A new restaurant in town takes first prize for biggest sandwiches. Serving both high quality and high quantity, Riley’s Sandwich Co. does not disappoint. This new sandwich shop recently opened on Oakland Ave, providing gourmet grub and dog-friendly options. Both pets and humans are welcome. 

Prices range from $10 to a whopping $23 per sandwich, with two salad options at $10 each. Snacks and sides are under $5 with the exception of a guac and queso with tortilla chips combo valued at $7. We decided on one of the avocado toast features and then opted for the main event: the sandwiches. 

The menu wasn’t too big and included many different combinations. You could choose a Steak or Chicken Philly, a BBQ Chicken or even a Steak Kensington. My parents went for the Steak Philly and Cajun Chicken sandwiches. Ordering online through ToastTab gave us the opportunity to take out the unwanted onions.

A Philly Cheesesteak is traditionally made with thinly sliced beefsteak and melted cheese. Riley’s version of a Steak Philly prioritized the steak, giving a large portion of meat. My father was very happy with the high quality of the meat, as it was tender and juicy and in easy to eat pieces. The meat was complemented by mushrooms and bell peppers. 

The Cajun Chicken was a favorite of my mother’s. Off the bat, you could tell it wasn’t processed meat. The fresh organic chicken breast tenderloins were moist and cooked through perfectly. It also featured andouille sausage, a roasted garlic sauce, mushrooms, bell peppers and tomato. Although it was nicely seasoned, it could use some more cajun spice. 

Representing the picky eaters, my sister opted for the safest option: the Chicken Parm Sandwich. Including organic chicken breast strips, garlic bread crumbs, a rich marinara sauce and melted mozzarella cheese, the flavors combined together nicely. Again, the tender meat was the main event. It also had a lot of marinara sauce without it being too overpowering or making the bread soggy. Unfortunately, the garlic breadcrumbs didn’t come through in combination with the bread. 

The two vegetarian and vegan options were the Italian Veggie and the Buffalo Cauliflower Sandwich. I choose the Italian Veggie, featuring marinara sauce, garlic, roasted vegetables and cheese on a house roll. Despite the basic ingredients, I was pleasantly surprised by the sandwich. The sauteed peppers, mushrooms, onions and broccoli weren’t too oily and were prioritized over the melted cheese and marinara sauce. Often in restaurants, they cover the vegetables with too much sauce and cheese. The broccoli was the star as it gave a crunch to an otherwise monotone texture. There weren’t too many overwhelming flavors, but I would have loved to taste a bit more garlic. 

All the sandwiches were served on the same house roll. It was nice and crunchy, holding up well in transit from the shop to my house. It was soft, toasted and wasn’t too thick or thin. Although it wasn’t a heavy bread roll, the fillings were a bit overpowered. We all agreed that more options would be nice for the future, including a gluten free option for those who are intolerant to gluten. When we ordered, we also didn’t expect the immense size these sandwiches were going to be. These are definitely enough for two servings or one really hungry person. 

Riley’s Hanna Toast with avocado, whole pecans, spicy honey, chili flakes and salt and pepper, was served on pain de campagne (french sourdough). Biting into it, you could tell the bread was fresh. The mashed avocado was nice and creamy, and the pecans gave it a hard crunch as well as an unexpected nutty flavor that complimented the richness of the honey. Unfortunately, I didn’t taste a lot of spice from the toast, despite the advertised “spicy honey” and red chili flakes. To be honest, the added nuts were an odd ingredient and made me not enjoy it as much. 

Overall, Riley’s gave what they advertise. On their website, they promote how their “food is elevated. Meats are sous vide and hand carved. Sauces and dressings made in house and vegetables cut fresh daily. If the quality isn’t there, we will not serve it.”

You could tell all the ingredients in the sandwiches were fresh and prepared with hard work. Local, sustainable and organic are words I would use to describe their food. The delicious big portions warrant the high prices and a possible return back to try more. Riley’s Sandwich Co. wouldn’t be my first choice for a sandwich, but it’s a good local option you must try out.