Tucked inside the University Avenue Office Complex, The Sandwich Maker doesn’t look like a destination from the street. There’s no flashy signage, no drive-through, no chain-restaurant branding. What’s inside is a family-owned kitchen running two full food traditions at once: a Vietnamese bánh mì and phở program built from scratch, and a classic American deli counter stacked with cold cuts, roast beef, and club sandwiches.
That combination is the whole story of why Los Gatos regulars — office workers, Vasona Lake Park visitors, and people who work near the Netflix campus — keep coming back. This guide walks through the full current menu, what makes the kitchen different, and everything you need to know to order.
Where Saigon Meets the American Deli Counter
On one side of the kitchen, bone broth simmers for phở and baguettes get baked fresh for bánh mì. On the other, deli meats are sliced and combos are built to order — no frozen shipments, no pre-made trays sitting under heat lamps. It’s an unusual pairing for a single counter-service kitchen, and it means two very different cravings can be solved with one order.
This isn’t a marketing gimmick bolted onto a standard deli. The restaurant describes itself as a family-owned kitchen bridging two food traditions: cilantro chopped fresh, carrots pickled in-house, and meats sliced every morning rather than shipped pre-cut. That daily prep routine is a meaningful commitment for a small counter-service operation, and it’s the reason regulars describe the food as consistent rather than hit-or-miss.
First Time Here? Start With One From Each Side
For anyone ordering for the first time, the easiest way to get a feel for both sides of the kitchen is to order one deli sandwich and one bánh mì rather than committing fully to either side. The Gallo or The Triple Decker Club represent the deli counter well; the Grilled Pork Baguette/Bánh Mì is the most classic entry point on the Vietnamese side. Between the two, a first order covers cold cuts, layered deli construction, and the baguette-and-pickled-vegetable format that defines bánh mì — enough to know which counter to lean on next time.
The Full Menu, By Category
Every item and price below comes directly from The Sandwich Maker’s current menu.
Deli Sandwiches
- The Monterey — $11.75
- The Valley Vegetarian — $11.75 (vegetarian)
- The Gallo — $12.95
- The Hot Pastrami — $12.95
- The Grilled Chicken — $12.95
- The Classic Italian — $12.95
- The Traditional — $12.95
- The Californian — $12.95
- The BBQ Beef — $12.95
- The Triple Decker Club — $12.95
- Curry Chicken (with baguette or rice) — $16.95
Bánh Mì (Vietnamese Baguette)
- Grilled Pork Baguette/Bánh Mì — $12.95
- Shredded Chicken Baguette/Bánh Mì — $12.95
- Tofu Baguette/Bánh Mì — $12.95 (vegetarian)
- Beef Satay Baguette — $12.95
Phở & Rice Plates
- Chicken Phở — $17.95
- Beef Phở — $17.95
- Tofu & Veggie Phở — $17.95 (vegetarian)
- Korean BBQ Ribs over Rice — $21.50
- Korean BBQ Ribs + Lemongrass BBQ Chicken — $20.95
- Lemongrass BBQ Chicken over Rice — $16.50
- Vermicelli with Grilled Pork, Chicken, or Beef — $17.50
Also on the Menu
- Spring Rolls — $11.75
- Caprese — $12.50
- Salad — $12.95
- Fried egg add-on (for bánh mì) — $3.00
Drinks
- Chips — $2.25
- Soda — $2.25
- Pure Leaf — $3.75
- Arizona Green Tea — $3.75
- Gatorade — $3.50
- Bottled Water — $2.25
- Red Bull — $3.95
- Snapple-style iced tea — $3.50
- Vietnamese Coffee — $5.75
- Thai Tea — $5.50
A Note on “Vegetarian” — What’s Actually Meat-Free
The Sandwich Maker has been informally flagged as a “vegetarian-friendly” account, and that’s true — but it’s worth being precise about what that means. Out of roughly two dozen entrées, exactly three are vegetarian by name and build: The Valley Vegetarian, the Tofu Baguette/Bánh Mì, and the Tofu & Veggie Phở. The rest of the menu — deli meats, roast beef, pastrami, grilled pork, chicken, beef satay, and the Korean BBQ rib plates — is meat-forward. If you’re planning a group order that needs to cover vegetarian guests, these three items are the confirmed picks to build around.
Why Locals Trust This Kitchen
The Sandwich Maker holds a 4.6 out of 5 rating on Google across 199 reviews and a 4.8 out of 5 on TripAdvisor. Guests consistently call out the bánh mì as “fresh, flavorful, and filling,” praise the Triple Decker Club and grilled lemongrass chicken by name, and mention an owner who makes regulars “feel cared about.” For a counter tucked inside an office complex with no drive-through visibility, that kind of word-of-mouth is the clearest signal of quality — nobody stumbles onto this menu by accident; they come back because the last order was good.
That reputation matters more here than it would for a restaurant on a main commercial strip. The Sandwich Maker doesn’t have passing foot traffic to rely on, so its regulars are effectively its marketing department.
Hours, Location & How to Order
The Sandwich Maker is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM, and closed Saturday and Sunday — built around the office-lunch and weekday-picnic crowd rather than a dinner or weekend trade. It’s located at 987 University Ave #38, Los Gatos, CA 95032, inside the University Avenue Office Complex, a short walk from Vasona Lake Park and the Los Gatos Creek Trail.
Ordering direct through The Sandwich Maker’s own online ordering page — not a third-party delivery app — means no added service fees and priority pickup timing. The Sandwich Maker also runs a rewards program that earns points on bánh mì, box lunch, and coffee orders for regulars who order often.
Order direct: https://online-ordering.innowi.com/branch/sandwichmaker
Because the kitchen closes mid-afternoon and doesn’t operate weekends, timing an order matters more here than at a restaurant with longer hours. The lunch rush typically runs from roughly 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM on weekdays, so ordering ahead through the direct link — rather than walking up and waiting — is the more reliable way to guarantee a fast pickup during that window.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is The Sandwich Maker known for? A: A dual menu — Vietnamese bánh mì and phở made from scratch (10-hour broth, house-pickled vegetables, fresh-baked baguettes) alongside a full American deli counter with items like The Triple Decker Club, The Gallo, and The Hot Pastrami.
Q: Where is The Sandwich Maker located, and what are the hours? A: 987 University Ave #38, Los Gatos, CA 95032, inside the University Avenue Office Complex. Open Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM. Closed Saturday and Sunday.
Q: Does The Sandwich Maker have vegetarian options? A: Yes, though the menu is primarily meat-forward. The three confirmed vegetarian items are The Valley Vegetarian sandwich, the Tofu Baguette/Bánh Mì, and the Tofu & Veggie Phở.
Q: Can I order without paying third-party delivery fees? A: Yes. Ordering directly through https://online-ordering.innowi.com/branch/sandwichmaker skips third-party markups and gives priority pickup timing at the University Ave counter.
Q: Does The Sandwich Maker do catering or bulk orders? A: Yes — the restaurant offers customized catering for office meetings, birthday parties, and other gatherings, including bulk sandwich trays and box lunches.
Q: Is there a rewards program? A: Yes. Guests can join The Sandwich Maker’s rewards program to earn points on bánh mì, box lunch, and coffee orders.
