I spent nearly $300 eating Los Angeles’ most expensive sandwiches so you don’t have to.
Los Angeles is a lot of things.
Affordable isn’t one of them.
There was a time when grabbing a sandwich meant you were trying to save money. You’d stop at a neighborhood deli, hand over ten bucks, and still have enough left for a bag of chips and a drink.
Those days are over.
Somewhere along the way, L.A. sandwiches got main-character syndrome. Now they’re piled high with imported meats, artisan cheeses, bread that fermented longer than some relationships, and enough backstory to qualify for a Netflix documentary.
Today, saying, “Let’s grab a sandwich,” feels less like lunch and more like making a financial decision.
The last sandwich I ordered cost almost 40 bucks.
Forty.
For a sandwich.
It didn’t even come with chips.
So I decided to find the most outrageously expensive sandwiches in Los Angeles—from the “bargain” at $17 to the eye-popping $38 monster that made me question everything I thought I knew about lunch.
Some were absolutely worth the money.
Others?
Let’s just say I’d rather put a down payment on a used Honda.
If your favorite sandwich shop isn’t on this list, congratulations.
It’s probably still living in the realm of reasonable adult decisions.
No. 10: The Godmother — Bay Cities Italian Deli
Every initiation into Los Angeles food culture begins with The Godmother at Bay Cities Italian Deli in Santa Monica.
Before you’ve complained about traffic, debated the city’s best tacos, or claimed to know a shortcut through the Westside, someone will eventually tell you:
“You have to get The Godmother.”
They’re right.
Bay Cities starts with its legendary crunchy-yet-chewy Italian bread before stacking it with prosciutto, ham, capicola, mortadella, Genoa salami and provolone. The condiments are already chosen, substitutions are discouraged, and honestly…they nailed it.
A large starts at $15.50, but after a few add-ons, you’re looking at about $17.
In most cities, that’s expensive.
In Los Angeles…
…it’s practically happy hour.
The sandwich is easily big enough to share.
The problem is, after the first bite, sharing suddenly feels like a terrible idea.
💸 The Damage
Price: $17
Would I Order It Again? Absolutely.
Payment Plan Required? Nope.
Final Verdict: Still cheaper than parking in Santa Monica.
No. 9: The Grilled Cheese — Wally’s
Only in Beverly Hills could a grilled cheese become luxury dining.
At Wally’s, a grilled cheese isn’t something you throw together when you’re out of groceries.
It’s a lifestyle choice.
For $19, you get aged Gruyère, Gouda, shallot chutney and buttery grilled country bread.
Of course, I added bacon.
Because once you’re spending twenty bucks on a grilled cheese, another three dollars feels like financial background noise.
Total?
$22.
Here’s the annoying part.
This is the best grilled cheese I’ve ever eaten.
The cheeses are perfectly melted, the shallot chutney adds just enough sweetness, and the bacon turns an already great sandwich into something I’d happily order again.
If any sandwich on this list could convince me to finance lunch…
…it’s this one.
💸 The Damage
Price: $22
Would I Order It Again? Without hesitation.
Payment Plan Required? Maybe.
Final Verdict: Worth explaining to your credit card company.
No. 8: La Favolosa — All’Antico Vinaio
This might be my hottest take of the entire list.
I don’t get the hype.
All’Antico Vinaio on Abbot Kinney is famous for overstuffed Italian sandwiches and lines that seem to wrap around the block.
The focaccia?
Outstanding.
Seriously, give whoever bakes the bread a raise.
The sandwich—La Favolosa—comes loaded with salame, pecorino cream, artichoke cream and spicy eggplant for $21.
Here’s my issue.
There are so many bold flavors competing for attention that the salame becomes an extra in its own sandwich.
And maybe it’s just me…
…but the attitude sometimes makes it feel like they’re doing you a favor by letting you order.
It’s good.
I just don’t think it’s $21-and-wait-in-line good.
💸 The Damage
Price: $21
Would I Order It Again? Probably not.
Payment Plan Required? Maybe.
Final Verdict: Great bread. Too much hype.
Think these prices are ridiculous?
We’re just warming up.
Next up: New Zealand Wagyu, pizza dough sandwiches, celebrity patty melts, and my favorite sandwich in all of Los Angeles.
No. 7: Philly Cheesesteak — Matū
From here on out, the prices start getting serious.
