Niman Ranch. Marin Sun Farms. "House cured." The vocabulary of high-end restaurant menus is finding its way between the bread. It's a sustainable sandwich revolution, in which sandwich boards sound bourgier and panini get pricier, but for a good cause.

The classic American sandwich fillings — plasticine cheese, mass-produced cold cuts, and corn syrup condiments like Marshmallow Fluff — are neither sustainable nor particularly healthy. But why force fast-food philosophy on something so simple to make? A new wave of sandwich shops are slowing down, making their own ingredients, and finding local suppliers to construct better-for-you and better tasting sammies.
Given, it's mostly a West Coast phenomenon so far, but the model works everywhere from East Coast delis to mini chain restaurants. Find out where to get your fix.
Like the Dogpatch neighborhood that houses it, SF's Kitchenette is a sprout of warmth and charm hidden among industrial chill and loading docks. Run out of a catering company's garage, the makeshift storefront consists of little more than a red-and-white-checkered counter, chalkboard signs, and a few benches. The limited-time-only lunches include a handful sandwiches and other items, presumably made from whatever the caterers have on hand. I took the day off on my birthday and took my friend Kate up on her offer to drive, and I left highly, highly satisfied. Take a tour below.
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