Best Bay Area sandwiches: Readers share their 16 Bay Area favorites

When we published our list of 16 super Bay Area sandwiches, we knew we had only scratched the surface. So we asked readers to tell us about their favorites. And wow, did they respond! We discovered that people are passionate about pastrami. That they love warm, just-baked sourdough rolls. Oh, and they’re fiercely loyal. Everyone insists the deli in their town is the best anywhere. Who are we to argue?

Check out these reader favorites. And if we missed your go-to sandwich, use the form at the bottom to tell us about it. Judging from the number of reader recommendations, we’re nowhere close to done with great sandwich roundups.

The Best Sandwich, Milpitas: Fans of this hefty Torta Cubana ($13.99) love the combination of marinated lomito (pork), ham, turkey, manchego, pickles and apricot habanero sauce on ciabatta. Sarah Conner-Brown of San Jose called it “amazing, meaty, saucy and flavorful.” Another reader said it’s that sauce that “makes this sandwich an extraordinary delight.” Sarah added: “The only thing that could make it better is when you get it with the optional fried egg!” Details: 187 S. Main St., Milpitas; www.thebestsandwiches187.com

Parma Delicatessen, Concord: “Great article since I am really a sandwich kind of guy,” said Nicholas Virgallito of Concord, whose top choice is Parma. “Mary Totah and crew make the best food for any occasion, and their sandwiches will exceed your expectations. Just try her crab sandwich ($12.50), and you will order a second one to go.” Details: 3521 Clayton Road, Concord; www.parmadeliconcord.com

Crust Sourdough Deli, Los Gatos: Liz Baumuller of Los Gatos goes for the Royal ($13.99), pastrami and turkey “on hot toasty sourdough” with cheese, tomato, lettuce. “They use this amazing spicy mayo-mustard, but it’s not overwhelming, and there is something sweet about it.” She adds the deli’s special bacon jam. “They’ll put it on anything and they should. It’s so good!” The bottom line? “There just isn’t a better sammie. Well, except for the hot pastrami with 2x the normal meat ($19.89) and pepperoncini and onions and cheese.” Details: Find Los Gatos, Santa Clara, San Jose, Milpitas addresses, hours at www.crustsourdough.com.

A Sweet Affair Bakery, Walnut Creek: “Our family’s favorite sandwiches are the crab salad and the turkey with avocado and cranberry sauce ($12.47 each),” writes Libby Campbell. “If you email your order, you get a free cookie. There is a wide variety of breads and pastries. Our go-to birthday cake is the salted caramel chocolate cake. Amazing!” Details: Two Walnut Creek locations, 1815 Ygnacio Valley Road and 1990 N. California St.; https://asweetaffairbakery.com/

Antipasto’s Deli, San Jose: Annette and Richard Jaffe note that this deli, a South Bay standout for homemade ravioli, also makes “excellent hot sandwiches like meatball, eggplant parm and steak. They are served in a wonderful sourdough roll. The meatball sandwich ($12.99) is particularly delicious!” Another reader, Joel Santo of San Jose, wrote in to recommend Antipasto’s hot corned beef sandwich on a French roll. Details: 3454 McKee Road, San Jose; www.antipastosdeli.com/index.html

Lucia’s Craft Sandwiches, Crockett and Martinez: Rhonda Hughes’ first choice is the NOLA, a muffaletta “with piles of delicious meat, cheese and tapenade. It’s definitely large enough to share,” she said. Her runner-up: “Grilled cheese with prosciutto and fig jam. Yum!” Details: https://www.luciascraftsandwich.com

Darby Dan’s Sandwiches, South San Francisco: “Just about everything is good at Darby Dan’s!” raves Joe Valencia. “I’m partial to their tuna sandwich ($12.95) on Dutch crunch with the jalapeño spread. It has an amazing taste that just melts in your mouth. They’ve been around for many years. When Candlestick was at Hunters Point, all of the San Francisco 49ers and Giants would go there before games and practices.” Fans would too. “Always got a Piccolo (ham, turkey, roast beef, provolone, $13.50) before all 49ers games,” another reader, Gene, said. Details: 33 Airport Blvd., South San Francisco; www.darbydans.com

Delirama, Berkeley: “I loooooove Delirama’s sandwiches!” Alexandra Singer of Berkeley wrote. “The brisket on house-baked bread ($15.95) was a revelation; the accompanying coleslaw fresh and delicious, not heavy.”  That mustard vinaigrette coleslaw, available as a side, also comes on the O.G. pastrami sandwich. Details: 1746 Solano Ave., Berkeley; www.delirama.com

Spread at JTown Pizza, San Jose: Jonathan Lebus of Redwood City doesn’t mince words when it comes to the sandwiches from the former Spread delis, now made at the owner’s Japantown restaurant. “The Duchess sandwich (deep-fried turkey breast, beef pastrami, sharp cheddar, Roma tomato, sprouts, black garlic aioli, chipotle aioli on a sweet roll, $15) is beyond amazing, and the BLT ($9) has a delicious taste due to whole mustard seeds.” Details: 625 N. Sixth St., San Jose; https://jtownpizza.com

Genova Deli, Walnut Creek: “The quintessential Italian deli,” an East Bay reader writes. “No equal outside of perhaps Molinari in SF’s North Beach. Genova’s sandwiches are incredible, and their sourdough rolls are the best. I have a half-dozen in my freezer because they’re SO good!” Details: Two Walnut Creek locations, www.genovadeli.net

The Ravioli House, San Mateo: During San Mateo resident JY’s quest for a good pastrami sandwich, someone mentioned the Ravioli House to him. “Pastrami? For 60 years, we have been going for their famous ravioli, but never considered their sandwiches,” he said. “Have them take out the cheese from their hot pastrami sandwich ($15.75). Cheese distracts. If only they would start offering rye bread with it.” Details: 505 South B St., San Mateo; https://theraviolihouse.com

Santo Market, San Jose: “Try the Char Siu chicken sandwich, about $13, comes with a side of potato or macaroni salad,” customer Tom Oshidari recommends. “Only problem is that the chunks of chicken are so big that everything tends to slide out when you bite into the sandwich. Order at the side window.” Details: 245 E. Taylor St., San Jose; https://santomarket.com/