If lunch had a victory parade, the sandwich would be riding on the lead float, waving a pickle spear like it knows exactly what it did.
If you have ever wandered Omaha’s Old Market asking yourself, “Where should I start?” “What is actually worth ordering?” and “Can one neighborhood support this much sandwich ambition?” the short answer is yes, absolutely, and possibly to a medically impressive degree. The Old Market’s historic warehouse district gives the whole area a built-in appetite, and the district dining scene backs it up with enough lunch options to make a hungry person spiral beautifully.
Food writing loves to get dramatic, but sandwiches deserve at least a tiny bit of theater. They are practical, portable, and somehow still capable of causing genuine emotional events. This list leans on current menu standouts from places such as M’s Pub, Wilson & Washburn, and Upstream Brewing Company, while keeping the focus on what a real visitor wants: a sandwich that tastes specific, memorable, and worth leaving your desk for.
By the end of this guide, you will know where to start, what makes each pick special, and which sandwiches fit everything from a quick downtown lunch to a long, happy, nap-adjacent afternoon. If you want the broader neighborhood overview first, the homepage sets the scene, and the about page explains how this site approaches Old Market picks.
Why Sandwiches Belong in the Old Market
The Old Market works especially well for sandwiches because the neighborhood rewards wandering. You can spend a morning browsing shops, cutting through brick-lined blocks, or stretching a casual lunch into an afternoon that somehow includes coffee, people-watching, and one extra stop you absolutely did not plan on making. Sandwiches fit that rhythm perfectly. They are substantial enough to feel like a real meal, flexible enough for quick lunches, and varied enough to reflect the personality of the places serving them.
That matters in a district with this much atmosphere. The Old Market has history, yes, but it also has a very specific social pace. People are not usually racing through the neighborhood like they are late for a tax hearing. They are strolling, browsing, meeting up, and deciding whether they want one more drink or one more bite before heading out. A good sandwich meets that mood better than almost anything else. It can be elegant, messy, classic, or oddball. It can work with a pint, a soda, or the kind of long lunch that drifts happily off schedule.
In other words, sandwiches are the neighborhood’s utility players. They can be quick if needed, indulgent when deserved, and memorable without requiring a white tablecloth or a two-hour reservation. That is part of why the Old Market has so many worthwhile handhelds hiding in plain sight.
How These Sandwiches Made the List
This is not a polite little participation-trophy roundup where every menu item gets a ribbon and a pat on the back. The list favors sandwiches that do at least one of these jobs especially well: bring serious flavor, show some personality, feel rooted in the Old Market’s pub-and-brick energy, or solve the classic lunch problem of wanting something satisfying without needing a fork, a committee, and a nap room.
The biggest filters were local popularity, distinct ingredients, and menu identity. In plain English: if a sandwich sounded like it could have been copied from any generic lunch board in America, it probably did not make the cut. If it had a specific personality, a strong combination of textures, or the sort of filling that makes you pause mid-bite and quietly respect the kitchen, it moved up fast.
I also gave extra credit to places that clearly know their sandwich lane. That means a list like this ends up rewarding a few restaurants more than once. Horrible for fake variety, great for your lunch.
Quick View: The Top 10
| # | Sandwich | Where to Find It | Why It Stands Out |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | M’s Original | M’s Pub | Roast beef, provolone, and horseradish sauce with classic pub confidence. |
| 2 | M’s Greek Sandwich | M’s Pub | Nutty, creamy, quirky, and very much not your average lunch order. |
| 3 | Grilled Chicken Sandwich | Upstream Brewing Company | Bacon, avocado spread, Swiss, and everything seasoning keep it lively. |
| 4 | Turkey Melt | Upstream Brewing Company | Focaccia, bacon, havarti, and sundried tomato aioli do the heavy lifting. |
| 5 | Upstream Reuben | Upstream Brewing Company | Pastrami, sauerkraut, Swiss, and beer bread are a strong argument for lunch. |
| 6 | Reuben | Wilson & Washburn | House-smoked corned beef and beet horseradish dressing bring swagger. |
| 7 | Cuban | Wilson & Washburn | Smoked pork, ham, Swiss, and house-pickled cucumbers hit every note. |
| 8 | Philly | Wilson & Washburn | Shaved ribeye with peppers and shishitos makes the classic feel sharper. |
| 9 | Smoked Meatloaf Sandwich | Wilson & Washburn | Jalapeno jam and honey cream cheese turn comfort food into a plot twist. |
| 10 | Shrimp Po’ Boy | Wilson & Washburn | Crunchy, saucy, and bright enough to keep the list from going full beef mode. |
Top 10 Must-Try Sandwiches in Omaha’s Old Market
1. M’s Original at M’s Pub
M’s Original is what happens when a roast beef sandwich grows up, gets better taste in coats, and starts ordering lunch with total confidence. Sliced roast beef, lettuce, tomato, provolone, and tomato-artichoke horseradish sauce on marbled rye sounds straightforward on paper, but in practice it lands with the kind of balance that makes you stop talking for a minute.