Coming in at No. 7 is the Philly Cheesesteak from Matū in Brentwood.
For $24, you’re getting eight ounces of 100% grass-fed New Zealand Wagyu ribeye and sirloin.
That’s right.
This beef traveled farther than I did on my last vacation.
I’m assuming it flew first class.
The sandwich is topped with Cooper Sharp cheddar, grilled onions, and a roasted long hot pepper on a sesame roll.
(For the record, the pepper came off my sandwich almost immediately. We all have our limits.)
The cheesesteak is outstanding. The beef is rich, juicy, and packed with flavor, while the Cooper Sharp gives it exactly the tangy, creamy finish a Philly deserves.
Would I pay $24 for a cheesesteak?
I can’t believe I’m saying this…
…but yes.
💸 The Damage
Price: $24
Would I Order It Again? Absolutely.
Payment Plan Required? Maybe.
Final Verdict: Your wallet won’t thank you, but your taste buds will.
No. 6: Pastrami Sandwich — Sandough
Los Angeles has a pizza dough sandwich shop.
Of course it does.
At Sandough in West Hollywood, every sandwich is served on slow-fermented pizza dough instead of traditional bread.
I’ll admit it.
I was skeptical.
Then I took a bite.
The house-smoked pastrami, melted aged provolone, and dijonnaise all work beautifully together, but it’s the bread that steals the show. Chewy, airy, crisp around the edges—it somehow makes perfect sense.
Then the check arrived.
$24.
Sandough makes food that’s warm and real.
But for $24…
…I was kind of hoping the sandwich would also fold my laundry.
💸 The Damage
Price: $24
Would I Order It Again? Yes.
Payment Plan Required? Maybe.
Final Verdict: Worth it…just wait until payday.
No. 5: The Patty Melt — Max & Helen’s
This is where things get complicated.
The Patty Melt at Max & Helen’s isn’t just a sandwich.
It’s an event.
The restaurant from Chef Nancy Silverton and Phil Rosenthal has become one of L.A.’s hottest reservations, and unless you show up at an odd hour, you’re probably going to wait.
A while.
Then something strange happens.
You finally sit down…
…and paying $27 for a patty melt suddenly starts to feel completely reasonable.
It’s like the restaurant hypnotizes you.
The sandwich is made with nine ounces of dry-aged beef, caramelized onions, spicy mayonnaise, and grilled rye.
It’s messy.
It’s rich.
It’s really good.
But here’s my dilemma.
Would I rather have this…
…or my favorite coffee shop patty melt for half the price?
I’m still not sure.
I loved it.
My dining buddy didn’t.
Which makes this the most divisive sandwich on the list.
💸 The Damage
Price: $27
Would I Order It Again? Yes…mostly for the experience.
Payment Plan Required? Probably.
Final Verdict: You’re paying for lunch and the bragging rights.
No. 4: The No. 19 — Langer’s Delicatessen
Now we’re talking.
Earlier I said this was a list of the most expensive sandwiches in Los Angeles.
What I didn’t tell you is that this one completely ignores the premise.
Because this isn’t just one of my favorite sandwiches.
It’s my favorite sandwich in Los Angeles.
The legendary No. 19 at Langer’s Delicatessen costs $27, and I’d gladly pay ten dollars more.
Seriously.
I’d pay $37 without complaining.
That’s how good it is.
Langer’s piles its famous brined, peppered, smoked, steamed, and hand-cut pastrami onto double-baked rye with Swiss cheese, coleslaw, and Russian dressing.
It’s perfection.
I’ll even drive to 7th and Alvarado for it.
If you’ve ever driven in Los Angeles…
…you know that’s a stronger endorsement than five stars.
This is the sandwich every other pastrami sandwich wishes it could be.
💸 The Damage
Price: $27
Would I Order It Again? Every chance I get.
Payment Plan Required? Gladly.
Final Verdict: Skip Amazon Prime Day and buy this instead.
We’ve reached the point where sandwiches cost as much as a decent steak dinner.
Coming up next: a $35 lifestyle café creation, a $38 strip mall surprise, and the sandwich that made me say, “At that price, it better be hanging in the Getty.”
No. 3: Wagyu Pastrami — Sogno Toscana
We’ve officially entered the “Did I accidentally order a mortgage?” portion of the list.
Walking down Montana Avenue in Santa Monica, you’ll find Sogno Toscana, which describes itself as a “lifestyle café.”
