Melbourne’s sandwich-scape has dramatically transformed of late, as top chefs and up-and-comers alike turn their attention to the sub, the panino, the hoagie, the melt. As a result, the popularity of the handheld takeaway staple has surged. From simple and sustaining to coveted — and occasionally, with a cult following — here are some of the city’s most tip-top sandwich shops.

Hector’s Deli

Known for its amped-up takes on classic flavour combinations, Hector’s makes some of the city’s most sought-after sandwiches and has spawned a fair few imitators over the years. The signature is a fluffy steamed potato roll struggling valiantly to contain a piece of fried chicken more than double its size, but there’s also a buttery, chilli-spiked tuna melt, and a mornings-only cousin of the McMuffin. Don’t skip the doughnuts, which might come maple-glazed or filled with sticky-sour plum jam.

Must-try sandwich: Fried chicken with tarragon butter and iceberg, $16.50

Shop 1, 94 Buckingham Street, Richmond; 253 Coventry Street, South Melbourne; 111 Moor Street, Fitzroy, hectorsdeli.com.au

Frankie’s Tortas and Tacos

When news of Frankie’s’ evolution from a streetside stall to a full-blown diner broke, torta enthusiasts citywide rejoiced. At its new home, the shop’s popular torta al pastor – the hot Mexican sandwich stuffed with grilled pork, queso Oaxaca (a white semi-hard cheese), refried beans and iceberg lettuce – remains the same, but the old food truck and plastic stools have been subbed out for a neon-lit space with comfy dove-grey booths and a red terrazzo bar. Also fresh: tequila-fuelled espresso martinis, micheladas, and choc-dipped ice-cream tacos.

Must-try sandwich: Al pastor torta, $18

30 Johnston Street, Fitzroy, tortasandtacos.com.au

Stefanino Panino

This unassuming takeaway-only shop isn’t one for late-lunchers. Former school teacher Stef Condello and his team have access to a limited number of soft ciabatta rolls from Carlton North’s Natural Tucker Bakery each day, so they generally sell out by 1pm. The go-to is the Caprese, with two types of salami (hot and fennel-studded), hyper-ripe tomato slices, buffalo mozzarella and basil, or you can build your own from the cabinet full of salumi and cheese. Cap it all off with chinotto and cannoli.

Must-try sandwich: #1 Caprese with 50-50 hot and fennel salami, $15

255 Lygon Street, Brunswick East, instagram.com/stefanino.panino

Le Bajo Milkbar

Located along one side of a sprawling vintage car garage and decorated with Australiana, Le Bajo is by Jason Gunawan of Potato Head beach club, and Kantaro Okada of Japanese spots 279, Leonie Upstairs and Hareruya Pantry. House-baked shokupan is the star here; thick, cloud-like slices of milk bread holding golden hunks of chicken katsu or karaage octopus, or a dessert version with fresh strawberry and kiwifruit suspended in sweet cream. There’s also a Japanese take on croque madame, sancho-spiced chocolate cookies, and shokupan loaves to-go.

Must-try sandwich: Spicy tako (octopus) sando, $19.50

8-14 Howard Street, North Melbourne, lebajo.com.au

Warkop

Chef Barry Susanto’s Indonesian heritage and time spent cooking at Navi (one of the city’s most lauded fine-diners) combine gracefully at this tiny coffee-and-sandwich joint, where Susanto and co are making fiery confit duck and green sambal sangas, a gado gado inspired vegan number, and Taliwang chicken (marinated in garlic, chilli and shrimp paste) inspired by a trip to Lombok. Warkop is a truncated translation of “coffee stall”, and the caffeination options are similarly tight, with just black or white available.

Must-try sandwich: Taliwang-spiced chicken with green tomato, $16

12 Risley Street, Richmond, warkop.com.au

Nico’s Sandwich Deli

Inspired by the bodegas of New York, Nico’s is a small but mighty takeaway empire from the Dexter and Takeaway Pizza team. Behind its trademark royal-blue exterior, the team churns out sangas you’ll need two hands to tackle. It’s melts-only first thing in the morning – think truffle, mushroom and taleggio or sherry-braised oxtail to go with your Seven Seeds coffee. Then later, panko-crumbed chicken (or Plantein, a soy meat alternative) with nori and dill pickles, and a stacked salad situation with cheddar, koji chimichurri and sesame-tofu sauce.

Must-try sandwich: Nico’s salad, $15

Healeys Lane, Melbourne; 1 Piera Street, Brunswick East; 100 Kerr Street, Fitzroy, nicos.melbourne

Saul’s

It’s hard to miss the original Saul’s, a red-and-white-clad diner in Bentleigh East and a product of Melbourne’s pandemic-induced sandwich craze. It’s since sprouted three siblings, all serving the signature NY-style hoagie: a carefully layered triple-stack of cold cuts – shaved mortadella, sopressa salami and grandmother ham – plus provolone cheese, mayo and red pepper pesto, squished ever so gently between two halves of a long sesame roll. There’s also an eggplant sub with broccoli rabe and creamy mozzarella that can be made vegan on request.

Must-try sandwich: Deli cold cuts hoagie, $16.90

256 Carlisle Street, Balaclava; 315 Neerim Road, Carnegie; shop 2, 673 Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn; 929 Centre Road, Bentleigh East, sauls.com.au

Rocco’s Delicatessen

Some of the most visually appealing sandwiches struggle with structural integrity. Not so at Rocco’s, an Italian deli open since 1977. Namesake Rocco handed the keys over to the McQueen family a few years ago, but he’s immortalised in the Rocco Roll which comes with your meat of choice sliced whisper-thin to order, then draped in soft, undulating waves across crunchy ciabatta with pesto, Sicilian olives, eggplant, peppers and swiss cheese. You can also build your own sandwich from scratch, or peer over the shoulder of one of the many regulars for inspiration.

Must-try sandwich: The Rocco Roll with prosciutto and hot salami, $11.50

122 Roberts Street, Yarraville, instagram.com/roccos_delicatessen

Wild Life Bakery

Creating Wild Life’s famed sourdough baguette is a three-day affair, involving slow fermentation, careful shaping, and baking onsite each morning at the converted warehouse cafe. The resulting long, narrow loaf dazzles all on its own, but things only improve when it’s jammed full of punchy cauliflower and chimichurri, or gochujang tofu, or harissa-spiced roast chicken and lemon mayo. Whatever takes your fancy, it’s best enjoyed in the sunny front courtyard, or at the dog-friendly park just up the road.

Must-try sandwich: Roasted cauliflower, chimichurri and vegan mayo, $14

90 Albert Street, Brunswick East, shop.wildlifebakery.com

King William Takeaway

The King William sandwich does not belong on a plate. Whether it’s the roast chicken and gravy ciabatta – with its impressive sheet of glass-like chicken skin – the saucy Italian meatball-bechamel sub, or the oozy broccoli melt you’re eyeing off, you can expect it’ll be stacked high enough by the team at this hole-in-the-wall joint to warrant the relative security of a small takeaway bowl. Wash it down with a house-made pineapple-ginger soda, spiked with gin or vodka for an extra $9.

Must-try sandwich: Roast chicken with stuffing, chicken skin, zucchini slaw and gravy, $18

487 Flinders Lane, Melbourne, kingwilliam.com.au