Some of the best meals in Ohio hide behind plain storefronts and neon signs you might drive past without a second glance. Behind those doors, though, are sandwiches so towering they practically demand two hands and a nap afterward.
There is something thrilling about walking into a spot that looks ordinary and leaving with a corned beef sandwich that could feed a small family. If you love meat stacked like a skyscraper, these Buckeye State counters are calling your name.
1. Slyman’s Restaurant and Deli
Locals in Cleveland do not call this place a restaurant so much as a rite of passage. The corned beef sandwich here has become a genuine civic institution, the kind of meal people talk about long after the last bite.
Roughly a pound of slow-cooked beef gets thick-sliced and piled so high the bread almost disappears underneath. The meat is impossibly tender, seasoned just right, and stacked into what regulars affectionately call a mountain.
Pastrami is on the menu too, but the corned beef is the undisputed star of the show. Come hungry, because tackling one of these is a full commitment that leaves you satisfied for hours.
2. Diamond Deli
Order a pastrami sandwich in Akron here and you may need to rethink the rest of your day. These creations are less lunch and more the main event, stacked so tall they look like edible sculptures.
Fresh bread anchors each sandwich, holding up carefully seasoned meat that gets piled with real generosity. Regulars describe the sandwiches as monuments, and honestly, that feels about right.
What sets this spot apart is the sheer spectacle of it all. You order expecting a sandwich and receive something closer to a challenge, one you will happily take on.
3. Katzinger’s Delicatessen
The menu here reads like a novel, and the sandwiches somehow manage to be even bigger than the list itself. In Columbus, this deli has built a reputation on generosity and variety.
Their classic Reuben stacks corned beef with Swiss cheese, tangy sauerkraut, and Russian dressing on fresh rye that holds it all together. The pastrami lineup runs deep too, with playful options like the Upper Yough Reuben layering hot pastrami with your choice of sauerkraut or slaw.
Fun fact: the quirky sandwich names give the whole place a personality all its own. You come for the piled-high meat and stay for the sense of humor baked right into the menu.
4. Harvest
Eating here requires a plan of attack, and that is not an exaggeration. Just outside Toledo in Holland, this spot builds seriously stacked creations that reward a strategic approach.
The High on the Hog Stack loads layer after layer of meat and toppings into one glorious tower. If you prefer something a little more classic, the Corned Beef and Swiss Stack packs eight ounces of premium corned beef with Swiss, sweet onion, peppered Russian coleslaw, and Russian dressing.
Turkey fans are not left out either, thanks to the freshly sliced Southwest Turkey option. Every sandwich here treats overstuffing as an art form rather than an accident.
5. Jack’s Deli & Restaurant
Walk through the door in University Heights and you feel the old-school deli energy right away. Everything here nods to the way sandwiches used to be made, back when generosity was simply expected.
The pastrami and corned beef sandwiches arrive built the way a proper deli sandwich should be. Meaning there is so much meat that you genuinely need both hands and full concentration to eat one properly.
No fuss, no gimmicks, just honest craftsmanship on every plate. It is the kind of place that reminds you why classic delis earned their loyal followings in the first place.
6. All The Best Delicatessen
Craving a taste of New York without leaving Ohio? This Dayton deli chases that classic big-city flavor with real dedication.
The pastrami here comes thickly sliced and beautifully marbled, layered onto rye with just the right amount of dressing to keep everything balanced. Nothing overpowers, and nothing feels skimpy.
Quality is the whole point, from the meats to the cheeses to the bread beneath them. The result is a sandwich that tastes both timeless and carefully considered, the sort you find yourself thinking about later.
7. Mobil Cafe
Here is a twist you do not see coming: one of Ohio’s most talked-about pastrami sandwiches lives inside a gas station. Tucked into a Mobil station in Olmsted Falls, this little cafe turns roadside dining on its head.
The pastrami sandwiches earn the word behemoth honestly, stuffed with generous amounts of thinly sliced, perfectly cured meat. Fresh bread wraps around it all, holding a portion that feels almost cheeky given the setting.
It is proof that greatness can show up in the most unexpected places. Fill up your tank, then fill up on one of the best pastrami sandwiches around.
8. Wario’s Beef and Pork
Epic is a big word, but the sandwiches here dare you to use it. Back in Columbus, this spot has made stacking meat into its whole identity.
The Cold Cut piles on layer after layer of meats until your deli-loving heart overflows. If you lean toward something hot and melty, the Cheesesteak done Wario’s Way brings melted white American cheese together with sharp provolone.
Every order feels like a small celebration of excess in the best possible way. You leave grinning, a little full, and already plotting your next visit.
9. Hoagie City
If your idea of a perfect sandwich involves a roll straining to contain its filling, this Central Ohio favorite delivers. The hoagies here are stacked super high, and that is not marketing talk.
Incredible portions of meat get layered onto each roll with a heavy hand. The proportions lean generous in a way that makes every bite feel like a small reward.
Hoagie fans know the difference between a decent sub and a memorable one. This spot lands firmly in memorable territory, one towering roll at a time.