“So, it’s just a sandwich?” asks a woman as she walks past. I nod.

“So, you’re lining up just for a sandwich?” she says again, as she looks at (and let’s face it, judges) the 30-odd people waiting patiently outside Raineri’s Deli. She shakes her head and walks on.

I mean, it is just a sandwich, but as Sandwich watch confirms each month, not all sandwiches are created equal.

Enter Raineri’s Continental Deli

If you live in or near Five Dock, you’ll be familiar with the lines at Raineri’s Deli. They form about 10.30am and maintain stamina until about 3pm.

It’s not just locals who come to this family-run delicatessen for antipasto and sandwiches filled with cut-to-order cured meats, cheeses and marinated eggplant and capsicum. No, people come from all over the city. “I just spent $20 in tolls to get here,” the guy in front of me says. In fact, the lines have intensified in the age of TikTok.

“It’s always been busy, but it’s gone to another level,” says Sam Raineri, son of Rosaria and Peter Raineri who, in 1981, opened Raineri’s Deli.

“It’s good – 100 per cent it’s good. Social media has opened us up to different cultures and clientele. We love it. The shop is a lot more multicultural and a much more enjoyable place to work with all these new friends.”

Why we’re all here

Even though I’ve had 65 minutes of queuing time to figure out what I want on my sandwich, now I’m faced with a cabinet of (mainly) Italian-sourced deli produce, I hesitate. There’s no menu of predetermined combinations; instead, you’re encouraged to let your preferences guide you.

I choose spicy salami, and the meat baton is taken to the slicer, where rounds of the unctuous cured sausage are cut onto a generous portion of focaccia. I love strong, punchy flavours so add olives, sun-dried tomatoes and fresh rocket to give it a peppery kick. Now cheese – should I go hard or soft?

“Are you eating in or taking away?” Sam asks. He and his brother, Joseph, now run the deli and about a year ago they added a coffee machine and communal table for diners to sit between shelves of pasta, olive oil and passata. I say take-away. “In that case I’d recommend the buffalo mozzarella.” He expertly loads the ingredients on the focaccia then cuts it in half and escorts it on a timber board to the other end of the counter to be toasted.

They’re $15 and outstanding

The sandwiches at Raineri’s Deli are a masterclass in balance. There’s a lot going on (after all, antipasto is powerful stuff) but the ratios, housed in perfectly toasted focaccia, ensure you taste every nuance: the spicy salami, the creamy cheese, the salty olives and juicy tomatoes.

They’re also extremely well priced. “It doesn’t matter what you get – they’re all $15,” he says. “The San Daniele prosciutto is $120 a kilo, but because the deli is busy, we can offset the sandwich prices. My father always made affordable panini, $5, $10 and now $15 – and we want to keep that.”

Future-proofing

The Raineri family want to ensure the deli lives on for new generations of Sydneysiders. “The shop has always been busy because of the factories [in the area], and we’ve had lines on the weekends. But we’ve diversified and changed and are now attracting new people. Mum’s here every day, and so is Dad, but he’s 88,” Sam says.

“We thought the Italian families, who have come for years, would bring in the next generation, but that didn’t happen. That era is fading. But we’ve made new friends – Mum has made new friends, and new people who have never been here are coming. It’s good vibes and atmosphere. It’s good for Five Dock.”

Where to get one

Raineri’s Continental Delicatessen is at 97 Great North Road, Five Dock. It’s open 7am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday, 7am to 4pm on Saturday and 7am to noon on Sunday.

This is the latest instalment of Sandwich watch, a column dedicated to the Sydney sandwiches you need to know about.

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