The real trick is the sauce. Horseradish can be a table-flipping bully when it is handled badly, but here it acts more like a clever supporting character that keeps everything from drifting into bland territory. The marbled rye gives the sandwich enough backbone to hold the filling without turning the whole thing into a jaw workout. If you want one pick that feels like a first-order, no-regrets Old Market lunch, this is a strong place to begin.
2. M’s Greek Sandwich at M’s Pub
This one is the graceful oddball on the list, and every good list needs one. M’s Greek Sandwich combines ground turkey, walnuts, mayonnaise, and lemon on crustless whole wheat bread, with the option to toast it and add sprouts and avocado. That combination sounds like it was assembled by someone who ignored normal sandwich rules and was rewarded for the effort.
The flavor is gentler than the meatier entries below, but that is exactly the point. The lemon keeps the turkey bright, the walnuts add texture without showing off, and the whole thing feels refreshingly different from the usual hot-sandwich parade. Order it when you want something lighter but still distinctive, or when your lunch mood says, “I would like charm, not chaos.” It is subtle in the same way a very sharp person can be subtle: calm on the surface, doing a lot underneath.
3. Grilled Chicken Sandwich at Upstream Brewing Company
Upstream’s Grilled Chicken Sandwich takes the reliable grilled-chicken formula and gives it enough extra personality to justify the trip. The current version layers grilled chicken with bacon, everything seasoning, avocado spread, and Swiss cheese, which is a lovely way of saying it refuses to be the boring option in the room.
The everything seasoning matters more than you might think. It gives the sandwich a savory edge that keeps the avocado spread from making the whole thing too soft or sleepy. Bacon adds the crunch and salt you secretly hoped for, and Swiss pulls the flavors together without elbowing everyone else out of the frame. This is the sandwich for people who want something familiar, but upgraded just enough to feel like they made a smarter lunch decision than everyone else at the table.
4. Turkey Melt at Upstream Brewing Company
The Turkey Melt at Upstream is a textbook example of why turkey should never be dismissed as the polite backup singer of the sandwich world. Smoked turkey, bacon, havarti, lettuce, tomato, and sundried tomato aioli on focaccia turns a supposedly safe order into something rich, savory, and quietly dramatic.
Focaccia is doing real work here. It gives the sandwich a little chew and enough structure to support the creamy havarti and the aioli without collapsing into a soggy lunch tragedy. The smoked turkey keeps the flavor anchored, while the bacon brings that very useful “yes, this was the right decision” energy. If you like your sandwiches warm, layered, and just a little indulgent without going full food-coma mode, this one is easy to like and even easier to finish.
5. Upstream Reuben at Upstream Brewing Company
A Reuben in a historic district should feel sturdy, comforting, and faintly capable of solving your afternoon. Upstream’s version gets there with sliced pastrami, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and thousand island dressing on beer bread. That beer bread detail alone gives the sandwich a little extra Old Market swagger.
The beauty here is the contrast. Pastrami brings depth and peppery richness, the kraut adds brightness, and the dressing keeps the whole stack from getting too stern. Beer bread adds just enough malty character to make the sandwich feel house-specific rather than interchangeable. If you are the sort of lunch person who wants classic deli energy with a pub-side upgrade, this is your move. It is hearty, messy in the correct amount, and built for anyone who believes lunch should occasionally feel like a reward for surviving the morning.
6. Reuben at Wilson & Washburn
Wilson & Washburn does not treat the Reuben like a box to check. The menu’s combination of house-smoked corned beef, Swiss, sauerkraut, beet horseradish dressing, and Russian rye gives the sandwich a little drama, a little smoke, and a lot of momentum. This is the sandwich equivalent of someone entering a room in a great jacket and not needing to explain themselves.
The beet horseradish dressing is what moves it from very good to memorable. It adds earthiness, a touch of sweetness, and enough bite to keep the corned beef lively. Russian rye gives the whole structure depth without overpowering the filling. If you love Reubens and want one with a distinct house fingerprint rather than a generic deli impression, this is one of the smartest orders in the neighborhood. It tastes deliberate, which is often the difference between a decent sandwich and a repeat-order sandwich.
7. Cuban at Wilson & Washburn
The Cuban at Wilson & Washburn is the sandwich for people who like their lunch with snap, salt, and forward motion. Smoked pork, ham, Swiss, mustard vinaigrette, ciabatta, and house-pickled cucumbers and onion make for a build that is lively from the first bite and does not let up.
