Staff Picks: Calgary Sandwiches We Love

The Italian Panini from Lina’s Italian Market

Bread (or the roll or bun) is the deciding factor in what makes a sandwich delicious or not. You can have the freshest veggies, creamiest sauces, a flavourful spread and savoury fillings, but if you don’t have a tasty vehicle to support all those elements, you may as well pull them out and call it a salad.

Lina’s Italian Market’s panini sandwiches come on a fresh-baked, soft and slightly chewy long white bun. As a millennial who grew up taught to be afraid of carbs, Lina’s panini buns feel like self-care. The Italian is my favourite, with salty mortadella and creamy provolone topped with slightly sweet roasted red peppers. It’s simple and so tasty. — Meredith Bailey, director of strategy and content, RedPoint Media Group

Spicy Sate Chicken Sub from Thai Thien

To me, you can never go wrong with a Vietnamese sub. A savoury cold cut sandwich balanced with fresh vegetables and topped with cilantro is something I would happily indulge in every day. In fact, I did for most of college. A little Vietnamese spot tucked in downtown’s Grain Exchange Building is my personal go-to. Thai Thien serves a variety of tasty sub flavours like grilled lemongrass chicken and black pepper tofu. But for me, the spicy sate chicken sub is a treasured after-school supper. I could never resist the delicious cuts of spicy sate chicken paired with the acidic crunch of pickled carrots and fresh cucumber. Plus, its baguettes are always warm and crunchy.  — Viancy Salubre, digital editorial intern, Avenue

Chicken Parmesan Sandwich from Alumni Sandwiches

If there’s one thing you should know about me, it’s that I love sandwiches. I craft them for myself at home, make my way through the menus at local sandwich shops and often order them at sit-down restaurants. So when it comes to sandwiches, I like to think I know what I’m talking about.

I’ve been going to Alumni Sandwiches since the very beginning — literally, I was there on opening day — and years later, its chicken parmesan sandwich remains my favourite sandwich in Calgary. This sandwich takes classic chicken parmesan flavours (chicken, marinara sauce, provolone cheese) and lovingly encases them between two slices of ciabatta bread that are toasted just enough to add some crunch without scraping the roof of your mouth. The lemony kale is the pièce de résistance, bringing a fresh acidity that completes each bite. And while the chicken parmesan is my favourite option at Alumni, it’s not the only must-try bite there. The rosemary beef dip and hot chicken sandwich are my other go-tos when I’m in the mood to switch things up. — Alana Willerton, digital managing editor, Avenue

Spolumbo’s Special from Spolumbo’s Fine Food & Italian Deli

If you’ve got friends coming in from out of town and they want to try something local, take them to Spolumbo’s. If they don’t know what to choose from the menu, start them off with the Spolumbo’s Special. This sandwich hits all the crucial Italian flavours, layering mortadella, genoa salami, prosciutto and capicolo on a crusty Vienna bun. There’s fresh lettuce and tomato, while the olive oil and homemade ajvar vegetable spread adds an irresistible tanginess. The “mini” size is still pretty filling, and paired with the complimentary pickles, makes for a deliciously economical lunch option. — Nathan Iles, editor, The Scene

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