We Tried And Ranked 10 Potbelly Sandwiches

Arguably, the hardest part about getting hit with a deep craving for a delicious sandwich is having someplace nearby you can trust to satisfy it. And with more than 425 locations across the US, there's a decent chance that Potbelly could end up being where you place your order. The hoagie chain uses the highest quality cheese and meats, and has become a reliable go-to for hungry customers on their lunch break with dozens of options to choose from on the menu.

But how do they stack up against one another? As a self-proclaimed sandwich lover who had never previously eaten at the chain, I decided to use my unbiased palate to sample 10 of the most original items on the menu. For the sake of simplicity (and my stomach), this means dropping single cold-cut classics or quick and simple items like grilled cheese and focusing on the popular sandwiches that best showcase the restaurant's signature strengths. I also kept things fair by avoiding any customizations and only opting for the dressing suggested by the company's website (or whichever option made the most sense when there wasn't one). 

At some point during the tasting gauntlet, I realized I hadn't been let down by a single order — and even began sneaking in extra bites of a few I really liked despite the belly-busting task ahead of me. Read on if you're curious about which Potbelly subs rank as the best and which ones you might want to customize the next time you're ordering.

Off the bat, this sounds like the kind of sandwich I would probably gravitate towards when trying to keep things relatively healthy for lunch. The base order includes turkey breast, sliced avocado, and cucumber, with a recommended hot pepper ranch (one of my new favorite condiments after this tasting, if I'm being honest) as an add-on.

Unfortunately, what I was hoping would be a light and bright spot in the lineup came out as something a little more muddled in execution. Even though it's plenty moist, the turkey is sliced too thick for my liking, becoming a dense wad in the center of the sandwich. The thinly sliced cucumbers get lost in the mess of avocado too, buried so deeply you lose that satisfying crunch they should provide. In this sense, it almost feels more like an avocado sandwich than a turkey sandwich. 

Still, nothing about this order tasted bad, and it's about as simple and straightforward as it gets, which is refreshing on a menu like Potbelly's. I'd even go so far as to say that I'd probably still order this sandwich again, but I would add extra cucumbers and all the veggies I could to change up the texture next time.

While this is only a slight variation on a menu staple, I was still excited to try this sandwich because of its potential to be a standout. Here, applewood bacon and sliced avocado come together with tomato and lettuce, along with the hot pepper ranch recommended as the dressing. Unfortunately, even though this was my first Potbelly experience, my long-running BLT preference left me ever so slightly disappointed with my first bite.

As I often fear with toasted subs, the short ride over from the restaurant had caused the lettuce in the sandwich to wilt, robbing the sub of a much-needed crunchy, cool element that is essential to the classic. I will add that while the bacon isn't crispy either, it still tastes fantastic and adds plenty of depth thanks to the large granules of black pepper. But the trickiest element of the sandwich comes down to the avocado, which make this a much messier affair than your standard BLT: The second two bites I took sent large pieces of sub directly into my lap as the sandwich's structure completely collapsed. My friend agreed that if we were to ever order this sub again, it would be to focus on the delicious bacon that brings most of the flavor here. I'd also probably only order this to eat onsite to make sure the lettuce remains crunchy (or even request it on the side so I could dress it myself right before I dig in).

No matter what my mood is at the time, my brain almost automatically defaults to a classic Italian sub when I'm weighing what to order from a sandwich counter. But in my mind, a cold cut classic like this feels slightly out of place at a hot sub haven like Potbelly, even if theirs is prepared pretty traditionally with a quartet of meats (salami, capicola, pepperoni, and mortadella, which always taste better at a deli) and provolone. Still, I was encouraged by the website's suggestion to add red wine vinegar, which is always a "yes" for me when I order.