What makes it work is the acid. The pickled vegetables and mustard vinaigrette keep the smoked pork and ham from turning heavy, while the ciabatta adds enough chew to make every bite feel substantial. This sandwich knows how to keep moving. It is salty, tangy, and structured in a way that feels engineered for cravings. If the best sandwiches are little arguments between richness and brightness, this one wins by letting both sides talk at once.
8. Philly at Wilson & Washburn
Wilson & Washburn’s Philly is not trying to cosplay as a stadium sandwich from somewhere else. It uses shaved ribeye, Swiss, onions, red peppers, and shishitos sautéed into a hoagie bun, which gives the classic format a bit more texture and a more interesting pepper profile than the usual all-cheese, all-grease formula.
The shishitos are the secret handshake here. They bring a softer, greener heat that makes the sandwich feel brighter and more layered. Swiss keeps the ribeye from getting too dense, and the onions and peppers bring the sweetness that a good cheesesteak-style sandwich absolutely needs. This is the pick for anyone who wants something hot and deeply satisfying, but still a touch more nimble than the classic “meat avalanche on bread” approach.
9. Smoked Meatloaf Sandwich at Wilson & Washburn
If comfort food had a mischievous streak, it would probably look like this. The Smoked Meatloaf Sandwich stacks honey cream cheese, spinach, smoked meatloaf, sautéed red peppers and onion, and jalapeno jam on toasted ciabatta. That is not a timid list of ingredients. That is a lunch with a plot.
And somehow it works beautifully. The smoked meatloaf brings dense, savory richness, while the jalapeno jam wakes everything up before the sandwich drifts into heaviness. Honey cream cheese sounds slightly ridiculous until it starts acting like the bridge between the sweet heat and the smoky meat. It is playful, bold, and surprisingly balanced. If you like ordering the weirdest-smart thing on a menu instead of the safest thing, this is the sandwich most likely to make you feel rewarded for your curiosity.
10. Shrimp Po’ Boy at Wilson & Washburn
Every meat-heavy sandwich list eventually needs someone to throw open a window. The Shrimp Po’ Boy does that with fried shrimp, shredded lettuce, tomato, pickle, and remoulade sauce. It is crisp, saucy, and bright in a way that keeps the final stretch of this roundup from becoming a parade of browns and beiges. Respectfully.
The appeal here is contrast. Fried shrimp gives you crunch and sweetness, the vegetables keep it fresh, and the remoulade ties the whole thing together with a tangy kick that makes the sandwich feel energetic rather than heavy. This is a great late-list pick because it changes the rhythm. If you want something that still satisfies but lands a little lighter on its feet than the beefier options, this is the one that closes the top ten with style.
How to Plan a Very Successful Old Market Sandwich Day
If you want to turn this list into an actual outing instead of a browser-tab fantasy, keep the plan simple. Start with one classic sandwich and one more adventurous pick on separate visits, not the same hour unless your afternoon calendar is a work of fiction. A smart first-timer route is something grounded and familiar, like M’s Original or Upstream’s Reuben, followed later by a high-personality choice such as M’s Greek Sandwich or Wilson & Washburn’s Smoked Meatloaf Sandwich.
It also helps to match the sandwich to the kind of day you are having. Need a sturdy, no-nonsense lunch between downtown errands? Reuben territory. Want a longer sit-down meal with a little personality and a beverage nearby? That is where the Cuban, Turkey Melt, or Shrimp Po’ Boy starts looking very persuasive. If the weather is nice and the neighborhood is busy, lean into the experience and give yourself time to walk a little before and after. The Old Market is one of those places where the meal and the wander belong to each other.
And yes, sharing notes with friends is encouraged. Sandwich rankings are one of the few friendly arguments that consistently improve a day. If your group cannot agree on the best pick, congratulations: you now have a perfectly valid reason to come back and keep testing the theory.
Final Bite
The Old Market is not short on places to eat, but these ten sandwiches make a strong case for turning one lunch stop into a full neighborhood habit. Some are classic, some are quirky, and some arrive with enough stacked ambition to make you reconsider your plans for the afternoon. That is part of the charm. The district’s history gives the area atmosphere; the food gives it repeat value.
If you are building your own lunch crawl, start with one classic and one wildcard. Try M’s Original and the Wilson & Washburn Smoked Meatloaf Sandwich back to back on different visits, or compare the two Reubens if you enjoy good old-fashioned bracket-style decision making. Then head to the contact page and send over your own favorite Old Market sandwich. The best recommendations are often the ones passed around by people who showed up hungry and paid attention.