LAFAYETTE, California — When you think of a fantastic sandwich shop, you probably don’t picture grabbing some canned soup, perhaps a container of laundry detergent, and then a sandwich.
But that’s exactly the progression you might follow at Lafayette’s best sandwich shop.
Confusingly, this tasty and inexpensive local gem isn’t really a shop at all.
That’s because it’s Diablo Foods.
The independent grocery store at 3615 Mount Diablo Boulevard is familiar territory for generations of local shoppers. But if your visits usually involve a shopping list and a quick trip through the checkout, its deli deserves a visit of its own.
There’s a solid case for treating this grocery counter as a sandwich destination. In addition to loads of prepared food, the Diablo Foods deli offers some pretty fantastic sandwich options.
The appeal starts with how much choice you get. The deli makes sandwiches to order, offering everything from roast turkey and prosciutto to tuna and egg salad.
Diablo Foods says its cooks use ingredients available throughout the store to prepare food on the premises. Sandwiches share the department with hot soups and prepared dishes such as meatloaf, macaroni and cheese, and roast chicken.
The sandwich menu also goes well beyond a basic turkey-and-cheese lunch.
Consider the Mother Nature. It pairs the store’s own roasted turkey with avocado, cranberry and cream cheese, adding walnuts, sprouts and lettuce on wheat bread. It’s an unusually elaborate combination for something you can order while buying groceries.
For a more familiar combination, the Diablo Destroyer brings together bacon, avocado and turkey on a sourdough roll, finished with mayo, tomato and lettuce.
Vegetarian diners have choices, too. The California Shroomin’ puts a grilled portobello on toasted ciabatta with pesto, Gorgonzola, arugula and roasted red pepper, plus tomato and onion.
I got a Cranberry Fool on a recent visit. It’s a French bread bun, brie, cranberry sauce and smoked turkey.
Another benefit? The cost.
Diablo Foods prices specialty cold sandwiches at $10.99 and hot ones at $11.99. Custom sandwiches start at $9.99 cold or $10.99 hot. Extras can add to the total.
That’s about the cheapest lunch you’ll get in the area. And their sandwiches are fantastic–every bit as good as the artisan fare you’ll find at other local shops for double the price.
The counter is part of a much longer Lafayette story.
According to the store’s history, Ed Stokes founded Diablo Foods in 1968 with an emphasis on quality meat, fresh produce and deli food made on site. The sandwich operation fits that original approach.
During the Bay Area Telegraph’s behind-the-scenes tour in 2025, we met longtime employees across the store, including the deli. We also saw how much the business manages to accomplish within its relatively compact space.
That helps explain why a department inside a neighborhood grocery store deserves attention in a conversation about Lafayette lunch.
One caveat: especially on busy afternoons, getting a sandwich can take a while. The staff are careful to make each sandwich fresh, so assembling one takes longer than at a fast food chain. And you’re competing with other shoppers ordering prepared foods.
Still, if you’re willing to budget perhaps 20 minutes of your day, Diablo Foods’ sandwiches are entirely worth it. And in a city with a dearth of casual lunch options, the deli is a life saver.
Diablo Foods lists its store hours as 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. For deli questions or a particular sandwich request, call 925-283-0737.
You can also call in your order …