Britain’s Most Iconic Sandwiches, Ranked

Did you know it’s officially National Sandwich Week in the UK?

From delicate cucumber fingers with the crusts cut off to hearty bacon and egg butties, Britain has a longstanding love affair with the humble sandwich – or sarnie, as it’s sometimes known.

Some of Britain’s favourite sandwich combinations may seem a little confusing to international students, but don’t worry. We’re here to guide you through the best of British sandwiches, so you don’t make the wrong choice in your first supermarket meal deal.

Here’s our (completely and totally objective) bite-sized ranking of Britain’s favourite sarnies 🥪

10. Cucumber Sandwich 🥒

Last on the list is the classic cucumber sandwich, a Victorian status symbol and afternoon tea essential.

While not bad, sliced cucumber and cream cheese might be the least exciting filling on the list – although it’s redeemed by the fact it’s often surrounded by a selection of delicious pastries.

9. Crisp Sandwich 🥔

Another simple, albeit slightly less healthy, combination.

There’s not much to say here: it’s bread and crisps. Love it or hate it, the appeal of the crisp sandwich lies in its crunch. It’s all about the texture – and butter. Always butter.

8. Egg and Cress Sandwich 🥚

The egg and cress sandwich is a creamy combination of eggs, mayonnaise, and mustard, made even better with a peppery layer of fresh cress. It’s a solid choice.

It could rank slightly higher if the author didn’t have traumatic memories of dropping an entire class’s home-grown cress and ruining the school picnic. Sorry, classmates.

7. Chip Butty 🍟

American English learners: don’t confuse this with the crisp sandwich. It is far superior.

Continuing Britain’s sometimes questionable attachment to carb-on-carb-on-carb, this is white buttered bread filled with chippy chips – or soft, thick-cut chips from the local fish and chip shop, sprinkled with dark malt vinegar and salt.

It can, however, make you feel a bit like a potato for one to three hours afterwards – which is why it ranks seventh.

6. Coronation Chicken Sandwich 👑

Created for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, coronation chicken remains one of the UK’s most popular sandwich fillings.

Shredded chicken is mixed with mayonnaise, curry powder, yogurt, mango chutney, and sometimes dried fruit. It’s sweet, savoury, and absolutely fit for royalty.

5. Cheese Toastie 🧀

The cheese toastie might seem the same as a grilled cheese – but don’t be fooled. Made with sharp cheddar rather than processed cheese, this is the superior version.

Plus, it’s perfect for dipping into a bowl of Heinz tomato soup on one of the UK’s many rainy afternoons.

4. Fish Finger Sandwich🐟

Ever tried a Filet-O-Fish from McDonald’s? Consider this its homemade cousin.

Rows of crispy breaded fish in soft white bread, topped with rocket and tartare sauce for extra pizzazz. Bonus points for childhood nostalgia.

3. Ploughman’s 🥪

The ploughman’s sandwich transforms the traditional Ploughman’s Lunch – a hearty assortment of bread, cheese, pickles and chutneys served at many pubs – into a convenient handheld meal.

Originally a meal for field labourers (hence the name) it was popularised in the 1950s as part of a campaign to boost post-war cheese sales.

2. The Christmas Sandwich 🎄

The Christmas turkey sandwich is so beloved that every festive season, UK supermarkets unveil their latest variations to great excitement.

Turkey slices, stuffing, cranberry sauce – and sometimes even gravy – make this the definitive way to use up Christmas Day leftovers. Bonus points for being available only once a year.

1. Bacon Butty (and Friends)🥓🍳

Technically, the bacon butty, sausage sandwich, and egg bap are separate creations. But for the sake of simplicity, we’re grouping them together under the broad and glorious category of ‘breakfast ingredients in bread.’

After all, there’s only one thing better than a full English breakfast, and it’s a portable version in a soft white roll and slathered in butter. It’s the ultimate comfort food, and the best on this list.

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