Where are the best sandwiches in the Triangle? Round 4 voting is underway
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- The News & Observer asked readers to nominate the best Raleigh-area sandwich shops.
- After 43 delis and restaurants went up for a vote, we’re down to the Top 5.
- Voting in Round 4 is open until 10 a.m. Wednesday, March 18.
Wednesday, March 18 update: We have started Round 5 of our contest. You can vote here.
We’ve narrowed down the best of the best sandwich shops in the Triangle, but we still need your help to crown a winner.
On March 2, The News & Observer invited readers to share the top places to eat sandwiches in the Raleigh area. We reviewed your nominations and asked our staff’s foodies which places should round out the list.
We started with a list of 43 nominees, and the Top 5 are still in the running. Below, you can cast your vote for your favorite local deli or restaurant:
If you really think that one of the sandwich shops should reign supreme, you can refresh this page and vote as many times as you want. Here’s what to know about the rest of the contest:
- The fourth round will determine the Top 2. It will be live from about 11 a.m. March 16 until 10 a.m. Wednesday, March 18.
- The fifth round will determine the winner. It will be live from about 11 a.m. March 18 until 10 a.m. Friday, March 20.
This is a fun contest and isn’t meant to be a scientific poll. Here are the Top 5 sandwich shops in the Triangle, in order of how many votes they received in Round 3:
- Milo’s Cafe
- International Delights
- Poppyseed Market
- Deli on Main Street
- Fratelli’s Delicatessen
“Before the nominees went up for a vote, the businesses were vetted to make sure they had fewer than 20 locations nationwide and were located in or near Raleigh, Durham or Chapel Hill,” The N&O previously reported.
Here were the original 43 places that were nominated, in alphabetical order:
1. A Place at the Table
2. Alimentari at Left Bank
3. Artisan Beer and Cheese
4. Berkeley Cafe
5. Big Bob’s City Grill
6. Bongiorno & Son
7. Cafe Meridian
8. Carroll’s Kitchen
9. Common Market
10. Deli on Main Street
11. Eastcut
12. Foster’s Market
13. Fratelli’s Delicatessen
14. Ideals Sandwich and Grocery
15. International Delights
16. Iris Coffee Lab
17. Italian Pizzeria III
18. KoKyu
19. LRB Provisions
20. LunchBox Deli
21. Manhattan Cafe
22. Merritt’s Grill
23. Milo’s Cafe
24. Neal’s Deli
25. Oakwood Deli
26. Parker and Otis
27. Pastrami Tom’s
28. Pat Murnane’s Irish Pub
29. Pho Xpress
30. Poppyseed Market
31. Redstart Takeaway
32. Serendipity Gourmet Deli
33. Side Street Restaurant
34. Sosta Cafe
35. Southern Craft Sandwiches
36. State of Beer
37. The Butcher’s Market
38. Toast
39. Tonya’s Cafe
40. TRU
41. Union Special
42. Village Deli & Grill
43. Watkins Grill
This story was originally published March 16, 2026 at 10:35 AM.
