American-style sandwich shop Nico's has expanded its Melbourne empire, opening a third store. The electric-blue cafe in Brunswick East is not only the biggest branch of Nico's, it also has the largest menu, with 11 sandwiches on offer each day, plus occasional specials.

New sangas from menu mastermind Tom Peasnell (Dexter, Dom's Social Club) include beer-battered rockling, a tuna melt and an oxtail-taleggio toastie. "It's only four elements," says co-owner Leo Thompson, of that sandwich. "But how many people are going home and braising oxtail and beef cheek?"

The new additions build on the core range of hefty chicken schnitzel, toasted Cubano and salad sandwiches that have won over Melburnians in the past two years.

Peasnell, Thompson and business partner Mark Petridis opened the first Nico's in the CBD in 2020, but only managed one day of trade that year amid lockdowns. A pop-up in Fitzroy that's since become semi-permanent helped see the business through the pandemic.

"We always thought it was repeatable," says Thompson. "[But] I don't think we thought of it taking off the way it did, particularly in Fitzroy during lockdown."

Thompson and Peasnell cite New York's neighbourhood bodegas as a source of inspiration for their service and menu.

"That's the goal," says Peasnell. "Once the hype's gone, [Nico's] just goes back to being a consistent regular."

The new menu also includes a makeover of the original salad sandwich, with sharp cheddar cheese, more salad and a dressing of silken tofu, sesame and Kewpie replacing herb-flecked salad cream and slices of fresh mozzarella respectively.

The full sandwich line-up will be introduced to Fitzroy gradually, while the city store is sticking to melts and fresh sandwiches due to the constraints of its seven-square-metre site.

With its generous corner block, Nico's Brunswick East may look bigger from the outside, but it's still a tight set-up within, with the majority of the site being used for storage while the team catches its breath. Thompson is not ruling out a new concept for the front of the building, though.

A parklet on the street seats 24, while undercover there's room to browse the menu or wait for your order. Coffee comes from Seven Seeds.

Open daily 8am-3pm.

130 Lygon Street, Brunswick East (enter via Piera Street), nicos.melbourne