Best Sandwiches Restaurants in East Harlem
3 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: February 2026
Our Top Pick
Blue Sky Deli (Hajji's)
A 24-hour East Harlem bodega widely regarded as the original chopped cheese counter.
Notable Picks
8.6
Corner bodega credited as the birthplace of the chopped cheese, running 24 hours with a flat-top constantly turning out hot heroes. It’s the move when you want a loaded chopped cheese in its original East Harlem context rather than a dressed-up remake downtown.
Must-Try Dishes:
Chopped Cheese Sandwich, Chopped Cheese Hero, Roast Beef Sandwich
What makes it special: A 24-hour East Harlem bodega widely regarded as the original chopped cheese counter.
Danny Meyer’s neighborhood café on Madison where breakfast sandwiches, crullers, and composed lunch sandwiches share a bright, laptop-friendly room. It’s a polished way to do a BEC or veggie sandwich in Upper East Side style, with better coffee and more design than a corner deli.
Must-Try Dishes:
Bacon Egg and Cheese Sandwich, Chickpea Veggie sandwich, Maple or white crullers
What makes it special: A modern café from a well-known NYC restaurant group with carefully built breakfast and lunch sandwiches.
Worthy Picks
7.9
Compact sit-down Mexican restaurant just off 1st Avenue where the menu runs from tacos and cemitas to larger plates and daily specials. The room is simple but animated, with steady neighborhood traffic and a menu broad enough to cover groups that want everything from carne asada to enchiladas. It’s often cited by locals as one of East Harlem’s most reliable full-service Mexican options.
Must-Try Dishes:
Birria tacos, Cemita poblana, Chicken enchiladas verdes
What makes it special: Full-service neighborhood Mexican spot with a broad, taco-to-platters menu.