two good sandwiches - the bacon, lettuce and tomato at picnic and ok's deli
a tale of two delicious versions of the classic blt, from two distinctive local destination delis. which one will you choose? like us, you might choose both.
have a good sandwich rec? please let us know.
the spot: picnic
862 san pablo avenue, albany.
the blt: given that picnic's own housemade applewood-smoked bacon just won a 2026 good food award, we're not surprised their summer blt is generating plenty of local interest. on our visit, blt sandwich orders were in full production behind the counter at the busy woman-owned corner rotisserie and deli.
details at picnic at san pablo and solano avenue in albany. photo credit berkeley eats.
the picnic blt is chewy, tangy, sweet and fresh. it's layered on an acme deli roll (itself big, chewy, sweet and fresh, we asked that our wrapped sandwich be sliced in half), with a nice-sized foundation of thick-cut homestyle bacon with smoky, rustic-sweet flavor. the sandwich is stacked with fresh butter lettuce and juicy, sliced early girl tomatoes, sprinkled with a little salt and pepper, and the bread is spread lightly with a flavorful dijonnaise.
the blt at picnic. photo credit berkeley eats.
we spotted a customer joke online about byo-avocado to make it a blat, and honestly this california-style sandwich almost begs for a slice of avocado. but as it is, it's a sunny seasonal artisanal pleasure to enjoy inside or out (picnic!), as families stroll past the bustling albany intersection of solano avenue and san pablo.
the spot: ok's deli
3932 telegraph avenue, oakland.
the blt: to be a sandwich lover in the east bay is to know ok's deli (pronounced 'oaks') at the busy, urban crossroads of 40th and telegraph in oakland.
details at ok's deli at 40th and telegraph in oakland. photo credit berkeley eats.
we went near closing when the lines were lessened for the hard-working ok's deli team, and reveled in being almost too hot at their one outdoor table during the tantalizing wait for our carefully prepared sandwich.
the blt at ok's deli. photo credit berkeley eats.
the ok's blt is crispy, toasty, tidy, and somehow, despite its chef-driven pedigree, the addictive blt of our youth.
ok's nostalgic housemade mayonnaise is balanced in both flavor and consistency – light and rich all at once, spread neatly from corner to corner of the square, slightly-toasted japanese milk bread. meaty, crisp iceberg lettuce, peak sliced tomatoes and a generous stack of hobbs' applewood smoked bacon finish the sandwich...and we finished the sandwich.