Sandwiches are the mainstay of lunch. But where to find the best ones South of Market? Here are seven super sandwiches, one for every day of the week. 

Pressed Cubano

The stand out sandwich at Ironside is the Pressed Cubano. It’s a marvel the way the country ham, slow roasted pork, gruyère and pickles all come together. No question, the Pressed Cubano is greater than the sum of its parts. 

Arista

At Merigan Sub Shop, the much anticipated sandwich shop from Liza Shaw, the clear winner is the Arista, a combination of roasted and braised pork, sharp provolone, juicy bitter rapini and long hots. Served toasty warm, it’s perfectly seasoned and large enough for two, if you add a side salad. 

Jalapeno Popper

There are plenty of classic options at The American Grilled Cheese Kitchen, but a less traditional one is perhaps the most tantalizing. The Jalapeno Popper features local chevre, Monterey jack, apricot-jalapeno relish and Zoe’s applewood bacon on levain bread. It's creamy, spicy, smoky with a hint of sweetness; this sandwich is tough to beat. 

Gold-n-Berg-n-Stein

The hot sandwiches at Deli Board are crazy. Crazy good. Adam Mesnick’s insane sounding combinations of paper thin deli meats and cheeses (and sometimes other things like tuna or falafel) are loaded up on the perfect rolls.  The can’t miss masterpiece here is the Gold-n-Berg-n-Stein with corned beef, pastrami, salami and Muenster cheese, house slaw and Thousand Island dressing. With apologies to Lucky Charms, the delicacy of the meats and lightness of the roll are magically delicious. 

#1 or #2

Conventional wisdom might have you thinking North Beach was the only place for an Italian style sub sandwich. Not so. At 1058 Hoagie Adam Mesnick of Deli Board fame offers a dozen or so cold sandwiches packed with thinly sliced meat, cheese, some with tangy sauces. Try one of his signature sandwiches, the #2 with porchetta, genoa salami, finocchiona salami, fresh mozzarella, dynamite olive salad, shum spread, and the works. Not a fan of garlic? Go for the #1 instead which always features aged provolone and cherry peppers. 

Hot Pastrami

At Darwin Cafe, a tiny Ritch Street hideaway, order the special hot pastrami sandwich whenever it’s on the menu. It’s served with dijon mustard, sweet onion, pickles, Thousand Island dressing and swiss. The moist, thinly sliced pastrami and freshly toasted bread meld together beautifully. It’s better than the best reuben you’ve ever had, and comes with a side salad.

Roast Beef

While many swoon over the corned beef, at Dennis Leary’s sandwich spotThe Sentinel, try the cold Roast Beef sandwich. The beef is served very rare with smoked onions, frisee and horseradish cream cheese on a housemade seedy bun. It’s juicy, tender and positively addicting.