Sandwich Express Will Serve Its Final Meals Tomorrow

A downtown deli, Sandwich Express, is shuttering for good tomorrow, Boston Restaurant Talk reports.

A Chowhound user broke the news earlier this week, and owner Elena Myshqeri confirmed Thursday, July 30 will be the shop's last day in business. The doors will close at 3 p.m., she said.

Myshqeri and her husband, Sam, have been in business for 20 years with a catering company and 12 area locations of Elena's Cafe. Sandwich Express has been in operation at 99 Summer St. for 25 years; Elena and Sam Myshqeri have run it for the past 12.

The Boar's Head-centric menu includes specialty sandwiches like the Mary Anne, with maple-glazed turkey, house made coleslaw, Swiss cheese, and Russian dressing; and the Chattanooga, with Cajun roast beef, jalapeno cheese, horseradish, red onion, and mustard. There are also wraps, soups, salads, and breakfast items.

The space is currently 900 square feet; Myshqeri's landlord recently asked her to expand it to 2,400 square feet, she said. The rent would increase with the space, and she also anticipated making a $200,000 - $300,000 investment to renovate it, which she did not want to do. "We are sad to close, but we have no choice," she said.

Elena's Cafe locations are not affected; in fact, the business owners just opened a new shop in Dedham two months ago, Myshqeri said. Other locations serve business communities in Braintree, Quincy, Marlborough, and Norwood.

Sandwich Express is open today and will be open from 7 a.m. - 3 p.m. tomorrow for its last hurrah.