Pop into Riley’s Sandwich Shop on Oakland Ave

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I’ve been keeping a close eye on Riley’s Sandwich Shop (4473 N. Oakland Ave.) but haven’t found myself in Shorewood during the day to see what it’s all about. But I couldn’t wait any longer and I packed up my little dog and headed to Riley’s for a dog-friendly sandwich experience.

Don’t worry, the shop follows all FDA protocol, keeping the sandwich making separate from the space where you order and let your dogs play. It’s an ideal spot for someone taking a stroll on Oakland and wants to pop in somewhere with the pup. Or it’s ideal for someone like me who likes my dog to enjoy Milwaukee as much as I do. I digress, let’s get to the sandwiches.

Being that I consider myself a sandwich aficionado, I think I know how to order at these types of places. Riley’s has a ton of options for steak, chicken, veggie, and dog-friendly items so it wasn’t very easy to choose. The owners John and Jess guided me through what’s popular and, in typically Sandy form, I went for other intriguing options.

Chicken and Steak

I wanted to taste a chicken and a steak option, knowing both sandwiches come cut in half so I could take two halves home with me. If you don’t already follow @rileysandwich on Instagram, it’s a great place to start when figuring out what to order—they showcase what’s inside the sandwich by doing a sorting of “unboxing” of the sandwich to see its contents. These little videos will make your mouth water, trust me.

I went for the “Terrible City” based on the clever name and the Chicken Aji Verde knowing I liked all the ingredients. They were both incredibly good and served fresh off the grill. The “Terrible City” was once a temporary sandwich in honor of last year’s ESPN commentary but has been kept on by its loyal fans. It consists of beef tenderloin steak, cheese, onion, beer cheese, dill pickle potato chips, and slaw. It’s even better than it sounds.

My second option, the Chicken Aji Verde, was all over their Instagram lately so I wanted that walking in. The sandwich is made of organic chicken breast, avocado, tomato, mozzarella, and house aji verde sauce (Peruvian green sauce with flavors of cilantro, parmesan, and lime). This was almost as if an arepa met a sandwich and came together as one. This might be my regular order, but I definitely have more to explore.

Whether dining in or taking out, Riley’s Sandwich Shop should be pinned on your food map. It’s a lovely experience with excellent food to pair. And they’re soon opening a Third Ward locations for all those drooling about the Shorewood location from downtown Milwaukee.