Are you hosting an event and want something easy but fancy-looking to serve your guests? A sandwich bar is the perfect solution. There are so many ways to dress up a sandwich and make it as fancy or as simple as you want with just a few ingredients. Need some inspiration? I have 21+ sandwich bar ideas that will impress your guests.
21+ Easy Sandwich Bar Ideas That Look Fancy For Your Next Event
1. Fancy Focaccia Sandwiches
The quickest way to elevate your sandwich game is to use focaccia instead of regular sandwich bread. This beloved bread is thick and pillowy soft, which means you can build some hefty sandwiches.
This recipe uses deli meat, pesto, roasted red pepper and arugula. Feel free to use any variety of meat combinations to please everyone or even create some vegetarian options with avocado, mozzarella, tomato slices and cucumber.
2. Epic Sandwich Charcuterie Board
Here’s an easy way to make your sandwich bar look fancy – turn it into a charcuterie board. Create a pretty display with breads to choose from, different meats and cheeses and a variety of condiments and toppings, like tomato slices, lettuce, special mustard, pickles, onions and more. I love this Pinner’s idea to add fresh berries in a bowl.
They’re a great complement to your sandwiches or can even make for interesting toppings.
Related: 26 Delicious Picnic Finger Food Ideas That Look Fancy
3. Panini Bar
This is one of my favorite sandwich bar ideas on this list because I love how it gets everyone involved. Set up your bar like a buffet so that everyone can build their own paninis with their own toppings. Then have a sandwich press set up at the end (you may need two or more, depending on how many guests there are) to press and cook each panini.
Make sure that you include little labels for each topping you set out on the table, so your guests can easily find what they want.
4. Sub Sandwich Charcuterie Board
If you have a nice charcuterie board, you can set it out on the table with all of the toppings to build a sandwich, like deli meat, pickles, tomatoes, lettuce, may and anything else you want.
Turkey and ham are great choices, but you can use any meat you want or even lay out an assortment of sliced veggies for vegetarians. Don’t forget the cheese! And to make this extra-fancy, try using ciabatta rolls or even croissants for the bread.
5. Italian Pinwheel Sandwiches
These pinwheel sandwiches are fancy-looking, tasty and a great addition to any sandwich bar. This recipe calls for salami, capocollo and smoked ham, but you could also use turkey, salami, pepperoni or whatever other meat you love.
You’ll also need cream cheese, mayo, spices and a little red wine vinegar. Instead of regular sandwich bread, you’ll use tortillas.
Just roll up each tortilla, slice into bite-sized pieces, and insert a toothpick to hold it all together.
6. Best Tuna Sandwich Board
Most sandwich bar ideas focus on deli meat, but I love this idea of putting together a build-your-own tuna sandwich board.
Place a bowl of freshly-made tuna fish at the center of the board. Then, add slices of tomato, pickles, sprouts and fresh lemon slices. For the bread, this recipe calls for adding toasted slices with melted cheese (cheddar and Swiss are great options).
Adding chips to the board is another great option and will pair well with their sandwiches.
7. Toppings Board
Every sandwich needs toppings, right? Why not create a fancy display board where guests can grab their toppings and add them to their sandwiches? You can add whatever you want here. Bib lettuce makes for a pretty display, and you can add a bowl of olives to the center. Along the edges, you can add slices of radishes, avocado, tomato and cucumber.
I love the addition of edible flowers for extra color and unique flavor.
8. Olive, Bacon and Watercress Sandwiches
Want a unique, easy and fancy sandwich to add to your bar? You’ll love this recipe. These tea sandwiches feature a tasty spread of cream cheese mixed with crispy bacon, sliced black olives and fresh watercress. A little salt and pepper bring out the flavors of these ingredients.
Use a nice white sandwich bread for this recipe and remove the crust before slicing and serving.
9. The Ultimate Build-Your-Own Sandwich Board
This truly is the ultimate sandwich board because it gives your guests so many tasty options. There are nine different types of bread alone – sliced Italian, sourdough, multigrain, tortillas, croissants, ciabatta, pretzels, pita bread and flat bread.
Add a variety of meat options, like ham, turkey, chicken, bacon, pepperoni and whatever else you want.
Round out the board with a selection of cheeses, toppings and spreads. Consider some unconventional options like pickled jalapenos or garlic aioli and chipotle mayonnaise for toppings.
10. Build-Your-Own Chicken Salad Bar
One of the most classic sandwich bar ideas and a crowd-pleaser. The presentation is what makes this easy sandwich board look so fancy.
Start by making your own chicken salad and adding it to a bowl at the center of your board. Then, add toppings around the bowl, including bread (croissants and regular sandwich bread are great), lettuce, avocado, tomato, bacon, hummus, grapes, carrots and whatever else you like.