However, since I have a solid idea of what I'm looking for when I order an Italian sub, even slight deviations can lead to disappointment. As expected, the oil and vinegar are nice, with the acidity providing a bright pop that cuts through the saltiness of the cold cuts. But because of the warmed bread, there's a slight textural change in the meats that almost makes them hit the palate like a dense log of protein (even though I do appreciate the pepperiness and spice they provide). In this case, my brain knew I was biting into an Italian sub — and my mouth genuinely enjoyed the flavors — but something in my heart knew it wasn't quite the same. I would never dissuade someone from ordering this sandwich, but I would tell them they should load it up heavily with the customary lettuce, tomato, and onions if they do.

If I'm being totally honest, I've never had a great experience with a cold-cut-dominated sandwich served hot. That's why I was initially fairly skeptical of this "supreme" sub of sorts, which includes turkey breast, smoked ham, roast beef, and salami topped with Swiss cheese. But by the time I had sunk my teeth in for my first bite, I immediately realized I was experiencing an exception to my own rule.

As you might expect, the "works" combination of sliced cold cuts does lead to a fairly dense, meat-heavy core to the sandwich. But thanks to the crustiness of the toasted bread, there was still a pleasing texture with each bite. The melty Swiss also played a big part, cutting through the saltiness and adding a deeper layer of flavor. 

In this case, I was particularly happy with the hot pepper ranch dressing the menu had recommended for my order, bringing just a hint of heat and that oh-so-delicious umami bomb that only ranch can provide. In this case, I would break my own hot sandwich rule for future orders and go heavy on the veggies to add even more texture and bring some brightness.

When polling friends while coordinating this tasting, the Potbelly meatball sub quickly emerged as the far and away favorite order among most regular visitors. This wasn't a surprise, as Mama's Meatball sub is made with a solid portion of the chain's beloved beef and pork meatballs, marinara sauce, melted provolone cheese, and a dusting of Italian seasoning.

I won't go so far as to say that this sandwich was a disappointment — it's genuinely one of the better meatball subs I've ever tried and one of the better items on the menu! Instead, this classic sub suffers from the success of its sibling, the Pizza Melt. Knowing that the latter exists makes this simplified version seem like a missed opportunity to get a truly amazing sandwich (but more on that later). 

I also noticed that the meatballs taste saltier when left to fend for themselves (even though they still have a great texture that I wish I could replicate with my own home cooking). What makes it even harder is that there are few add-ons available that really make sense for this sandwich — unless I'm the only one out there not getting lettuce and caramelized onions on their meatball subs. Ultimately, this order only makes sense to me if you're going for a streamlined classic.

While placing my first-ever order at Potbelly, this is the first sandwich on the menu that felt like the kind of item that could really showcase the chain's strengths. At face value, it also seems like a gut-instinct order for a hot sub, made with plenty of grilled chicken, applewood smoked bacon, and cheddar. And even though I initially bristled against the website's recommendation to top it with sweet heat BBQ sauce, I quickly realized I was once again wrong to assume the worst.

Out of everything I sampled, this is the one sandwich that feels like I was getting exactly what I expected. The surprisingly juicy chicken is a true star, buoyed on my first bite with cheesy umami richness thanks to the melty cheddar and the surprisingly well-balanced BBQ sauce. A friend who braved the tasting with me raved about the sandwich, calling it "a top-tier hangover savior" in between bites. 

If anything, I'd consider this an instant house classic for the chain, if only because its baseline offers so much potential for it to perfectly suit your cravings or tastes. That being said, the next time I order this sandwich, I will happily add plenty of jalapeños, tomatoes, and onions to bring a little brightness through acidity, crunchiness, and some added spice.

Having spent a lot of time in Tampa, my standards for Cuban sandwiches are about as high as they can get. When done right, they're nothing short of a hot sandwich ideal. That's why I was relatively happy to unwrap this sub and find it looking very appetizing, from the perfectly tucked-in pickles to the wisps of melted cheese sneaking out from the sides of the crispy bread.

No matter what your experiences have been with this type of sandwich, this is a remarkably well-constructed Cuban for a chain sandwich restaurant. The pork is perhaps the most surprising standout of the ingredients, which my tasting companion and I agreed was much more moist and juicy than most iterations. The pickles also add a perfectly vinegary bite alongside the vibrancy of deli mustard that lifts everything to the next level. Most importantly, the roll itself works remarkably well as a Cuban bread stand-in. All things considered, it's comforting to know that, while it might not be one of the best Cuban sandwiches in the country, Potbelly provides relatively easy access to one of my all-time favorite orders in a pinch.

