Brunch at Bottega Bandito 

I try one of Adelaide's best sandwich places. 

I’m going through a sando phase at the moment, so when my friend suggested we try out Bottega Bandito for brunch, I said yes! 

I’ve heard of them – I think it made some rounds on social media at one point – but never got around to trying it. For one, it’s located in Prospect which is about a 30-minute bus ride away from my place and honestly, I wasn’t that determined to visit for me to justify spending $2 and 30 minutes on a bus. 

But like I said, I’m going through a sandwich phase and my friend really wanted to try the place, so the stars aligned. Plus, she offered to drive us there. 

When we arrived, the place was packed and buzzing with patrons. I guess the rest of Adelaide is going through a sando phase too, huh? We made our way inside and I immediately gave its interior a stamp of approval. Tall glass windows illuminate the space with sunlight, tinned fish and deli goods line the beautiful dark wooden shelves, hints of pink and red all over the place. We were seated right behind their iconic pink coffee machine. 

We both got sandwiches – mine was a freshly-baked sourdough focaccia filled with tuna, chilli, avocados, cucumber, spring onion, spinach, and coriander. Now, I’m not a food critic but I can tell you that munching down on this sandwich was worth the $17. The crunch of the spring onions, cucumbers, and focaccia paired well with the mushy tuna and avocados. They were very generous with the fillings too, perhaps too generous because chunks of the tuna kept spilling off the side of the bread.

I was left with fingers covered in grease and mouth in smudges of avocados and tuna. Don’t expect to look pretty while taking a bite unless you’re a master sando eater, that is. I’m not, so I ended up looking like an iPad kid with greasy fingers by the time I was finished.  

I think that’s how you know you did it right, though. 

Overall, I would give it all a 7/10. Three points off for being so far away from where I live, the tuna falling off, and the price (worth it, but still quite expensive for a sando). I reckon it’s worth giving a go, nonetheless. 

For all my Muslim friends out there, the place is not halal-certified, but they do have some vegetarian/vegan options. Be sure to check with them before ordering.