SNDWCH: Fresh Italian Sandwiches, No Attitude
If you like parmesan, wait til you see their pasta
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I think my favorite kind of hidden gem is the Happy Accident – the place you find when Plan A goes out the window, and you say, “Let’s just eat here.” And by the time you leave, you’re glad Plan A failed. Such was the case when we tried to go to a certain red-doored deli near UM that turned out to be one of those “you’re lucky we’re making your sandwich, now tip me 25%” kind of places. So I called an audible, meandered down Sunset Drive, and found SNDWCH.
SNDWCH (no vowels, like the owner was trying to fit the name on a license plate) is an Italian sandwich shop with a menu similar to the place we’d just left. Except the staff was friendly, the food was reasonably priced, and nobody asked for a 25% tip before they’d even looked at my order. Everything screamed “We’re happy to have you,” and in a city where so many restaurants get an ego when they get 20,000 Instagram followers, it was refreshing to find a place as low-key and welcoming as it was delicious.
So what makes this sandwich shop so special?
It is a quintessential Italian sandwich shop, with gourmet upgrades. Think house-made balsamic drizzle atop burrata and fresh pesto. Hand-sliced meats and cured prosciutto di parma on toasted focaccia. There’s also tomato basil soup and half-and-half combos so you can try a little more of the menu. Everything is $20 or less, and can make two meals if you’re not starving.
What to eat and drink: The caprese salad is a must -spicy arugula, tomatoes with actual flavor, fresh mozzarella, and the aforementioned balsamic drizzle. It can be lunch on its own, for eight bucks. The chicken parm bakes vodka sauce into the breaded chicken cutlet, then adds pesto for an intriguing take on the classic sandwich. The Sicilian is the move for meat lovers, with pepperoni, salami, and a rich Sicilian sauce, then pressed like a Cuban. Which they also have, though really, do you order spaghetti and meatballs at Versailles?
The space: Ain’t much, though there are a few seats outside where you can sit and watch people walk down Sunset Drive. Inside, you’ll find pictures of the sandwiches on the walls, plastic ivy covering an ordering kiosk, and friendly sandwicheros making your food. They do a massive to-go business, but if your find yourself near Sunset Place and want a spot to take a load off, it’s ideal. SNDWCH has a few other locations around Miami, too, which I’m assured are equally as delicious.
Don’t miss: The pesto pasta. It’s topped with, I think, and entire block of parmesan, and they grate it on top right in front of you. Like I said, everything here is fresh.
Ideal for: Quick lunch, or dinner on the go.
Expect to pay: $20-25, but a sandwich can easily last you two meals.
How’s the parking: Not bad. There’s decent street parking on Sunset Drive and in the surrounding neighborhood.
@SNDWCHmiami // 1573 Sunset Drive, Coral Gables