WILMINGTON — A popular online foodie platform is counting down the top 100 sandwich shops nationwide and one local stop tracks midway on the list.
READ MORE: The other ‘Half’: Beloved downtown sandwich shop to open near WB
Located at 510 ½ Red Cross St., The Half clocked in at number 56, according to Yelp’s poll. Just in time for August’s National Sandwich Month, the rankings were generated by total volume and ratings of reviews. Restaurants also needed a passing health score as of May 2025.
The Half, with 98 out of a 100 health score, has around 162 reviews on the platform, averaging 4.8 stars by reviewers.
“I’m grateful for the loyal support of our customers that has allowed us to be named alongside other great sandwich shops,” The Half owner Andrew Dennison wrote to Port City Daily. “I’m very proud of our team and happy to see them receive national recognition.”
Dennison operates The Half with his partners Carl Cross, Dean Moore and Charles Fogg. The group launched the Red Cross location in the Brooklyn Arts District in 2022 after the popular Detour Deli closed. The Half one-of-a-kind sandwiches often are topped with handmade sauces and pickled veggies, punctuating global flavors.
It serves a Caprese, as well as a tofu banh mi, both in honor of Detouri. The Caprese remains a favorite today, according to Dennison, topped with fresh mozzarella, tomato, basil pesto, balsamic on ciabatta.
The Tucker (turkey, lettuce, cucumber, provolone, balsamic, romesco on ciabatta) and Italian Parts Unknown (ham, Genoa salami, capicola, provolone, shredduce, tomato, onion, giardiniera, red wine vinaigrette, spice mix on Italian roll) are also top-sellers.
The Yelp ranking doesn’t include a recommendation of menu items, only shops overall. However, it included a picture of The Half’s Superette, which comes topped with either pastrami, turkey, or ham, as well as “shredduce,” pickles, onion, tomato, hoagie sauce, red wine vinaigrette, and spice mix on an Italian roll.
Aside from sandwiches, the deli also serves local and regional craft beer, as Dennison, Cross and Moore came from Flying Machine Brewing Company. (Cross is also a partner opening a new brewery in Leland soon.) Both brews and bites will continue to be the focus at a second Half opening closer to the beach soon.
Dennison said the location at 7110 Wrightsville Avenue, in Crosspoint Plaza, is on schedule to open in the fall. Having once housed a Subway, the 1,100-square-foot sandwich shop will come with a warm color palette and lean into the area’s coastal vibe. Positioned only a mile from Wrightsville Beach, the second location will feature grab-and-gos for people looking to grab a quick snack for a day on the shore.
Only one other North Carolina restaurant landed on Yelp’s 100 Best Sandwich list; Waveriders Coffee, Deli & Market in Nags Head placed at 92. The top spot is secured by Franky’s Deli Warehouse in Hialeah, Florida.
Want to read more from PCD? Subscribe now and then sign up for our morning newsletter, Wilmington Wire, and get the headlines delivered to your inbox every morning.
