Bread Head

We once heard that New Yorkers are never more than six feet away from a rat, which is cool and also unnerving. In much of Los Angeles, you’re never more than two miles from a fancy focaccia sandwich. But even if you think you’ve seen every version conceivable by man and yeast, the sandwiches at Bread Head in Santa Monica are special. 

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

This glass box of a sandwich shop bakes fresh bread daily that blends the best parts of focaccia and ciabatta: soft, airy innards and a crackly crust that shines like a polished penny. And like its signature loaves, there’s a general mixing of styles across Bread Head’s menu, from a French ham and butter sandwich (the owners were chefs at Trois Mec) to the Southern-leaning pimento cheese “nachos” available as a snack. People who love delis will love the muffuletta, with its shaved mortadella mattress and orange-infused olive salad, and the Combo Grinder, with enough salami and coppa to put a smile on Livia Soprano’s face. And the vegetarian Mozzarella, which sounds like something you’d order at a health food spot in Topanga Canyon, is heftier and juicier than some of the meat options, with milky-soft cheese, avocado, a thick layer of sprouts, and tangy za’atar spread.

Each of Bread Head’s ten or so sandwiches is entirely unique, but they share one thing: they’re roughly the size of a Macbook Pro. If you’re dining here solo, get a half order. We’d also suggest finishing as much of your sandwich in one go because that crispy bread turns soggy after a few hours. So find a coworker, a lover, or a cool neighbor to go halfsies. Like most special things in life, Bread Head’s focaccia is best enjoyed in the moment.

Food Rundown

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Picnic Nachos

Eating a small tub of pimento cheese sounds intimate, or maybe just something you’d do at 2am in front of your fridge. But Bread Head’s version is just a little snack before your sandwich arrives. Choose your bag of chips (we opted for tortilla) and snack away.

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Muffuletta

This sandwich is incredibly salty, and we say that as a compliment. There’s mayo spilling out the sides. (Traditional muffu? No. Delicious? Yep.) The provolone is sharp, you bite into a stack of mortadella, and the briny olive salad is mellowed out with some orange juice.

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Combo Grinder

There are three little pigs represented in this Italian sandwich, and each one brings something unique. The hot coppa has a little heat, the smoked ham is not too sweet, the salami cotto adds delicious fat. All of this rich porkiness gets cut by vinegar and a bright lemon pine nut spread.

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Mozzarella

This is a vegetarian sandwich done right. The thick slices of fresh mozzarella and avocado are separated by a wall of sprouts, and there's tons of tangy acidity from the pickled onions and za’atar spread.