The Best Sandwiches in Ann Arbor
By bread type: rye, baguette, pita, hoagie roll, and the soft bun. What makes each one worth eating.
A sandwich is not a neutral format. What makes a Reuben a Reuben has nothing to do with the corned beef and everything to do with how the rye handles the press of the grill. A bánh mì falls apart without the right baguette: thin crust, airy interior, yielding enough that you can bite through without punching the filling out the other end. A falafel wrap in grocery-store pita is a different object from one in house-made pita with enough structure to hold.
The sandwiches in this guide are organized by bread because the bread is usually the variable that separates an ordinary version from the one you go back for.
On Rye: Zingerman's Deli
Zingerman's Delicatessen (422 Detroit St) makes the best Reuben in Ann Arbor. The #2 is the version: corned beef brined to Zingerman's own specifications, Swiss Emmental, sauerkraut from The Brinery in Ann Arbor, Russian dressing made in-house, on a grilled Jewish Rye from the Zingerman's Bakehouse. Around $19.
The bread is what makes it. Bakehouse rye is dense, caraway-forward, with a tight crumb and a crust that gives way when grilled but doesn't turn to mush. Cheaper Reubens use bread that compresses on the grill into something waterlogged. This one stays together from first bite to last.
The #48 Binny's Brooklyn Reuben runs the same structure with pastrami on pumpernickel. The pastrami is smokier and more peppery; the pumpernickel adds a darker, earthier quality. If you've had the #2 enough times, the #48 is worth the next visit.
Worth knowing: the line on weekends is real and does not move fast. Midweek lunch is the better entry point.
Seva (2541 Jackson Ave) offers the vegetarian version worth taking seriously. The tempeh Reuben uses marinated tempeh in place of corned beef, with sauerkraut, Swiss, and Thousand Island dressing on rye. The tempeh has enough density and funk that the sandwich doesn't feel like it's trying to substitute for something. It follows the architecture of the original, and on its own terms, it holds together.
On Vietnamese Baguette: Paris Banh Mi
Paris Banh Mi (609 E William St) is the only place in Ann Arbor doing bánh mì on a proper baguette. The bread matters here as much as it does at Zingerman's, just in the opposite direction: where Bakehouse rye is dense and tight, a good bánh mì baguette is thin-crusted and airy, a hybrid of French technique and Vietnamese-bakery lightness. The Paris Banh Mi version has the crispness that marks a fresh bake and a soft interior that won't shred your mouth.
The classic build: pork pâté, your choice of protein (grilled pork, Vietnamese meatballs, or tofu among the options), pickled daikon and carrot, jalapeño, cilantro, and a swipe of butter mayo and house sauce. Around $12.50. The pickles cut the richness. The cilantro adds lift. The jalapeño is there throughout, not as heat for its own sake but as a structural presence.
The pho is secondary. The boba is popular. The sandwich is the reason to go, and per Michigan Daily coverage of the opening, the kitchen handled over 1,700 transactions in its first weekend, which means the operation runs fast at volume. Go for the sandwich and expect a line at peak hours.
On House-Made Pita: Jerusalem Garden
Jerusalem Garden (314 E Liberty St) bakes its pita in-house, and the difference is tactile. Thicker than the packaged version, with a slight chew and enough structural integrity to hold fillings without splitting mid-wrap. The falafel goes into this pita fried to order, with a crisp exterior and a green, herb-dense interior that crumbles into the wrap rather than sitting there like a ball.
A falafel wrap with tahini, pickled turnip, and vegetables runs around $10-$12. The shawarma wrap is the other call: chicken or lamb shaved from a vertical spit, warm from the rendering fat, with tahini and pickles. Both work because the pita can handle the fillings.
The plate versions (falafel plate or shawarma plate, with hummus, rice, and salad) are more substantial meals, but the wraps are the sandwiches. On East Liberty, this is the benchmark.
On Hoagie Roll: Sottini's Sub Shop
Sottini's Sub Shop (205 S Fourth Ave) has been making deli subs in downtown Ann Arbor since 1980, and the menu hasn't chased trends. Twenty-plus subs built from hand-sliced meats and fresh toppings: Italian combos, roast beef, turkey, Philly cheesesteak, meatball, and a vegetarian falafel option alongside the classics.
The cold Italian sub is the call for a first visit: capicola, salami, and ham on a hoagie roll with provolone, oil, vinegar, oregano, shredded lettuce, and tomato. The meat is sliced thin enough to stack without creating a solid block that slides out when you bite down. Cold subs have a structural logic that most sandwich shops abandon in favor of melted cheese on everything; Sottini's stays true to the form.
Hours run Monday through Saturday, lunch only (closes at 6 p.m., closed Sunday). Located on Fourth Avenue near Washington, it's a short walk from the Main Street corridor and easy to miss if you're not looking.
On Good Bread: Little Kim
Little Kim (207 N Fifth Ave, Kerrytown) serves a fried tofu sandwich built on Zingerman's Bakehouse bread, which is a meaningful supply chain decision. The bread has structure. The panko-fried tofu holds crunch through the meal. The gochujang sauce adds heat that's present throughout rather than arriving as an afterthought.
This is not a sandwich as a main event in the way Zingerman's or Sottini's is. It's the grab-and-go item at a counter that does bowls first. But it's better than most vegetarian sandwiches in the city, and the bread choice alone puts it ahead of spots that default to whatever rolls are cheapest.
Little Kim is all-vegetarian, open Tuesday through Sunday, 11:30 a.m.-6 p.m.
On a Soft Bun: Ricewood
Ricewood (1928 Packard St) is primarily a barbecue rice bowl restaurant, but the brisket sandwich has built a following that's separate from the bowl crowd. Texas-style brisket smoked overnight, served on a soft bun with a tangy slaw. The brisket has the kind of smoke ring and fat rendering that comes from a real overnight cook rather than a shortcut. The slaw adds crunch and acidity against the fat.
It doesn't fit neatly into the deli or sub category. It's a barbecue sandwich at an Asian-fusion BBQ spot on Packard, which is a specific niche, but the sandwich is worth the drive south from downtown. Open Tuesday through Saturday for lunch and dinner. Closed Sunday and Monday.
A few more worth knowing:
The frita at Frita Batidos (117 W Washington St) is technically a sandwich: a chorizo-beef patty on a soft egg bun, topped with shoestring fries. It's around $10 and has won the Michigan Daily's best burger recognition regularly. It's not a sandwich shop, but the frita is a well-engineered handheld that competes with anything in its price range.
Bev's Bagels (115 E Liberty St) is expected to open later in 2026, with hand-rolled, kettle-boiled bagels from chef Max Sussman, who ran the kitchen at Core City Detroit. Bagel sandwiches will be the format. When it opens, East Liberty will have the best per-block density of serious bread in the city.
Zingerman's Deli is in Kerrytown at 422 Detroit St. Jerusalem Garden and Sottini's are both walkable from downtown. Paris Banh Mi is near central campus at 609 E William St. Ricewood is on Packard Street, south of downtown, and requires a short drive.