Mar 9, 2026 | 5:14 pm
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…