, and clearly the best-named deli on this list, is simply your classic deli - no frills, just great sandwiches. From the first day that they opened in February 2022, Woodlawn Lake residents have been flocking to this popular sandwich shop and lining up daily to get their hands on the wicked sandwiches made here.

Photo Credit: Yelp Keri M.

The Wicked Wich’s menu is on the smaller side, doubling down on quality over quantity. If you’re looking to go big, your best bet is to order the Beast – a monster of a sandwich filled to overflowing with roast beef, turkey, genoa salami, capicola, soppressata, mortadella, and provolone. It’s a wicked amount of meat, and exactly what the deli is going for.

WEBSITE | 825 Fredericksburg Rd A, San Antonio, TX 78201

Chicago Bagel & Deli

Photo Credit: Yelp Shannon B.

Chicago Bagel & Deli is not just our go-to for homemade bagels that can go toe-to-toe with any bagels you could find in Chicago or NYC. It’s also home to some of the best non-bagel sandwiches in San Antonio. So, grab your laptop and enjoy a remote workday with fresh bagels and lox for breakfast, and a fantastic sandwich for lunch.

Photo Credit: Facebook Chicago Bagel & Deli

Deli sandwiches are divided up here by cold and hot options and all come on your choice of bread (white, wheat, rye, French, or croissant), with your choice of side (potato salad, pasta salad, cole slaw, or chips). For a San Antonio inspired sandwich, try the Screaming Cluck with chicken breast, jalapeños, provolone cheese, avocado spread, lettuce and tomato.

WEBSITE | 10918 Wurzbach Rd # 132, San Antonio, TX 78230

Zito's Deli

Zito’s seems to exist for one reason and one reason only, to feed the masses. Every time I have been to the Broadway location, it has been completely packed. And after sampling a sandwich, I can understand why.

The aptly named “Serious Sandwich” is one of the absolute best sandwiches I have ever put in my mouth. Customers arrive every day on their lunch break and most of them end up ordering this delicious sandwich which consists of salami, two types of ham, provolone cheese, cheddar cheese, black olives, onion, lettuce, and tomato, all served up on Italian flatbread and covered in some kind of delicious dressing. It’s a dripping mess that you simply cannot get enough of.

And while half a serious sandwich is more than enough for me, the full size is available for a whopping $21.98 for those who literally can’t get enough of it, or who may just want to split it up for their table.

In addition to the Serious Sandwich, Zito’s has 16 other sandwich options that can be found at their two San Antonio locations – one off of Broadway near the airport, and one “sandwiched” between Babcock and Callaghan on the city’s northwest side.

WEBSITE | 8800 Broadway #108, San Antonio, TX 78217

The Station Café

Southtown eatery, the Station Café, is both a sandwich shop and a taproom, that is located in an old Texaco gas station. But much like Gino’s, gas station food it is not. Excellent sandwiches, as well as a lineup of craft beers and ciders, make the Station Café a popular spot for lunch-goers just south of downtown San Antonio.

Photo Credit: Yelp Zack H.

With more than 30 sandwich options all priced at less than $8.00, the Station Café is not only one the best sandwich shops in San Antonio, it is by far, one of the most affordable. Popular sandwiches here include the Jalapeño Roast Beef, the Turkey Chupacabra, and the Garlic Roast Beef.

WEBSITE | 108 King William St, San Antonio, TX 78205

Max & Louie's New York Diner

Photo Credit: Yelp Meri M.

Like the big apple itself, everything you get at Max and Louie’s is enormous. This NY style diner keeps it real with gigantic portions of everything. At a minimum, you’ll never leave hungry and more than likely, you’ll leave with enough food on hand for another 1-2 meals.

Photo Credit: Yelp Jennifer D.

Located off of 281 and Bitters Rd. near the Santikos Embassy movie theater, Max and Louie’s is a bustling diner with a menu that just doesn’t quit. With 25+ hot, cold, and open-faced sandwich options, as well as soups, salads, burgers, pizzas, and more, guests are certain to find something that they will enjoy.

If you’re going for hearty, try one of the hot hero sandwiches with your choice of chicken, eggplant, or meatball parmesan, all of which are smothered in gooey, melted mozzarella, and taste divine.

WEBSITE | 226 W Bitters Rd #126, San Antonio, TX 78216