Driftwood Deli and Market and Village Cheese House are two of the most popular sandwich shops in Palo Alto. The rivalry between the shops has heated up over the years as the debate over which store makes a better sandwich has grown. C Mag set out to settle the debate once and for all.

Village Cheese House:

• Old Fashioned:

ham, swiss cheese, pickles and Village Cheese House original spread on sliced sourdough

$8.45

3/5

• Cardinal Nation:

smoked turkey, provolone cheese, lettuce, tomato, red onion Village Cheese House original spread on dutch crunch

$8.45

4.25/5

• Classic Cheese & Veggie:

pickles, mild peppers, lettuce, tomato, red onion, sprouts, avocado and mozzarella on dutch crunch

$8.45

4/5

Thoughts on the food:

There wasn’t enough meat on the sandwiches, off-setting the meat to bread ratio. However, this was made up for by the legendary Village Cheese House secret sauce. The sauce paired well with the dutch crunch bread, but we would not reccomend it on the sliced sourdough. The sandwich will become soggy, making it challenging to eat.

Atmosphere: The interior of Cheese House is very spacious and open. The indoor seating is limited, however there are comfortable couches to rest on while waiting for your food. The outside seating, similar to Driftwood, is pleasant and comfortable.

4/5 

Driftwood Deli and Market:

• Kevin’s Sandwich:

barbecue beef, bacon, cheddar cheese, firefighters pepper hot sauce and mayonaise on dutch crunch roll

$9.50

4.5/5

• Smoked Turkey Sandwich:

turkey, bacon, pepper jack cheese, avocado, mayonaise, lettuce, tomato on dutch crunch roll

$11.50

4.75/5

• Custom Veggie Sandwich:

lettuce, tomato, avocado, barbecue sauce and three pieces of sliced on toasted sourdough bread

$8.99

4.5/5 

Thoughts on the food:

Driftwood uses heaps of fresh meat and various crisp toppings on its sandwiches; one sandwich provides enough substance to be a whole meal. Overall, Driftwood sandwiches are an exquisite blend of natural flavors that leave you wishing you had room to eat more.

Atmosphere:

The indoor lighting at Driftwood seems a little musky and the inside seating has an awkward setup; however, the outdoor seating more than makes up for it with great lighting and comfortable chairs. The employees are friendly and happy to help you find the best sandwich.

3.5/5