Rochester, NYSandwiches

Pearson's, a coffeehouse and cafe off East Avenue, won Best Breakfast Sandwich in CITY Magazine's 2025 readers' poll, taking the title the year after Cafe Sasso. The draw is its morning breakfast-sandwich program, the reason regulars line up early. The back-to-back recognition with Cafe Sasso points to real depth in Rochester's breakfast-sandwich niche. Order the breakfast sandwich with a coffee.

Cafe Sasso on Park Avenue won Best Breakfast Sandwich in CITY Magazine's 2024 readers' poll, one year before Pearson's took the same title, and the two consecutive-year wins point to genuine depth in this niche. It is a Park Avenue cafe open through the day. Order the breakfast sandwich.

DiBella's began in Rochester in 1918 as an Italian import grocery and deli, and its cold-cut subs grew from there into a shop now known across the region. CITY Magazine named it winner of Best Deli Sandwich or Sub over finalists Calabresella's, Rubino's, and Lacagnina's, noting dough aged more than sixteen hours and rolls baked twice a day. This is the in-metro Henrietta Road location. Order the Godfather cold-cut sub.

Peter Rubino opened Rubino's Italian Imports in 1958, and more than sixty years on the family shop still specializes in fresh cold cuts, submarines, and imported cheeses. CITY Magazine named it a finalist for Best Deli Sandwich or Sub, and separately named it Best Global Foods Market in its 2024 and 2025 polls. Order a sub built on the house cold cuts, and pick up imported cheese while you are there.

Calabresella's on Park is a New York style Italian deli and sandwich shop with a companion import-foods store on Buffalo Road. CITY Magazine named it a finalist for Best Deli Sandwich or Sub alongside Rubino's and Lacagnina's. It is a straightforward counter for a made-to-order Italian sub. Order a cold-cut sub for lunch.