Of course it does.
Because nothing says Los Angeles quite like a lifestyle café inviting you inside to spend $35 on a sandwich.
The Wagyu Pastrami is unlike anything else on this list. One half is classic New York-style pastrami with mustard. The other features Modena pastrami—a rich, smoky Italian-style pastrami from the Emilia-Romagna region with a subtle sweet-and-savory profile—finished with onions, balsamic glaze, and arugula on Bianca Bakery bread.
The pastrami comes from McCall’s Meat & Fish Co., while many of the ingredients are sourced from small-batch producers and flown in from Italy every week.
Everything about it feels thoughtfully curated.
Everything…
…except the price.
Thirty-five dollars.
Lucy…
You’ve got some splainin’ to do.
It’s absolutely big enough to share.
But for $35, I don’t want to split lunch.
I want sole custody of it.
💸 The Damage
Price: $35
Would I Order It Again? Yes.
Payment Plan Required? Absolutely.
Final Verdict: Amazing sandwich. Questionable financial planning.
No. 2 (Tie): Basturma Brisket — Yerod Mas Bakery & Deli
If I told you one of Los Angeles’ most expensive sandwiches was hiding between a laundromat and a liquor store in a Glendale strip mall…
…you’d probably think I was kidding.
I’m not.
The Basturma Brisket at Yerod Mas Bakery & Deli is where Texas barbecue meets Armenian tradition.
Australian Wagyu brisket is smoked, cured with traditional basturma spices, then topped with Swiss cheese, pickles, and chaman—a rich, savory fenugreek spread that ties the whole sandwich together—before being tucked into warm pita.
It’s smoky.
Juicy.
Completely different from anything else on this list.
The price?
Thirty-eight dollars.
Somewhere between the laundromat and the liquor store…
…I accidentally wandered into Beverly Hills pricing.
And here’s the annoying part.
It’s worth it.
Would I buy it again?
Absolutely.
Would I tell my accountant?
Absolutely not.
💸 The Damage
Price: $38
Would I Order It Again? Without hesitation.
Payment Plan Required? Better call your bank.
Final Verdict: The biggest surprise on this list.
No. 1: The Super Reuben — Art’s Delicatessen
And now…
The sandwich that completely broke my brain.
When I started this list, I assumed the most expensive sandwich in Los Angeles would come from a trendy restaurant in Beverly Hills or a chef-driven spot where someone explains the bread before serving it.
Nope.
It’s Art’s Delicatessen in Studio City.
A deli.
A good deli.
But still…
…a deli.
The Super Reuben costs $38 and comes stacked with pastrami, corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Russian dressing on grilled rye. You also get your choice of fries, potato salad, or coleslaw.
Their slogan is:
“Every Sandwich is a Work of Art.”
At $38…
…it better be hanging in the Getty.
Don’t get me wrong.
It’s a good sandwich.
But I’ve paid less for a steak dinner.
I’ve paid less for concert tickets.
I’ve definitely paid less for an oil change.
I just can’t convince myself that $38 for a neighborhood deli sandwich makes sense.
Maybe inflation finally won.
Or maybe Los Angeles has officially lost its mind.
💸 The Damage
Price: $38
Would I Order It Again? Probably not.
Payment Plan Required? Ask if they take Klarna.
Final Verdict: Good sandwich. Bad financial decision.
🏆 The Real Winners
Not every expensive sandwich is worth the splurge.
These are the ones I’d actually spend my own money on again.
🥇 Best Overall: Langer’s No. 19
🥈 Best Surprise: Yerod Mas Basturma Brisket
🥉 Best Comfort Food: Wally’s Grilled Cheese
🥖 Best Bread: Sandough
💰 Best Value: Bay Cities Godmother
🙄 Most Overrated: La Favolosa
😳 Biggest Sticker Shock: Art’s Super Reuben
Final Bite
After eating my way through Los Angeles’ most expensive sandwiches, I learned two things.
First, somewhere along the way, L.A. forgot that sandwiches were supposed to be the affordable lunch option.
Second, some sandwiches really are worth every penny.
If you’re only going to splurge on one, skip the $38 Reuben and head straight to Langer’s.
It’s the only sandwich on this list that made me forget what it cost.
And that’s the difference between expensive…
…and worth it.
Until next time…
I’m making peanut butter and jelly.
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