Is there anything better than that satisfying crunch of buttery toast sandwiching together your favourite ingredients? Filled with anything from stringy mozzarella and nutty cheddar with tart tomatoes to juicy smoked pork or salty bacon, toasted sandwiches work as a tasty lunchtime snack, easy end-of-month dinner, or just general all-round comfort food. We’ve hunted down five of our favourite spots to grab irresistible toasted sandwiches.

A toasted sandwich from Bacon on Bree. Photo courtesy of Claire Gunn Photography.

Bacon on Bree (City Bowl, Cape Town)
The signature dish of this dedicated bacon bar is called the Harvey Spector, featuring bacon, brie from the neighbouring Culture Club Cheese emporium, roasted tomato, homemade pesto and rocket. But the favourite at Eat Out HQ is definitely the Smoky Joe of toasted house sourdough filled with Richard Bosman’s bacon and smoked mozzarella, with a final dusting of smoked paprika (R50).

A toastie called Harvey Spector from Bacon on Bree. Photo courtesy of Claire Gunn Photography.

Boiler Room Café (Morningside, Durban)
This trendy bistro-style canteen serves up perfectly golden toasted sandwiches. Options range from the rich three-cheese and chives for R29, to the popular chicken-and-mayo for R32. The real winner, however, is their completely indulgent and perfectly layered bacon, banana and peanut butter sandwich for R38. All toasties are available on white or low-GI brown bread.

#bacon #banana #peanutbutter toastie

A photo posted by Gina Neilson (@boiler_room_cafe) on Nov 2, 2015 at 3:01am PST

Clarke’s Bar & Dining (City Bowl, Cape Town) This popular Bree Street haunt serves up a range of toasted sarmies to please any palate. Try their classic grilled cheese with cheddar on white bread, five-grain, or sourdough for R20. Add Black Forest ham for an extra R20, or baby rosa tomatoes for an extra R12. Those looking for something a little different can tuck in to the smoked pulled pork toastie with house-made kimchi and gooey mozzarella (R59). On cooler days, order yourself the smoked tomato soup, which comes with a golden grilled cheese (R45).

The Grilled Cheese with Colby cheddar and Cloud Cottage goat’s cheese with added avocado (seasonal).

A photo posted by Clarke’s bar & dining room (@clarkescapetown) on Mar 26, 2015 at 3:53am PDT

Jo’Anna Melt Bar (Melville, Johannesburg)
This stylish urban bar has a menu dedicated to the glorious toasted sandwich – or melt, as they call it. Their melted cheese creations range from the Popeye sandwich filled with a beef patty, cheddar, bacon and tomato sauce (R66) to the mac ’n cheese sandwich topped with cheddar and mozzarella and served with a herby tomato sauce (R54).

A toastie from Jo’Anna Melt Bar. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.

Superette (Woodstock, Cape Town)
Office dwellers flock to the hip Woodstock Exchange to sink their teeth into slow-braised beef short-rib toasted sandwiches served with caramelised pickled onions, cheddar jack cheese and rocket (R65).

A photo posted by Superette (@_superette) on Aug 21, 2014 at 6:29am PDT