11. Build-Your-Own Grilled Cheese Bar
These build-your-own sandwich boards are great for sandwich parties because you can set a bunch of different types up at your table. Grilled cheese is sure to be a crowd-pleaser, and you can add fancy add-ins like apple slices, bacon, jalapeno slices, toppings, spreads and more.
Be sure to set up a little sandwich press at your bar so that guests can cook their grilled cheese safely.
12. Slides, Pinwheels and Sides
I adore this sandwich bar because there are so many great things to snack on that aren’t just sandwiches. You have a selection of sliders and pinwheels, but you also have some salads, dips, kabobs and other goodies to add to your plate.
Take a tip from this host and serve your sandwiches on tiered trays to make them more prominent on the table.
Related: 17+ Savory and Sweet Croissant Sandwich Ideas for Breakfast and Beyond
13. Bagel Sandwich Station
Here’s a fun addition to any sandwich bar: a bagel station. Add fresh bakery bagels and tons of colorful toppings, like tomatoes, sliced cucumbers, beet hummus, sliced onion, avocado, sprouts and any other additions you like.
14. Croissant Breakfast Sandwich Builder
If you’re having a brunch party, this sandwich builder is a great addition. Add some croissant rolls, toppings and cooked eggs to the board. Guests can add whatever they want to their breakfast sandwich.
You can also include bacon, ham, turkey and pickles for anyone who wants to build a traditional sandwich.
15. Pesto Caprese Sandwiches
These fancy bite-sized sandwiches would be perfect for any sandwich bar. Use ciabatta bread, sourdough, panini bread or any other bread that has some heft to it. Add some homemade pesto to each side and fill with layers of tomato, fresh mozzarella slices, a basil leaf and a few other ingredients.
Slice into bite-sized pieces and add a toothpick to hold each mini sandwich together.
16. Tea Sandwiches
I want to host an event just to put these adorable treats out on the table. If you’re looking for quick and easy sandwich bar ideas, look no further.
You can serve a bunch of different tea sandwiches, such as:
- Smoked salmon and pickled ginger bites
- Vegan cucumber sandwiches
- Radish and poppyseed bites
- So much more
17. Kabobs, Sandwiches and Croissant Sandwiches
There’s a lot to love about this idea, and I don’t even know where to begin. You’ll need skewers, like these wooden ones, that you’ll fill with tomatoes, salami, mozzarella balls and olives. For the croissant sandwiches, mini croissant rolls are filled with tomatoes, a meat of your choosing and lettuce.
And then on your sourdough rolls, you can keep it simple with lettuce, meat and cheese.
18. Chicken Sandwiches, Wraps and More
Sandwich bars are always filled with fun sandwiches to eat, and a few good options are:
- Chicken tender sandwiches with cheese and lettuce
- Healthy wraps with chicken chunks, lettuce and other ingredients
- Parafaits for a nice “pick-me-up” without feeling too full
If you like, add small cups filled with trail mix because it goes perfectly with sandwich bars like these.
19. Roast Beef Tea Sandwiches
Mini croissant rolls are a favorite of mine in the morning on their own, but when you have an event and need something a little more substantial, they go together well with:
- Baby rocket – aka arugula
- Roast beef
- Red onion marmalade
Serve on a serving tray, like these rustic ones.
20. Grazing Board
Let your guests “graze” at your event, with options for:
- Wraps with lettuce, a meat of your choosing and a slice of cheese
- Mini sandwich bites made of anything from egg salad to meats and cheeses
- Salad cups with tomatoes, carrots, cheeses and other goodies
- Pretzels, chips and other snacks
Giving your guests options with a grazing board instantly transforms your event and will keep guests happy.
21. Sandwich Charcuterie Board
You can add a lot to your board, and it’s really up to you as to which items to add. Dinner or sandwich rolls are a good idea, along with:
- Salami
- Baloney
- Ham
- Roast beef
- Cheddar cheese
- Swiss cheese
- Mozzarella
- Mustard
- Tomatoes
- Peppers
- Onions
Of course, you can add anything else you please, such as pickles or other varieties of cheese.
22. BLT Board
BLT sandwiches are always one of my favorites as long as the bacon is extra crispy. But with this idea, you’re going to give your guests or attendees the opportunity to make their own sandwiches. You only need to put out the:
- Cooked bacon
- Sliced bread
- Sliced tomatoes
- Lettuce
- Mayo
- Any other ingredients/condiments that you like
Related: 27+ Fancy Dinner Recipes That Are Incredibly Easy to Make
23. Cuban Sliders
Cuban-inspired food is always so good to eat. You can easily make these sliders with forest ham, white onion, Dijon mustard, honey, dill pickles, dinner rolls, Swiss cheese, butter and a pinch of salt.
And it’s as easy as assembling your sandwiches together and serving.
You can also opt to bake them for a few minutes until the bread is slightly toasted and the Swiss cheese is melty.