Hot pork sandwiches have largely been a hard "pass" for me when ordering from chains, if only because the star ingredient is too often a sad, dry, salty, grey lump that sops up all the joy in each bite. But given Potbelly's reputation, I had slightly higher hopes for its version, which includes a decent amount of slow-cooked pulled pork, pickles, cheddar cheese, and a recommended add-on of the restaurant's sweet heat BBQ sauce.

One bite confirmed that this was the kind of order I would hope for from a beloved chain. It bears repeating that the sauce is surprisingly well-balanced, meaning that it's not overly sweet, gluey, or gloopy. Once again, the quality of the pork exceeded expectations: It's remarkably moist and well seasoned. Together with the melty cheese, the ingredients provide a warm medley in the mouth that makes you crave each bite a little more. My tasting companion said their only regret in eating this sandwich was that they didn't have a cold beer on hand.

In my experience, hot sandwiches are rarely, if ever, the lightest option on a menu. That's why I took particular interest in this sub when placing my order, made with grilled chicken (although the website explicitly states you can omit it to make the sandwich vegetarian), crumbled feta cheese, artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, cucumbers, and a smear of hummus. Could this type of sandwich possibly stand out amidst a sea of melted cheese and meat combinations that make up the rest of the options?

Almost immediately, the verdict on this order is that it's every bit as refreshing and bright as I had hoped. The sheer combination of flavors and textures made it feel like the most complex and least dense of any of the sandwiches I tried. The briny earthiness of the artichokes and the veggie brightness of the peppers and cucumbers make it feel like a fresher option overall, while the slightly tangy hummus works perfectly as a non-dairy stand-in "dressing" to meld everything together. Two prominent standouts here are the chicken, which has a perfectly juicy texture, and the default multigrain bread that adds yet another layer of depth to each bite. While I might add some red onions the next time I order, this is the type of grab-and-go lunch option that would work perfectly for a park picnic or a day at the beach.

As someone whose hot sandwich order is almost always a chicken parm, I immediately had high hopes for this doozy of a sub. It's loaded with crumbled meatballs, pepperoni, cappicola, mushrooms, provolone, a sprinkling of Italian seasoning, and plenty of marinara sauce. Even as I stared down 10 very appetizing sandwiches, the smell of this wafting up from the bag immediately jumped out among the bunch and tantalized me.

Far from being a chaotic and sloppy mess, it took just one bite for me to crown this the likely winner of the entire day. The combination of flavors feels like an Italian buffet between bread, from the saltiness and spiciness of the cold cuts to the richness of the pillowy meatballs, all punctuated by oregano. Mushrooms are the real surprise guest star, rounding out the flavors and textures as a grounding, earthy base. I also appreciated that the spiciness brought by the recommended hot peppers is a very welcome addition. 

Even with a healthy dose of sauce, the toasted bread helped keep the sandwich from feeling limp or soggy in the way you might expect. My tasting partner agreed that we would both go out of our way to order this again, and called this nothing short of a hallmark achievement for Potbelly.

Besides sticking to the lightest breakfast possible the day of the tasting, preparing for this Potbelly menu showdown took some careful planning. I decided it was best to focus on the chain's signature subs and omitted the straightforward single-ingredient classics (even though I know a turkey, ham, or veggie melt sub might still be a winner in its simplicity). In order to let each sandwich speak for itself, I also made no modifications and avoided any add-ons that weren't explicitly suggested by the chain's website while ordering.

To best recreate the experience of eating a Potbelly sandwich (which is likely most often a grab-and-go for consumption back at the office or home), I decided to order directly through the store's website from a location merely blocks away in lower Manhattan. I also made sure that the sandwiches got to me relatively quickly so ingredients didn't stew too long in the bag while bread became soggy and veggies became limp.