Sandwichroom Believes That a Sandwich Deserves to Be Perfected

Sometimes you think you need therapy, but really, you just need a good sandwich. The sandwich is one of life’s great paradoxes: humble yet endlessly inventive, universal yet deeply personal. A global staple, both basic and transformative, that connects cultures through a shared love of carbs and creativity. Yet in a world obsessed with the next big thing, the sandwich has quietly taken a back seat. Sandwichroom is on a mission to change this - a calm, confident, no-frills tribute to this timeless culinary classic.

Sure, life has its major milestones: marriage, the birth of a friend’s first child, a sibling’s graduation, but according to co-founder Mahmoud Sabala, finding a REALLY good sandwich belongs in the same tier of emotional fulfilment. “Let’s be honest,” he shrugs, “sandwiches are one of the nicest things in life. Bamoot fel sandwichat.”

Sabala was on the lookout for a gourmet sandwich in Cairo, and came up short. What he found instead was a gap, a kind of culinary, carb-based injustice. “The sandwich deserves to be perfected,” he says. “It should be made with the best ingredients, generous portions, and above all, genuine care.”

Just like that, Sabala teamed up with business partners Walid Sorour and Ahmed Zedan to establish Sandwichroom. Since then, the brand has quietly expanded, with branches in Palm Hills’ Street 88, The Walk of Cairo, District 5, and two North Coast outposts. They’ve even got a Lake View branch set to open in September.

“We wanted to supply the market with, well, the most delicious sandwich we could,” says co-founder Walid Sorour. After plenty of back-and-forth, testing, and taste trials, the team landed on what they believe is the optimal sandwich experience, starting with the bread. “One of our signature features is our in-house baked bread,” Sorour explains. “It’s a hybrid of baladi bread and pizza dough, which gives it that fluffy, nutty, light texture we were looking for.”

They also wanted their sandwiches to do what sandwiches do best: adapt and transcend mealtimes. “We offer a range of fillings that work for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or whenever hunger strikes,” says Sorour. Friends come and go, but the team recognised that sandwiches filled with chicken panne, roast beef, or grilled shrimp punch are forever.

A sandwich is meant to satisfy - to fulfil, to glue together the discombobulated pieces of a long working day, and according to Sandwichroom, it should be hearty yet healthy. “We take good care over portion sizes and the quality of our ingredients. It's not in any way fast food or junk food. It keeps you full and satisfied,” says Sorour.

Simplicity, perfecting the basics, is a tone that permeates each level of the brand and extends to its aesthetic: “We make everything in house - even our mayonnaises and sriracha. Our open-kitchen concept builds this sense of trust with customers and lets them know they’re in for a good, gourmet sandwich. We didn’t go for any flashy branding or colours - it's an if you know you know kind of vibe. The sandwich is the star, we let it speak for itself.”

Sometimes, in a world of complicated menus and convoluted trends, all you want is a good, gourmet sandwich. Sandwichroom isn’t trying to innovate or change the world, just your lunch plans and maybe your mood. For Sorour, Zedan and Sabala, perfection doesn’t have to be loud or complicated. It just has to taste right, and come served in bread.