Bi-Rite Debuts a Fresh New Sandwich Menu (But We Kept Your Faves)
Get the inside scoop on the new sandwich menu, now ready to walk to the park on a rare sunny day in San Francisco.

Sandwich fans may have already digested the news — Bi-Rite dropped a fresh new sandwich menu at the beginning of the summer. “Tons of people have been excited,” says category manager Chili Montes. Although for a few, “Change is challenging.” We get it! Who doesn’t have a favorite menu item that you wish would never change? Bi-Rite has been making sandwiches since the beginning in 1998, which means many people have grown attached to their orders across 25 years. For all those who flock to Dolores Park or Alamo Square on a rare sunny day in San Francisco, a Bi-Rite sandwich is part of a beloved tradition.
However, the sandwiches were due for a refresh, especially with the city coming out of the pandemic and Bi-Rite expanding into a third Market location this year. The team carefully refined the signature sandwiches, added new grab-and-go options, and introduced new names inspired by favorite picnic spots around the city. Here’s the inside scoop on the new sandwich menu, which is now primed and ready to hit the park during the warmest months of the year in San Francisco.

Becky Duffett
The new menu better reflects how guests like to eat right now, Montes explains. It’s split between eight “signature sandwiches,” which the Delis make fresh to order and press to warm, as well as eight “quick bites,” ready to grab and go. All sandwiches stay below $15, so even throwing in chips and a drink, you can still munch lunch for less than 20 bucks.

The Bernal Heights signature sandwich | Becky Duffett
The signature sandwiches mostly stayed the same, although a few have fun new names. The Hippy is here to stay, stacking thick seeded bread, buttery avocado, and crispy sweet potatoes. But so many fans secretly liked to add bacon, that it’s officially on the menu as the new Bernal Heights. (If it’s wrong to put bacon on a vegan sandwich, who wants to be right?) The Achiote
Chicken now goes by the name Lone Mountain, but it’s still a kick with pickled peppers, pickled onions, and chipotle aioli on golden focaccia. The Lemongrass Tofu, newly dubbed the Davidson, remains a banh mi–style avalanche of herbs on a crusty sweet roll.

The Furikake Egg Salad sandwich and a picnic | Becky Duffett
The sliced sandwiches are totally new to the cold case and easy to grab in tidy triangular boxes. The early hit has been the egg salad with Japanese-inspired sprinkles of scallions and furikake.
Otherwise, Montes insists the team didn’t mess with too much. In fact, he believes that the enduring popularity of a Bi-Rite sandwich has to do with simplicity. He gets to choose from the finest ingredients in San Francisco, starting with Josey Baker Seed Feast or Acme focaccia, stacking it with thoughtfully curated cheeses and charcuterie, and finally starring dry-farmed tomatoes or tender pea shoots. Bi-Rite isn’t into gratuitous sauces — with beautiful seasonal ingredients, it’s simply not necessary. But “every bite should be consistent,” Montes says, when it comes to spreading and stacking evenly. “That’s our north star.”
He loves that the new menu has something for every appetite. If you’re ravenous and strolling to the park, stick with a signature sandwich stacked with avocado and bacon. If you’re running back to work or school, toss a lighter egg salad sandwich in the bag. Plus maybe a crisp sparkling water, bag of potato chips, and sweet peach for dessert.
Becky Duffett is a food writer living and eating in San Francisco. Follow her on Instagram at @beckyduffett.